Chris Potter, Bill Frisell, Burniss Travis, Nate Smith - Alive With Ghosts Today (2026)

Alive With Ghosts Today is Chris Potter’s new suite inspired by the story of the abolitionist John Brown. Potter, widely regarded as one of the most influential improvisers and composers of his generation, traces Brown’s 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry – a moment that exposed the contradictions, violence and ideals at the heart of America. He uses the narrative as a lens to explore belief, sacrifice and the unresolved tension that still sits in American life. The music pushes into a raw, American-rooted soundworld shaped by blues, folk, Copland-esque harmony, and the rhythmic drive that runs through the country’s history.

The ensemble was built to sound like a small-town band with limited resources but deep character – guitar, bass, drums, violin, clarinet and trombone. Bill Frisell’s guitar forms the emotional centre, carrying the grain and warmth Potter imagined while writing. Nate Smith and Burniss Travis lock the pulse with weight and feel. Sarah Caswell’s violin moves between classical clarity and fiddle grit. Clarinetist Rane Moore and trombonist Zekkereya El-magharbel shape the edges of the music with distinct colours, turning written material into something lived-in and human. Their collective sound gives the suite its shape and force.

Chris Potter Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Bill Frisell Guitar
Burniss Travis Bass
Nate Smith Drums
Rane Moore Clarinet
Zekkereya El-magharbel Trombone
Sara Caswell Violin

Tracklist
01 Alive With Ghosts Today 1
02 Osawatomie Brown
03 The Heavens In Scarlet
04 Sister Annie
05 This Earth Would Have No Charms For Me
06 Into Africa
07 Mine Eyes
08 Alive With Ghosts Today 2