Traveling Mercies

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
All About Jazz	[3]
The Guardian	[4]

The Allmusic review by David R. Adler awarded the album 4 stars stating "Chris Potter gets more and more adventurous. On this follow-up to the strong Gratitude, the tenor and soprano saxophonist beefs up strong writing and heady group interplay with occasional sampled sounds and miscellaneous textures like clavinet and reed organ ... As a jazz record, Traveling Mercies is very much a product of its post-millennial times, but it still comes across as highly individual. Its value will be lasting".[2]

All About Jazz correspondent Mark F. Turner observed "Potter possesses a strong tenor sound, which is throaty and deep with meaning, but it's a real treat to hear him on bass clarinet, flute, and odd instrumentation such as the reed organ. Combine this with exceptional compositional skills, and choice musicians; Traveling Mercies is a cut above the rest".[3]

Not all reviews were as enthusiastic. In The Guardian, John Fordham wrote "Plenty of virtuosity, but it doesn't really do Chris Potter's obvious musicality justice".[4] JazzTimes' writer Aaron Steinberg said "despite some fine playing by Potter, Traveling Mercies’ attempts to sound eclectic and vibrant end up sounding calculated and cautious. At this point, Potter fronting a band with quick reflexes on daring material, minus concept and gimmicks, would be more than welcome"[5]

All compositions by Chris Potter except where indicated

1. "Megalopolis" – 7:00
2. "Snake Oil" – 6:04
3. "Invisible Man" – 5:08
4. "Washed Ashore" – 7:07
5. "Children Go" (Traditional) – 5:37
6. "Any Moment Now" – 5:21
7. "Migrations" – 8:06
8. "Azalea" – 5:50
9. "Highway One" – 10:12
10. "Just as I Am" (Charlotte Elliott) – 3:37

• Chris Potter – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, bass clarinet, reed organ, clavinet, sampler, percussion, voice
• John Scofield − guitar (tracks 1, 4 & 7)
• Adam Rogers (tracks 6 & 9) − acoustic guitar, slide guitar (tracks 3 & 8)
• Kevin Hays – piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet
• Scott Colley − bass
• Bill Stewart – drums