Sam Rivers - The Quest

Responding to a request from Frank Wells, this is Sam Rivers - The Quest, a record out on the Red Record label in Italy and on the Pausa label in the US (both covers above), released in 1976. This is a trio recording with Dave Holland on bass and Barry Altschul on drums and percussion, old Braxton alumni, as it were, and here teaming up with Rivers. Recorded on 12-13 March 1976 in Milano, Italy. This is a mp3 download, ripped from vinyl, so no flacs for this one.

Only four pieces on this record:

1. Expectation
2. Vision
3. Judgement
4. Hope

Rivers shifts from soprano to flute to piano and tenor on the four tracks. He does a splendid job on both soprano and tenor saxes, fills in a lot of colour atmospherics on flute, though perhaps less of a chance to really shine here. I'm less sure about his piano playing. To me, it comes off a bit stiff and contrived and doesn't really gel with the two other guys, but that's just my opinion. It'll be interesting to know if others hear differently. Holland and Altschul are superb throughout. In my view, the first and the last tracks are the definite ones.

I've got some more Rivers in the archives, "Hues" from 1975, one live concert in Foggia, Italy, 1980 (no further info on who's playing - LYM - any idea?), and one live concert from Warsaw in 2000. Let me know if there's an interest in any or all of these - and I'll post them.