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Max Roach - You Will Be Missed

Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was a bebop/hard bop percussionist, drummer, and composer. He has worked with many of the greatest jazz musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and Clifford Brown. He is widely considered to be one of the most important drummers in the history of jazz.

In 1942, Roach started to go out in the jazz clubs of the 52nd Street and at 78th Street & Broadway for Georgie Jay's Taproom (playing with schoolmate Cecil Payne). He was one of the first drummers (along with Kenny Clarke) to play in the bebop style, and performed in bands led by Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, Bud Powell, and Miles Davis.

Roach played on many of Parker's most important records, including the Savoy 1945 session, a turning point in recorded jazz.

Elected to the International Percussive Art Society's Hall of Fame and the Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame, awarded Harvard Jazz Master, celebrated by Aaron Davis Hall, given eight honorary doctorate degrees, including degrees awarded by the University of Bologna, Italy and Columbia University

You will be missed by all who love jazz and the music you left us.
ferrari

Showing 1 response by siliab

siliab
362 posts
 
One of the most memorable musical experiences of my life was seeing Max Roach with his percussion outfit M'Boom at the late, lamented Carlos 1 in NYC. Everyone in the ensemble was chosen because of the kaleidescopic colors they got out of their various traps, hand drums, marimbas, djembes, etc. But no one was more mesmerizing than Max himself on traps. Even his silences were chock full of music.

Also remarkable was the crowd. Every third person in attendance was a drummer: Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, Ray Barretto, etc. And they were more juiced than any of us mere mortals lucky enough to have been there. Musical holiness to be sure.

Peace Max
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