20 June 2009

Sam Rivers - (1979) Contrasts - ECM 1162

Sam Rivers - tenor and soprano saxophone, flute
George Lewis - trombone
Dave Holland - bass
Thruman Baker - drums, marimba

Recorded in Ludwigsburg, December 1979

01 Circles
02 Zip
03 Solace
04 Verve
05 Dazzle
06 Image
07 Lines

Review by Scott Yanow
Tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers (also heard on soprano and flute) teams up in a quartet with trombonist George Lewis, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Thurman Barker (doubling on marimba) for a date that certainly defies the stereotype of a typical ECM session. The seven Rivers originals, although sometimes having colorful melodies, are quite complex. However, the intriguing and very alert interplay between the brilliant musicians makes the music seem fairly logical and worth exploring by adventurous listeners.

An astonishin' group and record for ECM today unbelievably oop. In my opinion one of the best ECM at all. I really can't say or imagine why Manfred Eicher did't reissued this album. To my knowledge there are only two editions: ther first in 1980 followed by another in 1981. Sam Rivers in top form with some of the best musicians in those days, and still today. The half of this group (George Lewis and Dave Holland) is the same of the Braxton Dortmund 1976 concert. The music is in the same joyous vein and yet very different.
I think this is a neglected gem.

"Last but not least" This is not a rip by me, since I haven't got this album in my personal collection. So my greatest thanks go to dear friend, cattalan, who did the work. I even didn't know this album before. What a great gift You made me "catta": THANKS.










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14 comments:

  1. LYM20 June 2009 at 23:41:00 CEST

    Sam Rivers - (1979) Contrasts - ECM [FLAC]
    parts 1-3

    http://www.mediafire.com/file/aze2nyyzudc

    http://www.mediafire.com/file/jqh4m3mljyz

    http://www.mediafire.com/file/nnkhoqmwiua

    Flac with low quality cover image. Front and back cover at with a better quality will be greatly appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  2. freejazzcat21 June 2009 at 17:02:00 CEST

    Thank you for this great recording, still one of my all-time favorites by Sam Rivers. It really is a shame that this has not been made available as a re-issue. I appreciate having a clean copy now thanks to your offering as my LP is a mess!

    ReplyDelete
  3. free bones22 June 2009 at 05:15:00 CEST

    never enough sam rivers! thank you so much!

    fb

    ReplyDelete
  4. 8mmbolex22 June 2009 at 21:15:00 CEST

    brilliant.
    SR gets my vote for most under-recognized giant.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tim8 July 2009 at 03:41:00 CEST

    This is a fantastic recording! I worked in used record stores in the 70's and I remember this record. I didn't 'get' it. I didn't keep it. Thanks for giving me another chance at this masterpiece and allowing me to ponder the folly of my youth.

    ReplyDelete
  6. SlimStew6 February 2010 at 10:22:00 CET

    Thank you!--I saw this band back in the day--they could be SO funky, yet go so many other places. I can't believe I never got this record through the years!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Seth Tisue1 January 2012 at 22:33:00 CET

    Thank you. I love this album. The whole group plays superbly. You can listen to the ensemble, or it's equally rewarding to focus on any individual.

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  8. Anonymous31 July 2012 at 22:16:00 CEST

    Thank you again for that wonderful, hard to find recording.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous14 December 2012 at 08:08:00 CET

    Guys, can you share the first part - this link doesn't work.
    http://www.mediafire.com/file/aze2nyyzudc

    ReplyDelete
  10. kinabalu19 December 2012 at 15:56:00 CET

    I wasn't able to retrieve the original posting of this record, so this is a mp3 rip from another source, but still sounding fine:

    rapidshare

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous20 December 2012 at 10:17:00 CET

    Thanks a lot, kinabalu. a wonderful recording

    ReplyDelete
  12. lee21 December 2012 at 20:30:00 CET

    Can't thank you enough for reposting, kinbalu. Been waiting to hear this one for a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Seth Tisue19 January 2015 at 05:16:00 CET

    Finally now reissued on CD by ECM.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ernst Grgo Nebhuth19 January 2015 at 10:43:00 CET

    The CD is available since January 24, 2014....

    ReplyDelete