The composer and multi-instrumentalist from El Reno, Okla., performed blues, bebop, big-band music and free jazz — and generally a mixture of all the pieces. Rivers additionally gave different musicians a spot to play.
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. Jazz composer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers was born 100 years in the past at this time in El Reno, Okla. Our jazz critic, Kevin Whitehead, says Rivers may play all of it – blues, bebop, huge band music and free jazz – and generally combine them. He additionally gave different musicians a spot to play. Kevin has this portrait.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS’ “DANCE OF THE TRIPEDAL”)
KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Sam Rivers on tenor saxophone on his “Dance Of The Tripedal” from 1965, ambiguously poised between laborious bop and the avant-garde. You could not typecast Rivers, who’d labored with blues icon T-Bone Walker and free jazz titan Cecil Taylor – and who’d toured briefly with Billie Vacation and jammed with Jimi Hendrix. Born on the highway to itinerant gospel musicians, Sam Rivers picked up a couple of devices early, about 5, earlier than he received round to tenor sax. His first main publicity got here in 1964, when he subbed for 2 weeks in Japan with Miles Davis. Sam, pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams had some enjoyable on the market.
(SOUNDBITE OF MILES DAVIS’ “SO WHAT (LIVE AT KOHSEINENKEN HALL, TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 1964)”)
WHITEHEAD: Within the mid-Nineteen Sixties, Sam Rivers recorded as chief and sideman for Blue Notice, taking part in soprano sax and flute alongside his tenor. A couple of tenor saxists adopted soprano as an upward extension of the larger horn, however Sam had performed soprano first from age 13. Soprano is the place he developed his generally full, generally precariously wiry saxophone sound.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS TRIO’S “HUES OF MELANIN”)
WHITEHEAD: Sam Rivers on soprano in 1973 with drummer Barry Altschul and bassist Arild Andersen. Within the ’70s, Sam fronted many improvising trios, taking part in piano alongside his horns. Some trios had tuba or may broaden right into a quartet or quintet. Their spontaneous music had jazz virtues. It was orderly with contrasting solo episodes and colours, and people bands may swing. Bassist Dave Holland referred to as Sam’s trio his ending college.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS’ “VERVE”)
WHITEHEAD: Sam Rivers’ flute may sound oddly like his hoarse talking voice. He had lots to say however was extra of a doer. In early ’70s New York, there have been extra inventive musicians than locations to play. So Sam and his spouse and full accomplice, Beatrice Rivers, began their very own Decrease Manhattan venue, Studio Rivbea. Others adopted swimsuit. Sam stored hustling. His chronicler, Rick Lopez’s, large, just lately revealed “Sam Rivers Sessionogaphy” particulars every week in July 1973 when Sam was operating his personal competition and in addition performed 9 exhibits with numerous teams throughout Manhattan and in some way squeezed within the recording of a trio album stay in Switzerland. And all alongside, he’d additionally been composing for giant ensembles.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS’ “TRANQUILITY”)
WHITEHEAD: “Tranquility” for 14 gamers, recorded in 1974. That funk bass seems forward to some later Sam Rivers big-band music. Within the ’80s, he started touring with bebop founder Dizzy Gillespie, who discovered that Rivers was much more fastidious about taking part in accurately on chord modifications than he was. Whereas in Orlando with Dizzy, Rivers spoke to some native theme-park musicians seeking to play extra stimulating stuff after hours. If Rivers moved to city, they stated, he may have a giant band stocked with good soloists able to play something he threw at them. That’s simply what occurred. Sam Rivers led his Rivbea Orchestra in Orlando for 20 years, beginning in 1991.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS’ “PULSAR”)
WHITEHEAD: The Rivbea’s Orchestra’s multivectored busyness confirmed Sam Rivers did not transfer to Florida in his late 60s to retire. In Orlando, he additionally had his longest-running trio with fellow multi-instrumentalists Doug Mathews and Anthony Cole. In later years, Rivers received the elder statesman therapy – all-star New York big-band information, a reunion trio with Dave Holland and Barry Altschul and visitor photographs with youthful admirers like Jason Moran and Steven Bernstein. Sam Rivers died in 2011 at 88. He stayed busy until the tip. There was all the time extra music to put in writing and another gig to play.
(SOUNDBITE OF SAM RIVERS’ “HERITAGE”)
MOSLEY: Kevin Whitehead is the creator of the books “Play The Means You Really feel: The Important Information To Jazz Tales On Movie,” “Why Jazz?” and “New Dutch Swing.” On tomorrow’s present, we discuss with Ben Goldfarb on how our reliance on highways and freeways is an environmental concern, in addition to a social one. His new e book is “Crossings: How Highway Ecology Is Shaping The Future Of Our Planet.” I hope you may be a part of us. To maintain up with what’s on the present and to get highlights of our interviews, observe us on Instagram at @nprfreshair.
(SOUNDBITE OF BOB WILBER AND KENNY DAVERN’S “ROSETTA”)
MOSLEY: FRESH AIR’s government producer is Danny Miller. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and opinions are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Heidi Saman, Ann Marie Baldonado, Therese Madden, Thea Chaloner, Seth Kelley and Susan Nyakundi. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Roberta Shorrock directs the present. For Terry Gross, I am Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF BOB WILBER AND KENNY DAVERN’S “ROSETTA”)
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