A previously unissued live recording of the late saxophonist/flutist/pianist Sam Rivers, Reunion: Live in New York, will be released on Sept. 25 on Pi Recordings. The date captures Rivers with his trio of Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on drums, performing at the Miller Theatre at Columbia University in 2007. The trio had not played together in 25 years when this concert took place.
Francis Wolff
Sam Rivers
The release coincides with what would have been Sam Rivers’ 89th birthday. The reunion concert was the culmination of Columbia University radio station WKCR’s week-long Sam Rivers Festival. There was no rehearsal other than a 10-minute sound check prior to the performance and no prior discussion of what they would play. Rivers started with a figure on tenor sax and Holland and Altschul quickly fell in behind him. Off they went for the next hour on an extemporaneous journey, conjuring the decades-old magic.
According to a press release, “Although the trio performed extensively, it is surprising how poorly it was documented on record. Aside from two small-label European releases, The Quest (1976) and Paragon (1977), the best-known artifact of their playing together remains Holland’s first album as a leader, the exquisite Conference of the Birds (1972), which memorably pairs Rivers with Anthony Braxton. But Holland’s album was recorded right at the inception of the trio, and cannot be called representative of what its sound would become. In other words, the concert on this release is not only an all-star reunion, but also one of the very few documents of one of the great groups of the 1970s.”
The track titles are numbered, parts one through five for the first set and one through four for the second.
Looking forward to this. I hope they were able to recapture their magic.
I was there. The telepathy was there, but I'd say the energy level of the '70s wasn't (how could it be?). But it was a great show, just a little more relaxed than the old days.
I was there. The telepathy was there, but I'd say the energy level of the '70s wasn't (how could it be?). But it was a great show, just a little more relaxed than the old days.
Sending much envy your way Mr. C! I trust that increased wisdom and judgement - as in the mundane world - compensated for their more sedate pace?
Q: 'How do you start free improvising?'
A: 'Well I usually start on D as a matter of fact'
"I wandered alone in the desert and cried "Oh Lord! Oh Lord! What hast thou done, lately?"
"Thought is not a saffron-robed monk pissing in the snow"
"Bitterness slowly crept into the marriage and by the time Lovborg was six years old his parents exchanged gunfire daily"
I was there. The telepathy was there, but I'd say the energy level of the '70s wasn't (how could it be?). But it was a great show, just a little more relaxed than the old days.
And that might be a good thing. It's great to hear Sam explore on his horn; I don't need to hear catharsis. I recently dipped again into his Mosaic 60s box, really nice stuff.
And that might be a good thing. It's great to hear Sam explore on his horn; I don't need to hear catharsis. I recently dipped again into his Mosaic 60s box, really nice stuff.
Hey, I listened to a lot of Sam Rivers over the last couple of weeks as it happens. One of them is included on that Mosaic box I believe - Dimensions & Extensions. It features one of the all time 'also there's, - James Spaulding. Perennially in the shadows of greatness that guy.
I also checked out the glorious Culmination, which shows what he could do with a larger group. That album features a reworking of a lovely tune he did with Dave Holland - man, those guys were sympatico in the '70's! - on their second duo album (sensibly titled Vol. II, rather than some prancy, unnecessary bullshit). However, of the two, I prefer Vol. I. Rivers is a more than passable pianist, but he's a born reedman - he's wasting his time on the ivories. He's no de Johnette, or Towner, know'um'saying?
Q: 'How do you start free improvising?'
A: 'Well I usually start on D as a matter of fact'
"I wandered alone in the desert and cried "Oh Lord! Oh Lord! What hast thou done, lately?"
"Thought is not a saffron-robed monk pissing in the snow"
"Bitterness slowly crept into the marriage and by the time Lovborg was six years old his parents exchanged gunfire daily"
A previously unissued live recording of the late saxophonist/flutist/pianist Sam Rivers, Reunion: Live in New York, will be released on Sept. 25 on Pi Recordings. The date captures Rivers with his trio of Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on drums, performing at the Miller Theatre at Columbia University in 2007. The trio had not played together in 25 years when this concert took place.
Francis Wolff
Sam Rivers
The release coincides with what would have been Sam Rivers’ 89th birthday. The reunion concert was the culmination of Columbia University radio station WKCR’s week-long Sam Rivers Festival. There was no rehearsal other than a 10-minute sound check prior to the performance and no prior discussion of what they would play. Rivers started with a figure on tenor sax and Holland and Altschul quickly fell in behind him. Off they went for the next hour on an extemporaneous journey, conjuring the decades-old magic.
According to a press release, “Although the trio performed extensively, it is surprising how poorly it was documented on record. Aside from two small-label European releases, The Quest (1976) and Paragon (1977), the best-known artifact of their playing together remains Holland’s first album as a leader, the exquisite Conference of the Birds (1972), which memorably pairs Rivers with Anthony Braxton. But Holland’s album was recorded right at the inception of the trio, and cannot be called representative of what its sound would become. In other words, the concert on this release is not only an all-star reunion, but also one of the very few documents of one of the great groups of the 1970s.”
The track titles are numbered, parts one through five for the first set and one through four for the second.
They most definitely got the "old magic" back. Oh, did they ever!
Francis Wolff
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Originally Posted by CraigP
