Sam Rivers RIP

[mikeweil]

This is a very hard loss to take ... in his way he was a walking history of the tenorsaxophone packing hints of about every style into one solo, but his own way, not as eclectical as e.g. James Carter, but his own, original way of playing all these .... not licks, but individually created phrases. A real great tenor player.

I saw him in the 1980's or 1990's, in a local club, with Dave Holland and a drummer I cannot recall (not Altshul), he did half an hour each on soprano, tenor, flute and piano, without intermission, just solos of his partners in between, in one continuous musical flow, finishing on flute with a smile on his face I will never forget.

R.I.P., and many thanks for the music.

[Pete C]

I saw him in the 1980's or 1990's, in a local club, with Dave Holland and a drummer I cannot recall (not Altshul)

If it was with Holland I can't imagine it was much later than mid-'80s.

[clifford_thornton]

http://easydreamer.blogspot.com/2011/12/american-song-poems.html

A little piece I did on some more recently-uncovered Rodd Keith song poem music. He's one of the great interpreters of this genre.

[Alexander]

Will spin some of his BN output (courtesy of the Mosaic set) later tonight. One of the greats and a true original. Never see his like again. RIP.

[Hardbopjazz]

wait, what is this? theyll put anyones lyrics to music, and send you a copy? or anyone mails in their lyrics and if they like it they select you? i dont understand

When I saw Rivers in 2010 he talked about this, writing music to words that would be sent into the company. This was the main reason he didn't come to New York where the main jazz scene was happening. He was making a very good living writing music for people sending in lyrics.

[.:.impossible]

Indeed Sam Rivers was a special guy and an unpretentious one to boot. Several years ago, in 2003, I had the privilege of catching him play live along with Jason Moran and the Bandwagon at Spivey Hall at Clayton College outside of Atlanta. Together they performed songs from the album “Black Stars”. It was a great concert.

After the show, Sam was kind enough to sign an autograph for me. We had a brief conversation and he revealed that he had driven from Orlando to Atlanta that day just for the show, and that he was intending to drive back again later that night after greeting the audience. Imagine that; at age 80, he drove both ways to Atlanta just to perform one show with Jason Moran.

LWayne

That was a great show.

Yes, it was a great show. And I remember Sam coming out to collect his instruments after the show and he had a look on his face like "I thought we were going play more - where'd the band go?" (answer - to the meet & greet after the show).

Saw his trio at a church at Chandler Park in Atlanta. Obviously a very cool church - Derek Bailey played there once as well.

If this was 2000-2001, I was there!

[six string]

I saw him in the 1980's or 1990's, in a local club, with Dave Holland and a drummer I cannot recall (not Altshul)

If it was with Holland I can't imagine it was much later than mid-'80s.

I wonder if it was Thurman Barker who played with Dave Holland on Sam's ECM album Contrasts.

I was listening to it last night along with some of Sam's Bluenote albums and I couldn't help but notice the similarity of Contrasts to Dave Holland's sound for the last ten or twelve years. Coincidence?

[zzaj]

Honestly, he was not much in focus for myself, but I will now re-check out the recordings I have.

Sam Rivers: Dimensions And Extensions

Sam Rivers: Lazuli

Julian Priester/Sam Rivers: Hints On Lights And Shadow

Andrew Hill: Mosaic Select

Dave Holland Quartet: Conference Of The Birds

Bobby Hutcherson: Dialogue

Tony Williams: Life Time

Larry Young: Into Somethin'

Miles In Tokyo

Just listening to his 'Lazuli' album recorded in 1989 (Timeless), the sleeve notes of this as well as those of 'Dimensions & Extensions' have the (wrong) date of birth as September 25, 1930.

[AmirBagachelles]

A top fiver for me, i love so many of his records. Sam got a lot of shit done, we should all try as hard to be as engaged and faithful to a vision.

[Pete C]

Julian Priester/Sam Rivers: Hints On Lights And Shadow

That's a really nice one, somewhat under the radar. The synth player fits in nicely (since he treats it as an instrument, not a "keyboard".)

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

what are some well known examples of published "song poems"?

[Big Al]

The death of an 88-year-old can't really be considered shocking, but it did seem like Sam Rivers just might live forever, playing music for all time.

My thoughts exactly. RIP

[paul secor]

One thing about death is that it should remind us to not take people - of any age - for granted. They - and we - won't always be here. As we go about our days, it's easy to forget and ignore that.

[Rooster_Ties]

Just listening to his 'Lazuli' album recorded in 1989 (Timeless)...

"Lazuli" is probably my favorite of all his post-BN era recordings (confirmed just now, as I just noticed that I had him autograph my copies of "Lazuli" and "Fuchsia Swing Song"). Although, that was before I'd heard Aurora (Sam's pre-Select "Florida Big Band" date), which is a fucking MONSTER of a date. I haven't yet taken the plunge on the Select, but the second our house in KC sells, I'll be pulling the trigger for sure!

I'd have to imagine that the RivBea Orchestra would continue without him. There had to be someone coordinating that effort (beyond Sam, or his daughter), and from what I've heard/read, it was a godsend to adventuresome musicians in the Orlando area.

[clifford_thornton]

Was at the record store yesterday and moved all of their Sam Rivers CDs up onto the jazz wall. Luckily they had several in stock.

[AndrewHill]

RIP. One of my favorite musicians, and from the accounts above a gracious guy.

[Rooster_Ties]

Was at the record store yesterday and moved all of their Sam Rivers CDs up onto the jazz wall. Luckily they had several in stock.

Gosh, which ones did they have? I can't think of a record store I've walked into in the last 10 years with more than one Sam Rivers CD.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

what are some well known examples of published "song poems"?

None--the industry parted fools from their money by making people think they could get famous doing this, but all you got was a box full of 45s you couldn't give away. Somewhere in America, there's a box in someone's garage with Sam Rivers playing on their awful song.

The only "famous" song poem was by this guy John Trubee who deliberately sent in something outrageous.

Blind Man's Penis

[skeith]

In the NY Times, the obituary below the one for Sam Rivers was for a Joseph Farrell, not that one of course, but my eyes did a time warp double take.

[clifford_thornton]

Was at the record store yesterday and moved all of their Sam Rivers CDs up onto the jazz wall. Luckily they had several in stock.

Gosh, which ones did they have? I can't think of a record store I've walked into in the last 10 years with more than one Sam Rivers CD.

Crystals and all the Blue Note CDs.

[mikeweil]

Julian Priester/Sam Rivers: Hints On Lights And Shadow

That's a really nice one, somewhat under the radar. The synth player fits in nicely (since he treats it as an instrument, not a "keyboard".)

Just listened again to this one - it sat on my shelves much too long unattended. I'm really glad I have this, as well as the other two Postcard CDs with the Priester-Rivers frontline by Reggie Workman. There's so much of the true spirit of jazz in these masters' playing ...

[.:.impossible]

It has been a while since I listened to

"Hints..."

Thanks for the reminder!

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Damn. One of my favorite jazz composers. A real original.

[king ubu]

Yesterday played the entire new Select in one session - it's amazing! So glad they did this!

[sidewinder]

John Fordham's Sam Rivers obituary is now on the Guardian site (although not in the printed edition today, for some daft reason )

Guardian Obit