David Alan Samuels (October 9, 1948 – April 22, 2019) was an American

vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist, ...

and

marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbr ...

player who spent many years with the contemporary jazz group

Spyro Gyra Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1974. The band's music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop music. The band's name comes from '' Spirogyra'', a genus of green algae which founder Jay Beckens ...

. His recordings and live performances during that period also reflect his prowess on the steelpan, a tuned percussion instrument of Trinidadian origin.

Biography

Samuels was born in Waukegan,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...

, United States. At the age of six he started playing drums and piano. He learned

vibes Vibes may refer to: * Vibes (percussion) or vibraphone, a musical instrument * Vibes (company) a mobile marketing company * The aura or energy given off by someone Media * ''Vibes'' (film), a 1988 comedy * ''Vibes'' (video game), a 2010 video ...

and

while a student at Boston University. He continued his studies at the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...

, also in Boston, and studied with vibraphonist

Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused him to be h ...

. He taught percussion at Berklee before moving to New York City in 1974. Soon he was recording and performing with Gerry Mulligan,

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936) is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera '' Escalator over the Hill'' ...

, and Gerry Niewood. He played in a vibes/marimba duo with

David Friedman David Friedman may refer to: Music * David Friedman (percussionist) (born 1944), American jazz musician * David Friedman (composer) (born 1950), Broadway and film composer Film * David Friedman (actor) (born 1973), American film and TV actor and ...

, who had been his teacher at Boston, releasing albums under the name Double Image. In 1979 he began recording with

, eventually becoming a member of the band in 1986 and remaining with it through the 1990s. During the 1980s he also recorded with Paul McCandless,

Art Lande Art Lande is an American musician who was born in New York City, United States, on 5 February 1947. Born in New York, Lande began piano at age 4. He attended Williams College and moved to San Francisco in 1969. In 1973 he recorded '' Red Lanta,' ...

, Anthony Davis, and

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also ra ...

. In 1993 he created the Caribbean Jazz Project. Samuels wrote columns for the magazines ''Modern Percussionist'' and ''Modern Drummer'', a method book, and made an instructional video. He taught at Berklee and at the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on ...

. Samuels died on April 22, 2019, due to an undisclosed long-term illness.

Discography

* 1980 ''One Step Ahead'' (Dire Silverline) * 1988 ''Living Colors'' (

MCA MCA may refer to: Astronomy * Mars-crossing asteroid, an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Mars Aviation * Minimum crossing altitude, a minimum obstacle crossing altitude for fixes on published airways * Medium Combat Aircraft, a 5th gene ...

) * 1989 ''Ten Degrees North'' (MCA) * 1989 '' Fountainhead'' with Andy LaVerne (SteepleChase) * 1991 ''Natural Selection'' ( GRP) * 1992 ''Del Sol'' (GRP) * 1994 ''Synergy with Samuels'' (Tall Poppies) * 1998 ''Tjader-ized: A Cal Tjader Tribute'' ( Verve/

Polygram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be ...

) * 2006 ''Mosaic'' ( Concord) * 2007 ''Dualism'' With

* 1978 ''

'' * 1979 '' Morning Dance'' * 1980 '' Catching the Sun'' * 1980 ''

Carnaval Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

'' * 1981 '' Freetime'' * 1982 '' Incognito'' * 1983 '' City Kids'' * 1984 '' Access All Areas'' * 1985 '' Alternating Currents'' * 1986 '' Breakout'' * 1987 ''

Stories Without Words ''Stories Without Words'' is the eleventh album by American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra, released in 1987. At ''Billboard'' magazine, it reached No. 84 on the Top 200 Albums chart and No. 67 on the R&B Albums chart. Track listing # "Cayo Hueso ...

'' * 1988 ''

Rites of Summer ''Rites of Summer'' is the twelfth album by Spyro Gyra, released in 1988. At ''Billboard'' magazine, No. 104 on the Top 200 Albums chart. Track listing # "Claire's Dream" (Jay Beckenstein) – 5:39 # "Daddy's Got a New Girl Now" (Beckenstein) � ...

