Contrasts has been unavailable for many years and is now released on CD for the first time, simultaneously with a 180g vinyl reissue. By the time of its recording in 1979, Sam Rivers and Dave Holland had been working together consistently for seven years (with Dave's legendary Conference of the Birds at the start of their collaboration), a powerhouse combination of multi-reeds and double bass.
Of the drummers who passed through the line-up, Thurman Barker was one of the most creative, rippling across drum kit and marimba. Young trombone innovator George Lewis had already worked with Holland and Barker in Anthony Braxton groups. For Contrasts everyone was fired up and ready to play.
Dave Holland always described Sam Rivers's groups as his finishing school. It was Sam - renowned as one of the major teachers in American jazz - who instructed him to play "all the music" - inside, outside, atonal, swing, blues, and all the hues of the jazz and chamber music traditions.
At the beginning of 2014, ECM issues seven important recordings from its back catalogue, all on 180g vinyl and CD, most of which have been out of stock for many years. For both CD and LP versions, the original analog recordings are issued in deluxe cardboard sleeves.
