Biography
Tommy Potter earned his greatest renown through his close ties to Charlie Parker between 1947 and 1950, when he anchored the bassist’s chair in Bird’s celebrated quintet alongside Miles Davis, Duke Jordan, and Max Roach. Though never a solo voice comparable to Oscar Pettiford, Potter confined himself largely to steady four-to-the-bar walking lines yet proved sufficiently adaptable and technically assured to navigate the brisk tempos that defined Parker’s groups. An advanced swing player at heart, he had come to the bass relatively late in life; after concentrating on piano and guitar, he made the switch only in 1940 at the age of twenty-one. Earlier engagements included stints with John Malachi and Trummy Young, followed by a prominent period in the Billy Eckstine Orchestra from 1944 to 1945. After further work with John Hardee and Max Roach, Potter entered Parker’s circle. Beyond those landmark sessions he also recorded during the same years with Bud Powell, Fats Navarro, Wardell Gray, and other leading figures of the bop movement.
Throughout the 1950s Potter stayed active, appearing briefly with Count Basie in 1950, returning to Eckstine for the following two years, then spending 1952–53 with Earl Hines and 1953–54 with Artie Shaw. Additional associations took in Eddie Heywood, Bud Powell’s Trio, Tyree Glenn between 1958 and 1959, Harry “Sweets” Edison from 1959 to 1961, Buck Clayton, and even Charles Lloyd. Although his fundamental approach gradually fell out of step with evolving tastes, he continued to find work on record dates with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Shaw, and Edison among others. Following a 1965 appearance in a Charlie Parker memorial ensemble, Potter withdrew from regular performance and entered semi-retirement. The only occasions on which he led his own sessions occurred in Stockholm in 1956, when he recorded on consecutive days for the Metronome and East West labels.
Throughout the 1950s Potter stayed active, appearing briefly with Count Basie in 1950, returning to Eckstine for the following two years, then spending 1952–53 with Earl Hines and 1953–54 with Artie Shaw. Additional associations took in Eddie Heywood, Bud Powell’s Trio, Tyree Glenn between 1958 and 1959, Harry “Sweets” Edison from 1959 to 1961, Buck Clayton, and even Charles Lloyd. Although his fundamental approach gradually fell out of step with evolving tastes, he continued to find work on record dates with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Shaw, and Edison among others. Following a 1965 appearance in a Charlie Parker memorial ensemble, Potter withdrew from regular performance and entered semi-retirement. The only occasions on which he led his own sessions occurred in Stockholm in 1956, when he recorded on consecutive days for the Metronome and East West labels.
Albums
Singles
