Monday, January 10, 2011

Happy Birthday, Max Roach!


Max Roach was born on today’s date: January 10, 1924
He was a pioneer of bebop and is considered one of the greatest jazz drummers in history. He was educated at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied classical percussion, and from 1972-1995 taught at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He created a revolutionary technique known as “melodic drumming,” and was one of the few drummers to give solo concerts. His career began in the mid-1940s, and he made dozens of recordings from 1944 through 2002. Roach died on August 16, 2007.

Beyond brilliant. Do not try this at home (YouTube clip). Who else could do this?