Scarlet Rivera -

Scarlet Rivera is an American violinist from Chicago who emerged as part of Bob Dylan’s 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue, then led the 1977/78 Warner albums Scarlet Rivera and Scarlet Fever.

Background

Donna Shea was born in 1950 in Joliet, Illinois. Her father worked as a chemist at an oil refinery, while her mother managed the Shea household. Her parents enrolled their children in music lessons, and Shea began piano at age six. She switched to violin at seven and became first-chair violinist at Joliet Central High School. Southern Illinois University awarded Shea a music scholarship, where she played in the university orchestra and developed an interest in improvisation. Shea left the university after two years and bought a one-way ticket to New York City.

Shea adopted the name Scarlet Rivera in New York and sought work that placed violin outside classical settings. Ornette Coleman hired Rivera for her first paid New York engagement and introduced her to the Revolutionary String Ensemble. Violinist Leroy Jenkins subsequently gave Rivera several lessons. Rivera also earned money with a thirteen-piece Cuban band and led a rock-fusion group called Mammoth.

Bob Dylan encountered Rivera in summer 1975 on East 13th Street near First Avenue, where he noticed her carrying a violin case. Dylan invited Rivera to his Greenwich Village loft and tested her against songs he was preparing for Desire. He took Rivera that evening to a Muddy Waters engagement at the Bottom Line and unexpectedly introduced her from the stage as his violinist. Dylan called Rivera three days afterward for the Desire sessions.

Rivera recorded Desire with Dylan and joined the ensemble assembled for the Rolling Thunder Revue. Dylan also featured Rivera with bassist Rob Stoner and drummer Howie Wyeth at the September 1975 John Hammond tribute taping in Chicago. Rivera remained with Rolling Thunder across the 1975–76 itinerary and appeared on the live album Hard Rain.

Scarlet Rivera

Scarlet Rivera released her self-titled debut album in June 1977 on Warner Bros.

She leads a five-piece ensemble with keyboardist Dominic Cardinale, bassist Ed Mikenas, reedist Rolly Hui, and Rolling Thunder drummer Gary Burke.

“Leftback” careens through asymmetrical meter shifts, sudden 7/4 turns, and tightly contoured violin figures. “Wicked Witch of the East” simmers through fervent bow lines while an unearthly sung passage crosses its bridge. “Gypsy Caravan” glides through an unhurried opening before successive accelerations tighten a descending bass figure. “Cloak and Dagger” coils around shadowed keyboard replies and sinuous call-and-response phrases. “Ring Around the Moon” darkens from a brief spoken monologue into an urgent, tradition-charged motif.

A1. “Leftback” (5:28) – Cardinale
A2. “Wicked Witch of the East” (3:55) – Rivera
A3. “Gypsy Caravan” (10:46) – Cardinale, Rivera, Hui

B1. “Earth Queen” (7:09) – Cardinale
B2. “Cloak and Dagger” (5:24) – Cardinale, Rivera, Mikenas, Burke
B3. “Ring Around the Moon” (9:00) – Cardinale, Rivera

Sessions occurred in March 1977 at Columbia 30th Street Studios in New York with producer Jimmy Wisner and Columbia staff engineer Frank Laico. Wisner, a Philadelphia jazz pianist and former Columbia A&R chief, also released the same-year Electric Moog Orchestra album Music from Star Wars. Laico recorded New York portions of the concurrent Joni Mitchell album Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter.

Scarlet Rivera features art direction and photography by Warner art director Ed Thrasher, with package design by Brad Kanawyer. Cover imagery stacks a Rivera portrait above a violin set in pale wood shavings against a dark field. Thrasher also art-directed 1977 Warner sleeves for Stuff (More Stuff) and Margo Smith (Happiness); Kanawyer designed contemporary covers for Chunky, Novi & Ernie, George Benson (Weekend in L.A.), and Michael Franks (Burchfield Nines).

In 1977, Warner Bros. paired “Ring Around the Moon” with “Wicked Witches of the East” on a promotional single. The album peaked at No. 31 on the Cash Box Top 40 Jazz Albums chart.

Scarlet Fever

Scarlet Rivera released her second album, Scarlet Fever, in April 1978 on Warner Bros.

