Sam Rivers - Celebration

[relyles]

I have been listening to Rivers’ latest release for the past two days and enjoying it thus far. It is a live recording from the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles featuring his mercurial trio with Anthony Cole and Doug Mathews. I have been fortunate to hear this group live in person as well as on several unofficial recordings. This recording is representative of what the trio has to offer. All three are multi-instrumentalists, which in addition to the variety in instrumentation on each tune add an appealing spontaneity to the group’s performance. This trio has been playing together for at least ten years and it shows.

Sometimes there are discussions about the elder statesmen of the music still playing late in life. That’s true of Rivers, but to an extent I find it very interesting that at his age he is still very creative and pushing the edges of the music more than other artists one third of his age.

Edited March 12, 2004 by relyles

[RDK]

I had the great pleasure of being at the show (one of the two nights) where this was recorded. I've listened to the disc a few times now, and though it's quite good it doesn't even come close to capturing the live experience. I was actually a bit disappointed in it because of that (though I realize that's unfair because of my specific circumstances).

Geez, hearing Rivers and his trio live really altered my appreciation for the man. I've been familiar with his work for over 20 years now, but never considered myself that big a fan. I love "Fuchia," but everything after that seemed a big step down. But his live trio show was so much fun, and the "old man" himself has so much energy and personality, that I've been revisiting a lot of his work over the past six months or so and enjoying it tremendously.

[JSngry]

A most enjoyable recording. WHOOOOOOO!

[RDK]

WHOOOOOOO!

Ah, yes, Sam's "vocals" are a riot.

Seriously, I always considered (not necessarily correctly mind you) Rivers as part of the angry 60's a-g jazz scene. Not really so a-g, but his playing always seemed so intense and, I dunno, clinical maybe - and anyway, that's not so often my bag. What seeing him live did (and I've seen him twice in the last six months) was really show me his fun, personable side. I went to that Bakery show not really expecting to like it - I was going to tick another "jazz legend" off of my list. Don't get me wrong: I'm very open-minded and optimistic about such things, and I was hoping to like the show, but I didn't think It would be much "fun" - at least not in the way that Lonnie Smith, Lou Donaldson, or, say, Mose Allison are fun to see live.

The second time I went, I took along my father-in-law. He's around 75 now, and though a long-time jazz lover he's pretty conservative in his tastes. Mostly big band stuff if you know what I mean. But he's also fairly open-minded and I was somewhat surprised (though very pleased) that he ended up really enjoying Rivers' show. He admitted that while he might not ever listen to one of his recordings, he'd have no problem seeing him again in person.

[TedR]

Two years ago I heard Sam Rivers lecture at a Borders here in Ft Lauderdale (he lives in Orlando, FL) the night before his trio played at the main library auditorium. One point he made in response to a question regarding "free" playing and the lack of acceptance of "avante garde" by most music listeners was that he didn't really care to listen to it most of the time either. But to play it, he said, was "exhilarating". He also said he considers himself primarily a composer and that he composes all the time. When I get the chance to hear a musician lecture and see them perform I can hear their recordings with a completely different perspective.

[sal]

I've seen this group live and I must add my .02. They are fantastic. I look forward to picking up this album.