C&L's Late Nite Music Club with Max Roach RIP
(Blogged by Howie Klein) Last night I asked legendary drummer Jim Keltner, my neighbor, for his reaction to the news of Max Roach's passing. Jim hadn't heard yet and was too shocked to answer immediately. Later he e-mailed me a calm assessment: "Not only was Max with Bird and Diz at the birth of BeBop, he soon became the link between the great swing drummers and the exciting precision based bombast of early BeBop. Max was one of the most important and influential Jazz drummers of all time." The NY Times was as impressed with Roach as Keltner was, saying he "rewrote the rules of drumming in the 1940’s and spent the rest of his career breaking musical barriers and defying listeners’ expectations." As a teenager he worked with Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington, went on to work with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Cecil Taylor, and Anthony Braxton to name a few.
Here's a piece by the Max Roach Quartet (with Billy Harper, Cecil Bridgewater, and Reggie Workman) in the mid-70's:
We had a double post in the LNMC so I moved it to tomorrow...
That last video of celine is disgraceful... put her out to pasture!
[Deleted. Off topic. This is the music thread. Please feel free to repost your comment in the open thread. It should post in a few minutes. Thanks-Sitemonitor]
I met Max Roach in 1993 in Seattle. What an honor. This man was one of the giants of jazz. He was very humble and nice too. I believe he was in his 70's at the time and played an amazing set.
I was lucky enough to see Max play a few years back at the New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Go man, go.
you have to hear max roach to appreciate what John has alluded to.
I find it fascinating the number of people at C&L who have a music industry background.
Could we have a full "bio" link on the folks here like on Huffpo?
The insights and experience, like"..Jim Keltner, my neighbor", really resonate since
music and politics are equal passions of mine.
Max Roach & Clifford Brown
Lady Be Good - Memories of You
Soupy's On, 1956
whizkid @ 7:
It should not surprise you that much since good musicians and people who want to be good musicians and people who love music have something to talk about. There is a reason "I Love American Music" and it has to do with the nature of why this country created Jazz, Rock and Roll, Punk, Hip Hop and Rap (I know i left something out, forgive me.) We used to be a very open country and i think we still will be. Even if you have no musical talent (like me) you can still appreciate music and musicians appreciate their fans. Music transcends and yet enhances politics. Politics is people. Music is how Americans live.
Dizzy Gillespie w/Max Roach (and a host of other jazz greats!)
A Night In Tunisia
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Dizzy+Gillespie+Max+Roach/vi...
John- a question fer ya: have ya ever thought about usin' vids from dailymotion rather than YouTube? The former has, generally speakin', both better audio and video quality. The latter has a larger selection, I suppose, but if I can find a vid at both, I'll link the one from dailymotion.
Max Roach & Clifford Brown
Swingin'
route 8045, Prague
So What?
Sorry, I forgot to say that Howie Klein wrote this post...My bad. I'm tired...
Neil Peart
Rhythm Method
beating on things with sticks
Terry Bozzio
The Black Page
oh, punky
Great childhood influence. By the 50's when I was a tot these cats we're really swinging.
Anyway the body wears out the spirit breaks free and goes beyond this "meat world" for higher planes.
Catch up with you "out there" Max!
God forbid we have to return here to earth for another karmic go round ride.
Tony Williams
Blue Wind
w/ Jan Hammer
Bill Bruford
Duet/Duel
just another day at the office with Tony Levin
Jimmy Carl Black sent me this link, thanks buddy!
A new song by the Eagles!
http://www.eaglesband.com/flash.html
Hit the play button on the turntable to start!
xoites defends Constitution @ 9:
The first omission that comes to mind is the Blues, since that is the major root of the American Music Tree (everything in your list traces back to the Blues root).
I once spent an entire year of college listening to nothing but the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet. (Jazz was a foreign language for me back then, and they say the best way to learn a language is total immersion.) I had everything of theirs that had been released up to that point on EmArCy (MRC - Mercury's jazz label). Brown and Roach were a fantastic team in an era dominated by rotating sidemen. The partnership only ended when Brown died in a car accident. Max Roach never again found what he had with Brownie.
I don't know crap about making music. But isn't one job of a drummer is to be the metronome of the ensemble. Playing drums in a jazz group must be tough.
