Sam Rivers was an American jazz reed player and composer. He grew up in Chicago and Little Rock, Arkansas, studying piano, reeds, and trombone. After attending the Boston Conservatory (1947–53), Rivers played with Herb Pomeroy, Quincy Jones, Charlie Mariano, and Joe Gordon. From 1955–7 he toured with R&B bands in Florida and with Billie Holiday before returning to Boston in 1958, where he played with Hal Galper and Tony Williams.

Rivers moved to New York in 1964 and worked briefly with Miles Davis before signing with Blue Note and releasing Fuchsia Swing Song (1964), Contours (1965), and A New Conception (1966). Among the personnel on these albums were Jaki Byard, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, and Herbie Hancock. In the 1960s he appeared on albums by Williams, Larry Young, Bobby Hutcherson, and Andrew Hill. During these years Rivers became involved with the free jazz movement and went to great lengths to create a unique sound, including developing his own exercises.

In the 1970s Rivers opened Studio Rivbea in New York, which became an important venue for experimental jazz. Rivers performed there with the Studio Rivbea big band, the Winds of Change wind ensemble, and his own trio. He also recorded for Impulse! (Streams, 1973) and collaborated with bassist Dave Holland. During the 1980s Rivers played with Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra before relocating to Orlando, Florida. In his last years he composed for and led the Rivbea Orchestra and played in a trio with Doug Matthews and Anthony Cole.