An Interview with Legendary Jazz Musician Max Roach

An Interview with Legendary Jazz Musician Max Roach completed as part of the Howard University Jazz Oral History Project. View More at library.howard....

[@scottserenity]

The interviewee is William (Bill) Brower and he sadly passed away in 2019. We miss him very much here in DC where he spent a good portion of his life.

[@lilaammons1733]

Mr. Max Roach made the drums speak so many languages, awaken our ancestors and left the world with wealth of music that will last and will endure for the future. Mr. Brower asked excellent questions and I have learned so much...Great Job!!!

[@jigthepuff4540]

Max Roach is pure class. Back decades ago I was a beginner on the drums. I knew jazz drummers were who I wanted to learn from. We didn’t have internet back then so I turned on the radio to a jazz station. By chance they were playing Max on the radio. Later that week I bought a cassette of one of his albums. He has been an influence on me since I started playing.

[@alankirkby465]

There is a Park in South London, England, UK, named after Max Roach, ( Max Roach Park ) Peace to all.

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

MAX WAS A REBEL. An insurrectionist of existence. A fighter is a fighter - a whiner stays a whiner .. Revolutionary art is a purifier of Soul.

[@FredMas-gt2uh]

He was a good neighbor too !! He lived down the street from me on Sha---- La-- in Greenwich, CT . I think he just finished his tour in Japan when he moved here .

[@jeromejennings8798]

This is an essential interview! The interviewer is doing a great job - he's done a full critical analysis of Mr. Roach and his work resulting in great questions. We need more like him today. What's his name?

[@jeromejennings8798]

@@MSRCtv Thanks!

[@fitzroi47]

I’ve listened and always felt a connection to freedom suite. It’s intense to hear the explanation from Max. This recording captures huge emotions.

[@Zeal808]

Jean Michel basquiat brought me here 👑 enough said. Been learning about max. Thank you for uploading!

[@chriseganiii]

What a beautiful soul. Even his marching beats drip with goodness.

[@lettherebemorelight]

Wow his singing voice is beautiful

[@cliftoncameron5632]

This is Massive. Thank you for sharing this. Max Roach continues to inspire in ways beyond his own comprehension because he simply is. His music is oxygen to Life, one thing that we normally take for granted among our journeys throughout existence.

[@RanBlakePiano]

Thank for this wonderful post

[@moviestar9617]

This is fantastic! Thank goodness this is documented:)

[@artherladett442]

Amazing!

[@pederlong1784]

Really a nice interview

[@travelingman9763]

This verifies the fact that some great musicians refuse to grin when nothing is comical! Lots of musicians are currently clowns who would never do anything involving protest actions or challenging power of certain complexions when necessary. Getting gigs is more important to those who are mere entertainers.

[@TheEleatic]

Max made wax!

[@joshuaklein2859]

33:50 huh? I wish I could understand that one to try diving in

[@LongwingSeagull]

Do you mean the part where Max`s audio cuts off? He repeats that conversation again after the music is done.

[@joshmancell4539]

Love this... what year is this from?

[@samcox443]

Lift every voice and sing was what we did in church back in the day. Those deacons and trustees on the front bench could really dig deep into memory and have us looking at each other in wonder. Is the cost of a musical education and grounding in elementary school today really too expensive in urban environments or is it just another instance of repressing a peoples ability to grow their intellectual capital and use it to express themselves in any manner or forum desired in adulthood? Jailbreak is coming.

[@stangetz534]

You should list the year the video was made in the title.

[@LongwingSeagull]

1985 or thereabouts I believe. Most of the the other interviews with jazz legends from Moorland were around this time from 81 onwards.

[@standingonthecorner120oart9]

was this ever physically released on vhs or dvd? thank you

[@simonkonitz3054]

Date?

[@erraticboss168]

I believe 1984

[@kecikdrummer]

I believe it in 1978

[@chazlenrook795]

I was hoping he was just going to answer every question with more drumming

[@Icouldwriteabook]

Ohhh shittt

[@nononouh]

49

[@andyweis5194]

The Professor--- Max Roach. And a piano playing/singing Max Roach at that. Beautiful and enlightening interview. But really, couldn't they have tuned that woefully out of tune piano?

You're a dimwit who knows nothing about spirituals. Get back to your Kabbalah studies.

[@farshimelt]

@ There's no need for anti-antisemitism. The man wasn't criticizing Max or the music or religion. The piano sounded out of tune to him.

[@jeanhodgson8623]

That piano is on their interview with Philly Joe Jones, and it is out-of-tune there, too. It takes a long time for a piano to be off to that degree. It should have been tuned before recording. It doesn't cost much.

[@NintenDub]

Some of those priests sing with their 'sword' in their hand

[@tombelknap-drums]

Seriously, please repost this with balanced audio.

[@vova47]

As far as playing solo drums, Buddy Rich can wipe him out any time.

[@baylockbuckingham3650]

With speed perhaps but not swing and musicality. Max was on another level as a total musical force.

[@robertoricci3393]

Buddy was not the jazz bible. So stop mentioning him everywhere. Max was not fast and clean like him, but he explored melody and polyrhythm much more than Buddy. Two legends with a different approach.

[@djtomczyk363]

Hahaa I once thought the same thing when I was young and ignorant. Buddy Rich was looked down upon in the jazz world. He was kicked out of Jazz festivals for racist behavior, and once even punched backstage for something stupid he said about Count Basie. On top of that, his big band members told horror stories of being under Buddy's leadership. He's racist, he's an asshole, and you could hear it in his playing too. I once labeled Buddy as my favorite drummer. But I got my head out of my ass and realized he was nothing compared to Art Blakey, ^Max Roach, Greg Hutchinson, and MANY more. I would do some more research man. Buddy isn't the god people think he is.

[@jeanhodgson8623]

Buddy Rich was nowhere near Max's class or importance. Technically great, yes, but never progressed beyond the 1930s style. Max and Kenny Clarke freed the drums from that limited style and opened things up. Rich is of no importance in jazz drumming. In case you think I'm ignorant about jazz drumming, let me say that I appreciate Baby Dodds, and especially Jo Jones, who was in the amazing Basie rhythm section. But Rich is of no importance in the history of jazz drumming, and sounds stiff and unswinging.

[@theelectricant98]

idk about that, but regardless, Max is one of the best band leaders of all time, no question.

[@pederlong1784]

Really a nice interview