'' * 1989 '' Point of View'' * 1990 '' Fast Forward'' * 1992 '' Three Wishes'' * 1993 ''

Dreams Beyond Control ''Dreams Beyond Control'' is the seventeenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1993 by GRP Records. The group supported the album with a North American tour. The album peaked in the top 5 on ''Billboards Top Contemporary Jaz ...

'' * 1995 ''

Love and Other Obsessions ''Love and Other Obsessions'' is the eighteenth album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1995 by GRP Records. Track listing # "Lost and Found" (Jay Beckenstein) – 5:09 # "Ariana" (Jeremy Wall) – 5:07 # "Serengeti" (Dave Sam ...

'' * 1996 '' Heart of the Night'' * 1997 '' 20/20'' * 1999 '' Got the Magic'' * 2003 '' Original Cinema'' * 2004 '' The Deep End'' * 2006 ''

Wrapped in a Dream ''Wrapped in a Dream'' is the twenty-eighth album by Spyro Gyra, recorded and released in 2006. The album peaked at No. 11 on the jazz album chart at ''Billboard'' magazine. Track listing Track listing and personnel credits from AllMusic Per ...

'' * 2008 '' A Night Before Christmas'' With Caribbean Jazz Project * 1995 ''The Caribbean Jazz Project'' * 1997 ''Island Stories'' * 2000 ''New Horizons'' * 2001 ''Paraiso'' * 2002 '' The Gathering'' * 2003 ''Birds of a Feather'' * 2005 '' Diane Schuur Featuring Caribbean Jazz Project – Schuur Fire'' * 2005 ''Here and Now: Live in Concert'' * 2006 ''Mosaic'' * 2008 ''Afro Bop Alliance'' With Double Image * 1977 ''Double Image'' * 1979 ''Dawn'' * 1986 ''In Lands I Never Saw'' * 1994 ''Open Hand (live)'' * 1997 ''Duotones'' * 2006 ''Moment to Moment (Live in Concert)''

As sideman

With Gerry Mulligan * 1974 '' Carnegie Hall Concert '' (CTI), Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan * 1976 ''Idol Gossip'' * 1995 ''Dragonfly'' With others * 1977 ''Gerry Niewood and Timepiece'', Gerry Niewood & Timepiece * 1978 ''Dawn'',

* 1978 '' Zappa in New York'',

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of A ...

* 1979 '' All the Mornings Bring'', Paul McCandless * 1981 ''Gallery'', Gallery * 1981 '' The Navigator'', Paul McCandless * 1981 ''

Skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History Ope ...

'',

* 1983 ''Hemispheres'', Anthony Davis * 1986 ''Storytime'',

T Lavitz Terry "T" Lavitz (April 16, 1956 – October 7, 2010) was an American keyboardist, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead. Biography Born on April 16, 1956, Lavitz grew up in New Jersey. He st ...

* 1991 ''Cool Running'', Jeremy Wall * 1991 ''

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 ''You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4'' is a two-CD set of live recordings by Frank Zappa, recorded between 1969 and 1988, and released in 1991. Track listing All tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted. Personnel Musici ...

'', Frank Zappa * 1992 ''Red Sun'', Dave Valentin * 1992 ''Stepping to the New World'', Jeremy Wall * 1993 ''A Night in Englewood'', Paquito D'Rivera & the United Nation Orchestra * 1993 ''Arc'', Jimmy Haslip * 1994 ''

Picture Perfect Morning ''Picture Perfect Morning'' is the solo debut album by American singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, released in 1994 (see 1994 in music). The video for "Good Times" was included as part of the multimedia samples included on Microsoft's ''Windows 95 ...

'',

Edie Brickell Edie Arlisa Brickell (born March 10, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter widely known for 1988's '' Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars'', the debut album by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, which went to No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' albums char ...

* 1994 ''Two Hearts'', Peter Kater * 1994 '' We Live Here'',

Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progr ...

* 1994 ''World Tour'', Jason Miles * 1997 ''Playin' Hooky'', Bob James * 2002 '' Speaking of Now'',

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Samuels, Dave 1948 births 2019 deaths People from Waukegan, Illinois Boston University alumni Musicians from Illinois Writers from Illinois American percussionists Latin Grammy Award winners Latin jazz musicians Caribbean Jazz Project members Spyro Gyra members