Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach, whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him.

Director Sam Pollard was captivated by the life story of drummer and activist Max Roach 35 years ago. "Seeing Max Roach sit behind a drum set, he had a regal quality about him," said Pollard. "And I remember saying, 'Somebody should do a film on Max Roach.'"

Max Roach founded M'Boom, a jazz group made up of experimental percussionists. M'Boom was his way of venturing into a more abstract, adventurous sound—including a song that recreated the sounds of a storm through music. "Max was one of the people redefining what the music is gonna be in every decade that he was active," said musician Greg Tate.

Max Roach was excited by the premise and promise of rap when it first hit the music scene. Roach was introduced to the genre by his godson and hip hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, and would later collaborate with him.

"The fact that he saw that vision before it became cool in the early nineties, for you to mix your hip hop and your jazz together, shows how ahead of the curve he was," said Questlove."

In this excerpt from Black Journal originally released on April 27, 1970, drummer Max Roach and singer Abbey Lincoln perform at Norfolk State College in Virginia and share their thoughts on their roles as musicians. The husband and wife duo found it important to emphasize their African American heritage and musical influences.