I was quite sad to learn of the passing of Max Roach, the innovative, virtuostic bebop drummer, who worked with the giants of the jazz scene including Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, etc.
According to the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, bebop or bop represented a new, sharp direction from early jazz with abstruse rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and unforgiving, fearless technique. Roach was a major proponent of this music and was always looking to expand his boundaries. He not only performed with his own instrumental complement of trumpet, saxophone, bass, and drums as quartets and quintets, but added the Uptown String Quartet which included his daughter Maxine on viola. He formed a group of ten percussionists who performed on over a hundred percussion instruments encompassing Western orchestral, African, and Latin music.
He was politically involved with the civil rights movement and worked with the lyricist Oscar Brown Jr. on the album We Insist! Freedom Now Suite. He broadened his horizons and collaborated with choreographers, movie directors, playwrights, and video artists.
He was one of the first jazz musicians to procure a teaching position at a college in 1972. His experimental and superlative achievements were recognized by the MacArthur Foundation with his receipt of a genius grant.
The Library's recordings of his music include Brown and Roach Inc., More Study In Brown, and It's Time.