Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne

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• Released in 1965 on Blue Note, Fuchsia Swing Song is Sam Rivers debut album and a bold statement of his singular voice in jazz. Backed by a powerhouse lineupJaki Byard on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drumsthe album combines post-bop structure with avant-garde impulses. Rivers, who had briefly played with Miles Davis, arrives fully formed, his tenor saxophone voice angular, expressive, and deeply inventive.

  The compositions are adventurous yet grounded, with tunes like Downstairs Blues Upstairs and the title track showcasing Rivers’ ability to weave catchy motifs into complex, shifting harmonic landscapes. Jaki Byards eclectic piano and Tony Williams explosive drumming push the session into restless territory, while Ron Carters steady bass anchors the explorations. Fuchsia Swing Song remains a cornerstone of 1960s experimental jazzaccessible yet challenging, sophisticated but raw.

  Reviews

  “Rivers’ debut for Blue Note is a masterclass in structured freedom. It’s daring, concise, and endlessly listenable.” AllMusic

  “An essential document of the early avant-garde movement, Fuchsia Swing Song shows Rivers walking the tightrope between inside and outside playing with grace and power.” The Guardian

  “Rivers doesn’t just play the saxophonehe interrogates it, reshaping melody and phrasing with intensity and control.” Pitchfork

  “A thrilling, brainy debut that introduced Rivers as both a composer and improviser of depth and fire.” JazzTimes

  “One of Blue Notes finest sleeper albumsdaring, melodic, and full of invention from start to finish.” StereogumThis Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal.

  Review

  AllMusic rating: AllMusic users: (164 votes) Read the AllMusic.com review

• Artist: Sam Rivers Label: Blue Note, UMe Format: LP Units: 1 Country: Worldwide Genre: Jazz Style: Hard Bop, Post Bop

• A1 Fuchsia Swing Song
  A2 Downstairs Blues Upstairs
  A3 Cyclic Episode
  B1 Luminous Monolith
  B2 Beatrice
  B3 Elipsis