Sam Rivers finally achieves recognition

Sam Rivers has done a number of things that should place him among the most treasured jazz artists in history. The virtuoso multi-instrumentalist was a key member of the Blue Note records roster in the 1960s, playing on classic recordings by Andrew Hill, Jaki Byard and Tony Williams as well as recording two outstanding albums as a leader, Fuschia Swing Song and Contours.

Rivers went on to collaborate with such f...