Born: 1936, New York

"I value the intuitive process, which is really, finally, the only thing anybody's got."

One of the first generation of minimalist masters, Reich studied drumming with Roland Kohloff, principal timpanist of the New York Philharmonic, and later composition at Juilliard and Mills College. He helped put together the premiere of Terry Riley's In C in 1964, and a few months later completed It's Gonna Rain, his seminal tape piece of looped speech fragments. His other influences ranged from John Coltrane to Ghanaian drumming and Balinese gamelan music, resulting in lively, pulse-oriented music of great color. The scope of his music ranges from the sound of clapping hands to full-length multimedia theater pieces.

Further listening:

Drumming (1971)

Steve Reich Ensemble (Nonesuch)

You Are (Variations) (2005)

Los Angeles Master Chorale, Grant Gershon (Nonesuch)

Tehillim (1981) (and other works)

Synergy Vocals, Los Angeles Philharmonic,

Stefan Asbury (DG Concerts/iTunes)

02/07