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Biography
Dave Samuels (October 9, 1948 – April 22, 2019) was an American vibraphonist and marimba player who spent many years with the contemporary jazz group Spyro Gyra. His recordings and live performances during that period also reflect his prowess on the steelpan, a tuned percussion instrument of Trinidadian origin.
Samuels was born in Waukegan, Illinois. At the age of six he started playing drums and piano. He learned vibes and marimba while a student at Boston University. He continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music, also in Boston, and studied with vibraphonist Gary Burton. He taught percussion at Berklee before moving to New York City in 1974. Soon he was recording and performing with Gerry Mulligan, Carla Bley, and Gerry Niewood. He played in a vibe/marimba duo with David Friedman, who had been his teacher at Boston, releasing albums under the name Double Image.
