SEPTEMBER 4 - 24, 2006application deadline: April 28, 2006SAM RIVERS, jazz musician / composer
In 1969, Rivers became an Associate Professor and artist in residence at Weslyan University and Connecticut College, and a year later he and his wife Beatrice opened Studio Rivbea as a living and rehearsal space for music and dance. Studio Rivbea became a prominent performing space in Manhattan until its closing in 1979. The five album series "Wildflowers," documenting one week at the studio, was released in 1977 by Douglas Records. During this period he was an artist in residence at both Dartmouth University and Cornish College. In 1987 Rivers joined the Dizzy Gillespie quintet, big band and United Nations Orchestra, an association that lasted four years. Many of the musicians that comprise the current Rivbea Orchestra are veterans of the theme parks and related venues that flourish in the Central Florida area and many have been involved since the band's Orlando inception. The trio format ubiquitous to River's name has existed alongside the Orchestra, with bassist Doug Mathews and drummer Anthony Cole holding the bass and drum chairs in both ensembles. In 1996 Rivbea Sound Company was formed to release recordings by Rivers and released its debut album, Concept with Mathews and Cole as sidemen. The Rivbea Allstar Orchestra, comprised of River's regular rhythm section and augmented by members of his previous bands, recorded and released two albums for RCA-Victor. These albums, Inspiration and Culmination both received Grammy nominations in 1999 and 2000, respectively. * For more information on Sam Rivers, please visit www.rivbea.com Residency StatementI have a special idea for our residency at ACA - to realize one of my life's music goals. I have a hardback songbook of spirituals from 1886 that was authored by my grandfather. I propose to update my grandfather's work by inviting musicians, composers and vocalists as the Associate Artists. Over the course of the residency we will work to arrange some of the pieces for voice and instruments. We will also take time out for other discussion - individually and within the group of Associate Artists. At certain points, we will work with a rhythm section (perhaps from my group or maybe some of the applicants will be rhythm players). I think that this project could have a great life after the residency, which may be a springboard to a presentable series of concerts, touring, etc. Application RequirementsProspective applicants should submit a resume, a letter of intent describing why you would like to participate in this residency, and a CD of three works either composed by you, or ones in which you play or sing. |
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Born
Samuel Carthorne Rivers in El Reno, Oklahoma, Rivers was born into a musical
family - his earliest experience with music came from singing in a family
vocal group at the age of five. He later studied violin, piano and trombone,
before switching to saxophone at the age of 13. He attended Boston Conservatory
in 1947 and became involved in the Boston jazz scene, where he played with
Ken McIntyre, Paul Gonsalves, and Alan Dawson among others. He resided in
Miami from 1955 to 1957 during which time he played with Billie Holiday before
returning to Boston in 1958 where he joined Herb Pomeroy's Big Band. During
this second Boston tenure he acted as musical director for a number of R&B
and Blues acts such as Wilson Pickett, B.B. King, Maxine Brown and T-Bone
Walker. In 1964, during his time with T-Bone Walker, Rivers was offered the
saxophone position in Miles Davis' quintet, replacing a departing George Coleman.
During his tenure with Davis, he recorded the live album Miles in Tokyo.
After leaving that group, Rivers moved to New York City, where he worked briefly
in Charles Mingus' group and began playing with Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner,
and Cecil Taylor. During the period 1964-1967 he recorded four albums as leader
for the Blue Note label, led the Harlem Ensemble, and was composer in residence
for the Harlem Opera Company. |