Sam Rivers/ Ben Street/ Kresten Osgood – Violet Violets

Stunt 5112

“Give them their flowers while they’re still with us.”

That adage, accredited at various times to Jackie McLean and others, is never far from my thoughts. Sam Rivers seems to share a similar viewpoint as reflected in the floral-themed titles of his past few albums. Now an octogenarian, he has shown few signs of age-related enervation. Pinochle and shuffleboard are not even in the cards at this point, as recordings and performances continue to crop up on a regular basis. Still, widespread recognition for his half century of work has often been illusory. Paralleling the experiences of his peer Sonny Rollins, longevity has spelled stints where his ocean-sized talents and accomplishments recurrently receive less than their due.

Organized by Danish drummer Kresten Osgood, Violet Violets culls from the same New York City session as its predecessor Purple Violets. A key difference is the absence of vibraphonist Bryan Carrott, but the trio makes do without him. Rivers has always been about teaming with younger talent, from his 60s Blue Note work with Tony Williams through his current trio with fellow Floridians Anthony Cole and Doug Matthews. Osgood and bassist Ben Street dovetail right into that time-tested framework and straddle the often-translucent palisade between post- and free- bop with shared aplomb. While their communication is not always spot on with the saxophonist, the resulting rougher edges actually augment instead of subtract from the listening experience. Sometimes polish can be a hindrance, particularly in the case of Rivers’ off-the-cuff and emotive style of improvising, which revels in visceral responsiveness rather than intellectual exactitude from his sidemen.

A handful of sketches by Rivers and Osgood join a modest clutch of covers in constituting a vinyl-sized body of music. Street contents himself with supplying a supple bass presence. The set opens with a bouncy flute ditty, Rivers’ dry lines dancing over an plastic groove shaped from malleted toms and punchy bass. Rivers reverence for little-known jazz lore comes out in a libertine reading of Ornette’s “Invisible.” The frothing energetic take, rife with surging salutary tenor, reminds me of how Frank Lowe might have approached the tune. In fact, the entire set favors the larger horn in lieu of the remainder of Rivers’ arsenal with more hard-charging, trill-laden tenor blowing igniting the pun-spun “No Time Toulouse.” Sharp-toothed soprano only holds sway on the drum and sax klatch “Fast Response” and cantankerous telegraphing conversation that is “Lace.”

The trio places indelible stamps on Lucky Thompson’s “I Forgot to Remember” and the standard “What a Difference a Day Made.” On both Rivers’ fattens and softens his tone against simmering brushwork and a beguiling bass pulse. As with the earlier Violets packaging is purposefully devoid of frills, proof again that a disc’s cover is not always indicative of the comparative quality within. As Billy Strayhorn once said, a flower is a lovesome thing. With this album, Rivers and his colleagues bestow listeners with yet another aural bouquet.

~ Derek Taylor

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