Week 16:: To the Max!

2 weeks ago marked the 85th anniversary of the birth of Max Roach, perhaps the most influential and creative drummer in the history of jazz, if not even more broadly. While unfortunately Max passed away in 2007, making this just the second birthday he wasn't around to celebrate, he recorded as recently as 2005, capping an active recording career of 60 years.

That's a lot of vinyl, tape, or even digital medium to cover in just 60-ish minutes, especially when you consider then many reasons why Max is considered so important.

Not only was he not just a, but THE pivotal drummer of both the Bebop and Hardbop periods, he almost single-handedly reinvented the role of the drummer within the jazz ensemble, shifting from a simple timekeeper to full-fledged improviser, and even contributing melodically (you heard me) on his snares and cymbols.

On top of what he did musically, which is a tall enough mountain by itself, he was also one of the most fervent activists in the Civil Rights movement as early as 1960, and a strong force in jazz education for more than three decades.

He was a pioneer, a visionary, and several more superlative terms.
And this week, he is our focus, ridiculously reduced to 1 hour.

Please, finish this show, and go listen to more Max Roach. You won't be disappointed.

Audio

Playlist

1. Clifford Brown & Max Roach - Cherokee - Study in Brown
2. Charlie Parker - Ornithology - Royal Roost, 1948
3. J.J. Johnson - Coppin' the Bop - Mad de Bop
4. Herbie Nichols - Chit Chatting - Complete Blue Note Recordings
5. Parker, Gillespie, Powell, Mingus, Roach - Wee - Jazz at Massey Hall
6. Max Roach - Mr. X - + 4
7. Max Roach - Mendacity - Percussion Bitter Sweet
8. Duke Ellington - A Little Max (Parfait) - Money Jungle
9. M'Boom - Onomatopoeia - M'Boom
10. Max Roach & Clark Terry - For Dancers Only - Friendship
    

::WSRP:: Bang, Bang, Boom - Percussion Discussion