Sam Rivers

Sam Rivers has been playing and recording for over 40 years in the field of Jazz. Long respected by players and jazz listeners alike, Sam is known for his individualistic and uncompromising style of playing. He has performed with the likes of Miles Davis, Cecil Taylor and Dave Holland, but has never achieved success in the jazz mainstream. His early musical education began with studies in piano, reed instruments and viola. He attended the Boston Conservatory of Music in the late 40's and early 50's, performing regularly in Boston until the mid 60's with musicians such as Jaki Byard. During this time Sam developed his own exercises and practice regiments, both to avoid imitation and to further his personal approach.

Sam Rivers first achieved widespread notice as the saxophonist with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1964, leaving Boston to journey to New York City, as well as touring Japan with Miles Davis. He began recording a series of albums for Blue Note during the mid to late 60's, as well as performing a series of concerts with Cecil Taylor. In the early 70's Rivers and his wife Bea established Studio Rivbea in SoHo. This became not only an important forum for new and free music, but the home of the "loft jazz" movement. Sam Rivers has continued to record, compose and perform as viable figure of the free jazz community.

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