Rivers, Sam - Reunion: Live in New York 2 x CDs
SKU
28-PIRC45.2
Sam appearing with Dave and Barry for one final, special, last time. A great band who were one of the great attractions of the 70s avant jazz/loft scene, this has the fine quality of feeling like a bunch of old friends gathered together again.
"This live release is quite something for Rivers' fans. The music on both sets is wholly improvised-nothing was rehearsed beforehand. For those who've heard Dave Holland's "Conference of the Birds" (a classic of it's kind), this is vaguely similar. Holland's album, with Rivers, Altschul, and Anthony Braxton (making it a quartet), was recorded very early in the life of what would become this fine trio. The sound is very good-clean, crisp, and open. There's no harshness in the high end, or muddiness in the low end. The discs slip inside pockets of a tri-fold cardboard holder. There's a fairly good essay on Rivers' music and this concert printed inside the holder, along with track information.
Each disc represents a continuous, complete set.... Some will hear this new release as avant garde, free jazz, or outside jazz. But it's much more than that. Rivers considers free form music as something played with no preconceived ideas, as opposed to "noise". And there is a difference if you're ears are tuned that way. If not-to each his own. The trio originally played together during the hey-day of the loft-jazz scene in the 1970's.... The music from this 2007 concert ranges from dissonance to quieter passages, to something approaching an almost discernible melodic pattern. Nothing is taken for granted-all three players are constantly pushing the music (and each other), while thinking just ahead of what they're playing in the moment. The music is in constant flux, and the constant changing of tones and colors makes for some fine improvised music. Highlights? They're spread all through each "part" on both sets. But listen to "Part 1" (for instance) from the second set for a good example of what this trio is all about....
With Rivers' passing, another important musician/composer is now gone-removing us another step away from that important period of jazz from the 60's/70's. Rivers helped open up the possibilities of what jazz was and could be. His music was never "popular" like other jazz artists, but that doesn't matter. His music was like a breath of fresh air blowing across the jazz landscape. And it's concerts like this that are reminders of what he was capable of."-Stewart Jefferson
- LabelPi Recordings
- UPC808713004526