Sam Rivers died December 26 of pneumonia; he was 88. Here’s a Spotify playlist of some of his notable performances.

What you’ll hear:

“Beatrice” (from Fuschia Swing Song, Blue Note 1965)
“My Funny Valentine” (Miles Davis, from Miles in Tokyo, Columbia 1964)
“Catta” (Bobby Hutcherson, from Dialogue, Blue Note 1964)
“Paris Eyes” (Larry Young, from Into Somethin‘, Blue Note 1964)
“Mellifluous Cacophony” (from Contours, Blue Note 1965)
“Extras” (Tony Williams, from Spring, Blue Note 1965)
“Four Winds” (David Holland Quartet, from Conference of the Birds, ECM 1973)
“Ivory Black” (from Hues, Impulse 1975)
“Violet” (from Hues)
“Expectation” (from The Quest, Red Record 1976)
“Joycie Girl” (Don Pullen, from Capricorn Rising, Label 1976)
“Rainbows” (from Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions, Douglas 1976)
“Bursts” (from Crystals, Impulse 1974)
“Torch” (from Waves, Tomato 1978)
“Confluence (with Evan Parker)” (from Visions: Performances from the EMIT Series, Isospin Labs 2002)
“Earth Song” (Jason Moran, from Black Stars, Blue Note 2001)
“Riffin'” (from Culmination, RCA Victor 2000)
“Beatrice” (from Inspiration, RCA Victor 1999)