Max Roach Ascends

O! listening to Terence Blanchard on NPR I just heard that Max Roach died!


MELODIC MAGIC Man
socially conscious innovator
creator

I last saw him playing with Toni Morrison reading and Bill T. Jones dancing at Lincoln Center.
It was transcendent.

I first heard him in my mother's womb.
I am so grateful he was here.
I called my Daddy to mourn with him, to celebrate with him.
I told him Max had been sick, in hospice, that he was 83.

My Daddy taught me so much so much he shaped me, gave me ears, playing Max and Clifford Brown and dizzy and Miles and
MJQ and sonny rollins and Ben Webster and neary every name I know he taught me. He was a connoisseur of all things hip which in those days, were deep, spiritual and rigorous. And losing Max feeels like losing family, someone Daddy dug that I dug them too, then and always, because Max went out ( as in music) as I grew up. And I was demonstrating for freedom and agitating and his music affirmed all of that and more.

O Max! Thank you so much so much so much for creating such connection
and making the bright hot cool light of our yearning
and dreaming and striving,
manifest.
Bless you.