You can't listen to the other musicians while you are listening to the other musicians. And even when you get to cut loose, you still need to keep the beat.
lafin gas @ 20:
He isn't still in Albuquerque, is he? I met him and Houston there, a couple of lifetimes ago.
Where's my waitress, that hot lil' bitch...
Korai Öröm
Késő Bánat
more bitchin' Budapest grooves
The drums, man, the DRUMS!
Bad Religion: "Let Them Eat War"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fer7fMmHf34
Howie, Max Roach did all you have described.
And More.
His influence on the blues kats in Chicago, including MY fav Butterfield Band's Sammy Lay and Billy Davenport, was equally wraught.
Max Roach touched them all . . . . I salute him as a King And Leader, and deity.
He was also the best teacher . . .
GREAT review, Howie . . . thanks . . .
I remember listening to a Max Roach song on the public radio/Jazz station. It was this wicked be-bop with some intricate conga's in the background. Max was playing a beat that, as a drummer, was mesmerizing, and the conga's played a completely different poly rhythm behind it all. After the song was over, the announcer tells us that Max was playing both the conga's and the kit, at the same time. I was blown away, F***ing amazing!! I love all of the other drummers listed above, but as a drummer, It is my opinion, that none come close to how this guy played, and what he did for music. May he be at peace with two sticks and a full kit, a set of conga's and his infectious smile lighting up the heavens above.
Geez, John Amato, I'm so sorry, thought it was Howie on this one . .
Needless to say, Max Roach is a hoss, and we all know it . .
BTW, Keltner was on Loggins N Messina's first work. Wasn't he?
He did a lotta work with Joan Baez, too, I think.
And he's definitely the legend as portrayed . . .
Here's his um, drumographagoy:
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Jim_Keltner.html
World falling apart... obsessing...
On the Road to Hell, Chris Rea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=060hM-JVClg
GNA xoxox
What a great fucking piece.
Roach, unless I'm mistaken, was also a noted leftist and political activist, yes? Anyone else have any insights on this?
Man, you guys post some great music on here! I love this fucking site! haha
roach was the greatest drummer...ever...John Bonham of jazz...and outstanding human being...so sad that he is gone
Thanks for the music Max.
I'll miss it.
When I was a kid, I first heard Max Roach on the album "Clifford Brown and Max Roach". That's one of the great classic jazz albums. His definitive drum solo would have to be "Blues Walk". I remember when I first saw Max Roach live at the New Orleans Jazz Festival years ago. I didn't get a chance to talk to him much, but hearing him play solo changed my whole approach to developing drum solos. Use of space, melodic ideas, short memorable rhythms, manipulation of form, was something I started applying more to my playing. Max Roach used all of these things and them some. One record of his that opened my ears was with his percussion ensemble, "M'Boom". His solos really on that record made me realize one thing; Max Roach turned the drum solo into an art form. You had great drummers before Max, but you had great soloists after Max Roach. He has had an imprint on all jazz drumers and jazz music.
Jason Marsalis
I might have seen that Max Roach group at the Lighthouse in L.A. mid-70s. Too many beers between now and then........
Clifford Brown / Max Roach has already been mentioned 3 or 4 times. It's really in a class by itself.
I'm not a big fan of that era and style, but those two guys were amazing.
The Man @ 32:
We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite
and several after this one (including the masterful work that Roach did on crafting / directing several Abby Lincoln ablums) were part of Roach's very powerful political / social commentary in the sixties.
Jason @ 36:
well, jason . . .
your no slouch either! you swing hard and youve got good DNA to boot. you do justice to Max's drummig legacy in your creative and artful approach to drumming as well. Maxs playing will resonate as long as there are drummers drumming.
WOW! Just another day at the office for Max. RIP.
Let's not forget his political life, as The Man says. He was active during the civil rights era, a humanist and great advocate for a world where people treat each other with respect and dignity.
And one of the greatest drummers ever.
He was a great. Rich was always my favorite for different reasons but Roach was the Parker of Percussion. Still recall that LP "Rich vs. Roach" from years back... probably still with the rest of my collection in storage. Think I used to have a poster of it somewhere too.
Great call in posting.
Somebody on this thread thought that John Bonham was a great drummer? LOL!
In Rock Music there was Keith Moon. Bonham just pounded the kit - that's all.
In modern Jazz (post war) Max Roach really was way ahead of of his time. Not until Tony Williams came along did that change.
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