The Best of Max Roach: Favorite Songs and Solos

I've been listening to a lot of Max Roach lately. His material as a leader and sideman all illustrate his importance in jazz drumming. Furthermore, Roach was featured on a lot of famous albums, including Brilliant Corners, Birth of the Cool, Saxophone Colossus, Freedom Suite, Money Jungle, and numerous recordings with Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington, Charles Mingus, etc. Like early bebop drummer Kenny Clarke, Roach modernized drumming by shifting the emphasis to the cymbals instead of the bass drum. By playing the beat-by-beat pulse of standard 4/4 time on the "ride" cymbal instead of on the thudding bass drum, Roach and Clarke developed a flexible, flowing rhythmic pattern that allowed soloists to play freely. The new approach also left space for the drummer to insert dramatic accents on the snare drum, "crash" cymbal and other components of the drum set.  He also studied under the famous Haitian percussionist Ti Roro, a master of ritual Vodoun drumming. This brought in African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms into Roach's music, which is obvious on seminal records such as Bud Powell's Un Poco Loco, from the Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 1. Roach also matched his rhythmic approach with the tune's melody so his solos were quite melodic.
Since I've already written a post about his famous We Insist! Freedom Now album from 1960, which focused on African American history, the Civil Rights, and racial injustice in South Africa and abroad, I shall endeavor to highlight favorites from his early recordings, the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet hard-bop of the 1950s and a few 1960s LPs.

One of my favorite songs of all time, and the only instance of bebop pianist Bud Powell composing a Latin piece, Un Poco Loco, the song with the link below, features Roach's amazing drums. Playing the Western drum set and a cowbell simultaneously, Roach evokes Haitian or Afro-Cuban sacred and polyrhythmic drumming. Some argue that this song was part of a progressive change in Afro-Americans toward an international black consciousness that united blacks throughout the diaspora. Obviously such a thing existed since colonial days but in the 20th century things were accelerated by Marcus Garvey, transnational music, and immigration. Regardless, Max and Bud's solos are stimulating and even danceable. By the way, if you listen closely, you can hear crazy Bud humming the melody...

Another gem is St. Thomas, Sonny Rollins tribute to his mother's Caribbean homeland. While Sonny improvises the beautiful Caribbean melody, Roach's cute (or should I say 'tough') polyrhythmic beat makes you want to get out of your seat and dance. This is another favorite song of mine that I could listen to endlessly. Roach's melodic approach to drum solos surfaces here too, where he almost sounds like he's playing steel drums (not really but just work with me). Then he moves to the cymbals and incorporates all of the drum set and blows your mind away.

A Little Max (Parfait), a cute ('tough') Roach piece for Duke Ellington's Money Jungle is another favorite of mine. Unlike most of Duke's music, this is a trio group, consisting of Charles Mingus on bass, Max Roach on drums, and Duke Ellington on piano. Since they're bridging swing, bop, and avant garde movements, a lot of Duke's piano style is suffused with the blues. The blues is what all jazz musicians shared so it makes sense that Duke's style would be mostly piano blues. As for this song, it's a Latin piece with several opportunities for Roach to present his skills. Unfortunately, the song is less than three minutes long, but hearing Roach play along with Duke's short piano runs makes this a five-star song for me.

The real highlight of Money Jungle is Fleurette Africaine, an avant garde piece. Mingus plays a haunting floating bassline while Duke plays the melody and improvises. Whenever I hear this I think of a flower bed deep in the heart of the jungle, where few humans have ever ventured. Honestly I don't think one can even hear Roach's drumming unless you listen very closely. Here his playing adds texture to the song, like free jazz drummers who main purpose is not to maintain a swinging beat.

As for his years as co-leader of the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet, there are so many favorites of mine. Featuring trumpet legend Clifford Brown, Harold Land (later replaced by Sonny Rollins), Richie Powell on piano (younger brother of Bud, also passed away with Clifford Brown in a car accident in 1956) and bassist George Morrow, the quintet pioneered the style of hard-bop, which is essentially bebop with bluesier improvisations and themes and more influences from contemporary R&B. Because I'm feeling lazy, I will just post several links to my favorite songs and drum solos of the Brown-Roach Quintet. Enjoy!

Stompin' at the Savoy, a beautiful swing song referring to legendary Harlem jazz club, The Savoy, is too cute (tough). Roach's solo is short and sweet and to the point. He maintains the swing at a relaxed tempo that is danceable.

Take the A Train, written by Billy Strayhorn for Ellington, is another jazz standard. Imitating train sounds in the beginning sounds kind of corny, but this is still a great rendition. Take the A train to get to Harlem!

Cherokee, featuring one of the most famous trumpet solos of all time by Clifford Brown, is another swingin' gem. Roach plays the drums like a Native American in the beginning and goes crazy in his solo.

Jacqui is just another great song, with a cool solo from Roach

George's Dilemma has a quasi-Middle-Eastern melody and Roach playing a Latin-inspired beat.

Sandu is just another great blues with Roach's fabulous solo

Delilah is just a personal fav

Gertrude's Bounce is also a favorite and a lot of fun

Jordu is another good song with Roach playing a solo at a more relaxed tempo that quite melodic and incorporates the entire drum set

Flossie Lou is another jam of mine with a beautiful piano intro and blowing from Clifford Brown and Sonny Rollins.

Roach's African beat  on Dinah Washington's recording of I've Got You Under My Skin is amazing. Creative genius...

Joy Spring is another example of Roach's solo ability.

Daahoud is another great piece.  Great and simple drum solo from Roach

Here are a random assortment of good examples of Roach's drumming
Salt Peanuts with Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Charlie Mingus, and Bud Powell, live at Massey Hall. Interesting solo from Roach at lightning speed

Wee, also from Jazz at Massey Hall with the same lineup. Caribbean-sounding melody with lots of swing. Roach's solo is similar to the one on Salt Peanuts

 Moritat (Mack the Knife) with Sonny Rollins

 Blue 7 with Sonny Rollins, from same album as St. Thomas and Moritat. Good bluesy fun

Brilliant Corners, Thelonious Monk

Bemsha Swing, another Caribbean-influenced tune referring to Barbados. Roach plays drums and tympani

 Tears for Johannesburg, a favorite of mine. Features collective improvisation, Julian Priester's trombone, and conga accompaniment for Roach's drums

 Garvey's Ghost, fascinating tribute to Marcus Garvey. Abbey Lincoln's wordless vocals, cowbell and congas, Roach on drums, Booker Little on trumpet, Eric Dolphy on alto sax. Haunting sounds

 Other favorites of mine that I couldn't find on youtube are Man From South Africa, Tender Warrior, Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-lues-Are, If I Love Again, and Drum Conversation. Roach has so many great songs, as a composer, sideman, or leader.