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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZRILEY, Terry(b 24 June '35, Colfax CA) Composer; like Steve Reich and Philip Glass a minimalist who has influenced avant-garde pop. His music also appeals to the New Age brigade. Degree in music '61 at Berkeley; played piano and sax in cabaret in Europe, studied with North Indian singer Pandit Pran Nath. In C is a fragment to be played any number of times (with an occasional F sharp); its rhythmic pattern is so insist- ent that you could see the pattern of it on the grooved surface across the whole side of the Columbia LP. There are now at least three recordings of it, two by Riley with orchestra and one by Piano Circus. Rainbow In Curved Air and Shri Camel are also on CBS, played by Riley on electric instruments; there are two albums on Kukuck (on one of which he vocalizes); The Harp Of New Albion, for solo piano, is a two-disc set on Celestial Harmonies; his string quartet music is played by the Kronos Quartet on Gramavision, a two-CD of four pieces. |