News Max Roach (1924-2007)
posted by on August 16 at 12:37 PM
The great Max Roach, stalwart percussion innovator, has died. Although a seminal drummer for Charlie Parker and other bebop legends in the 1940s, Roach continued to grow as a composer and improvisor throughout his life. He ranged, risked, and explored bravely and movingly, as great artists do. One of the first truly melodic drummers, Roach is central to the 20th century impulse (think Varèse and Cage) of transforming the percussion section from mere accompaniment into an orchestra.
Roach’s 1960 LP We Insist! Freedom Now Suite remains an underrated piece of overtly political 20th century music. His subsequent explorations found him in straight-ahead settings (such as with Dinah Washington in 1958) to drumming atop the “I have a Dream” speech by Dr. King to duetting variously with postbop innovators who were derided by other musicians of Roach’s generation such as Anthony Braxton, Archie Shepp, and Cecil Taylor.
I’m a fan of his percussion ensemble M’Boom (especially the album Live at S.O.B.s) and his Double Quartet. For more, read the NY Times obit.
oh man, thats sad news. roach was a true musical imagination. if you havent heard the album "it's time--max roach his chorus and orchestra," you really gotta check it out. huge, dramatic, orchestral jazz with an all-scat singing chorus. breathtaking stuff.
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