Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang...

[fancycwabs]

I saw Max Roach play a set, solo, in 1994 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. I'd wanted to see him, as the man was a musical legend, but I was kinda doubtful that a guy, no matter how talented, playing a drum set would be entertaining for more than a few minutes. This would be fine, because Jazzfest had at least four other acts going simultaneously, and the only lousy act I've heard there was Aretha Franklin, whose sound guy spend the bulk of her set time doing a sound check and getting it wrong. Anyway, I figured I could say I'd seen Max Roach, and it he was a bit dull sitting up there by himself, I could move on to something more interesting.

Suffice it to say that I was mistaken. Roach played the drums as if they were a stringed instrument, pulling melodies and dynamics out of the set that I'd not witnessed before, or since.

Comments

[resk.livejournal.com]

You know, it's amazing how a good drummer can do that. People don't consider drums to be a melodic instrument, yet they ARE TUNED and can provide counter melodies to guitar, bass, and keyboard lines (as well as vocals, natch).

Glad you got to see the legend. Awesome post.