A true giant of jazz and be-bop passed away on December 26 at the age of 88. Sam Rivers, played saxophone, clarinet, piano and flute, with some harmonica. His career spanned 60 years and included both him as a bandleader and several stints as a side-man for such greats as Miles Davis, Cecil Taylor and Dave Holland. He had recorded 24 albums in his time. His songwriting included such standards as “Beatrice”, which is the first video I have chosen. This is a live version, recorded in 1989 with the Sam Rivers Quartet. The song is mellow, but showcases Sam’s saxophone playing.
My second choice is a video with James Blood Ulmer, again live, and 1993ish.
Related articles
- Jazz musician Sam Rivers dies at 88 (cbc.ca)
- Sam Rivers, Jazz Musician and Composer, R.I.P. (pitchfork.com)
How he wasn’t as big a name as Miles astounds me.
Oh, and unrelatedly, I was in a Starbucks today and heard Miles Davis and didn’t know whether to be impressed or appalled
Miles can put a band together, which makes it more impressive than appalling I guess.
Exactly. A true consummate pro who made others sound better