Just a brief note to let boardees know that Sam died yesterday. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/enter...,7009901.story
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Thanks for letting us know, Alyn.
For those of us struggling to understand free jazz back in the 60s Sam Rivers represented something of a guiding light. He always stamped authority on whatever context he worked in, and the loft sessions of the 70s were vital as a platform for the next generation, working against the rising tides of commercialisation and standardisation.
And now I'm going to regret never having seen him on the stage.
RIP, Sam. -
Originally posted by Alyn_Shipton View Post
Really sad news. a colossal loss for jazz :(
Fuschia Swing Song has always been one of my favourite blue note records.
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Such a great musician RIP
Love this hard to get album on ECM
From the same era
From his Blue Note era
Last edited by burning dog; 27-12-11, 21:17.Comment
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About time this 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival classic was reissued:-
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I hadn't heard much of Sam River's work until he toured the UK several years ago. Three things struck me about this performance. Although I much prefered the smaller group to the big band, it was clear that he was a soloist of real stature and vision as opposed to someone who could move through the changes in a clever fashion. Despite being aware of his reputation, until I heard him perform live I hadn't appreciated exactly just how good a musician he was. The big band was interesting but the first set with a smaller, regular working group more clearly deminstrated his mettle and I felt that this session was totally compelling. I was also struck at how personable he was and when a lot of aventurous music is presented in a style where the performers have a lofty opinion of themselves, Sam Rivers was extremely amusing and engaged with the audience so that everyone was drawn into his unique sound world. I think that everyone who came away from this concert felt that he had opened the door to his music for them which I feel is a huge benefit if you are trying to get into advanced forms of music.
The final recollection is a unique experience I had and that was being able to look at the parts on the bandstands after the concert had finished. I have seen hand-written parts reproduced in books beforehand and this was before the recent time when many jazz musicians seem to be putting their music for sale on their own websites. These days, the likes of Dave Douglas use a computer programme to neatly present the manuscript but Sam River's music was written in fine, blue ink and was amazingly untidying and difficult to read. It must have presented an additional challenge to the musicians.Comment
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Any chance of a 'Jazz Library' on Sam Rivers, Alyn?Comment
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Not in the immediate future...Comment
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A mini-tribute from Downtown Music Gallery - probably the best jazz records' venue in the U.S.
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On December 26th, the legendary Sam Rivers passed away. Born in
September of 1923, Sam Rivers was 88 at the time of his passing. Mr.
Rivers was a modern jazz legend who played tenor & soprano sax, flute
and piano. He was renown for his composing skills, leading small
bands and orchestras, as well as teaching. Mr. Rivers was based in
Boston since 1947 where he attended Boston Conservatory and played
with notable musicians like Herb Pomeroy, Tadd Dameron and later with
the teenage drummer Tony Williams (in 1959). Tony recommended Sam to
Miles Davis who hired him in 1964 and recorded on 'Miles in Tokyo'
release before Wayne Shorter took the sax [and primary composer]
chair in Miles' famous mid-sixties quintet.
Sam Rivers recorded four albums for Blue Note from 1964 to 1967 as
well a later-released (1975) double LP called 'Involution' of
unreleased sessions from the same Blue Note period. In 1970 Sam & his
wife Beatrice opened what was one of the first loft spaces on Bond
Street near Lafayette called the Studio Rivbea. Throughout the
seventies, the Studio Rivbea was the home to the avant/jazz scene in
the east village. It was cheap, friendly and most of the musicians
mingled freely with the audience. From the mid-seventies onwards, I
used to attend gigs weekly on Bond St. at the Rivbea as well as down
the block at the Ladies Fort or the Tin Palace, all within a two
block radius. Mr. Rivers ran a week-long festival known as 'The
Wildflowers Session' during this period which was recorded and
released as a five LP set and eventually reissued as a 3 CD set. It
is essential listening for those who appreciate avant/jazz from this
historic & creative period. The very first loft jazz gig I attended
was at Ornette Coleman's Artist House space in the summer of 1973.
Performing that day was the Sam River Trio with Dave Holland on bass
and Barry Altschul on drums. It was about 100 degrees outside and not
much better inside. I was just getting into jazz and had not heard
anything like this before so I was both confused and excited at the
same time. This trio was Sam's main group for a number of years and I
caught them at the Rivbea perhaps a dozen times during the
mid-seventies and was blown away every time. I have been a Sam Rivers
fan-addict ever since, catching him live as often as possible as well
as collecting his large catalogue of releases.
Sam & Bea Rivers eventually moved to Orlando, Florida where Sam led
an ongoing big band for the past decade plus. The Rivbea Orchestra
played at an earlier Vision Fest as well as at a Columbia sponsored
gig uptown. Rivers continued to compose throughout his long life and
has a vast book of compositions which he had been trying to record
for many years. A Mosaic triple CD of Florida-based Rivbea Orchestra
was released last year and was to have been the first part of Mr.
Rivers' efforts to document he vast book of music. The majority of
Sam Rivers' records from the sixties and seventies are sadly
out-of-print, although a handful of his more recently efforts as a
leader and a sideman are still available.
Let us raise a toast to the great Sam Rivers, long will his spirit
and music live on in our hearts and minds. - BLGComment
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