She retains Cardinale, Mikenas, and Burke; joined here by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, drummer Bernard Purdie, trombonist Urbie Green, mandolinist Paul Prestopino, and serial jazz-funk sessionist Paul Griffin. Saxophonists David Sanborn and Michael Brecker interact on “Rainbow Man.” Johnny Bowen sings “Lift Away,” while David Waite fronts “Lure of the Sea Nymph.”

“Scarlet Fever” struts through a propulsive dance pattern. “Frenzy” flashes through an up-tempo, syncopated figure as tightly articulated violin runs punctuate each turn. “Rainbow Man” drifts through a dreamlike span with an alto saxophone interlude. “Lift Away” lopes beneath Johnny Bowen’s lead singing. “Morning Glories” swirls around an eerie female chorus and Rivera’s rapid flourishes.

A1. “Scarlet Fever” (4:20) – Rivera, Wisner
A2. “Frenzy” (3:15) – Rivera, Cardinale
A3. “Rainbow Man” (6:36) – Rivera, Wisner
A4. “Day of the Unicorn” (6:45) – Rivera, Cardinale, Burke, Mikenas

B1. “Lift Away” (4:26) – Rivera
B2. “Morning Glories” (4:33) – Cardinale, Jennings Burch
B3. “Crystal Pistol” (4:12) – Cardinale, Burke, Mikenas
B4. “Lure of the Sea Nymph” (5:28) – Rivera, Burch
B5. “The Magic Music Box” (2:03) – Cardinale

Wisner produced Scarlet Fever at Record Plant in New York with engineers Rod O’Brien, Roy Cicala, and Shelly Yakus. O’Brien worked in succession with Lou Reed on Street Hassle while Yakus mixed the concurrent Patti Smith album Easter. Record Plant co-owner Cicala handled recnet titles by Enchantment, General Johnson, and Garland Jeffreys.

Also in 1978, Rivera guested on albums by Dee Dee Bridgewater (the Elton John cover “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” on Just Family) and the solo debut by ex-Doll David Johansen. Griffin notched recent credits behind Essra Mohawk, Houston Person, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith, and the Steely Dan albums The Royal Scam and Aja.

Vartan Kurjian and Rod Dyer designed the black Scarlet Fever sleeve around a monochrome portrait by New York fashion photographer Ara Gallant. Front typography places a Rivera script logo across the upper field with album title text along the left edge and a violet diagonal band above the portrait. Kurjian and Dyer also designed Frank Zappa (Studio Tan) and Sam Rivers (The Live Trio Sessions) in the same release period. Gallant moved from Vogue hairstyling into commercial photography and shot contemporary portraits for Interview, including Mick Jagger and Iman.

Warner Bros. lifted an edited “Scarlet Fever” in May 1978 (b/w “Morning Glories”). The label also pressed a promotional twelve-inch that paired Jimmy Simpson’s 5:52 special mix with the 3:25 edit.

In 2004, Collectors’ Choice Music reissued both Warner albums on compact disc.

Later Activity

Rivera reemerged beside German singer Peter Maffay on his 1984 song “Diese Sucht, die Leben heißt” and joined his band for national dates, including appearances east of the Berlin Wall.

Rivera entered film composition with Las Vegas Weekend, a 1986 comedy directed by Dale Trevillion. Her third solo album, Journey With An Angel, appeared in 1988 on Theta, a German new age label. In 1989, she backed Tracy Chapman on the folk singer’s second album, Crossroads. Rivera returned in 1994 with Behind the Crimson Veil, a new age collaboration with her then-husband, English keyboardist Tommy Eyre (ex-Riff Raff).

In the late Nineties, Rivera collaborated on the traditional sets Celtic Dreams, Celtic Myst, and Celtic Spirit for BCI Music. Widowed in 2001, she issued the 2003 CDr Voice of the Animals, recorded before Eyre’s death. Post-COVID, she reappeared with the 2022 discs All of Me and Dylan Dreams.

Discography:

Scarlet Rivera (1977)
Scarlet Fever (1978)
Journey With An Angel (1988)
Behind the Crimson Veil (OST, 1994)
Celtic Carols (1997 • Eric Rigler & Scarlet Rivera)
Behind the Crimson Veil (1998 • Scarlet Rivera & Tommy Eyre)
Celtic Myst (1998)
Lord of the Rings: Music Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien Classic (2002 • Andy Street / Scarlet Rivera)