| Amiri Baraka on Max Roach |
| Sat, Nov. 17 2007 |
| This is the poem that Amiri Baraka recited a Max Roach’s funeral, along with Baraka’s introductory comment:
AMIRI BARAKA: I wrote a poem for Max on his
seventy-fifth birthday. This is a picture of Max and I
in Paris. And this is called “Digging Max.”
(At
Seventy Five, All The Way Live!)
Max is the highest
The outset the
Largest, the greatest
The fastest, the hippest,
The all the way past which
There cannot be
When we say MAX, that what
We mean, hip always
Clean. That’s our word
For Artist, Djali, Nzuri Ngoma,
Senor Congero, Leader,
Mwalimu,
Scientist of Sound, Sonic
Designer,
Trappist Definer, Composer,
Revolutionary,
Democrat, Bird’s Black Injun
Engine, Brownie’s Other Half,
Abbey’s Djeli-
ya – Graph
Who baked the Western industrial
Singing machine
Into temperatures of syncopated
beyondness
OutSharpMean
Papa Joe’s Successor
Philly Joe’s Confessor
AT’s mentor, Roy Haynes’
Inventor, Steve McCall’s
Trainer, Ask Buhaina, Jimmy Cobb,
Elvin or Klook
Or even Sunny Murray, when he ain’t
in a hurry.
Milford is down and Roy Brooks
Is one of his cooks. Tony Williams
Jack DeJohnette,
Andrew Cyrille can tell you or
youngish Pheeroan
Beaver and Blackwell and my man,
Dennis Charles.
They’ll run it down, ask them the next
time they in town.
Ask any or all of the rhythm’n
Shadow cd tell you, so could
Shelly Manne, Chico Hamilton.
Raschid knows. Billy Hart Eddie
Crawford
From Newark has split, but he and
Eddie Gladden could speak on it.
Mtume, if he will. Big Black can
Speak. Let Tito Puente run it down
He and Max been tight since they
were babies in this town.
Frankie Dunlop cd tell you and he
speak a long time.
Pretty Purdy is hip. Max hit with
Duke at Eighteen
He played with Benny Carter when he
first made the scene. Dig the heavy learning that
went with
that. Newk knows,
and McCoy. CT would agree. Hey,
ask me or Archie or Michael Carvin
Percy Heath, Jackie Mc are all hip to
the Max attack.
Barry Harris can tell you. You in
touch with Monk or Bird?
Ask Bud if you see him, You know he
know, even after the cops
Beat him Un Poco Loco. I mean you
Can ask Pharoah or David
Or Dizzy, when he come out of hiding,
its a trick Diz just outta sight
I heard Con Alma and Diz and Max
In Paris , just the other night.
But ask anybody conscious, who Max
Roach be. Miles certainly knew
And Coltrane too. All the cats who
know the science of Drum, know
where our
Last dispensation come from. That’s
why we call him, MAX, the ultimate,
The Furthest Star, The eternal
internal, the visible invisible, the
message
From afar.
All Hail, MAX, from On to Dignataria
to Serious and even beyond!
He is the mighty SCARAB, Roach the SCARAB,
immortal as
our music, world without end.
Great artist Universal Teacher, and
for any digger
One of our deepest friends! Hey MAX!
MAX! MAX! |
|
| Jazz as a National Treasure |
| Wed, Oct. 17 2007 |
| On December 4, 1987, the United States Senate approved House Concurrent Resolution 57 designating Jazz a national American treasure. This resolution was authored by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Michigan) and sponsored in the Senate by Alan Cranston (D-California). The House of Representatives passed the resolution on September 23, 1987, the birthday of saxophonist John Coltrane.
House Concurrent Resolution 57
100th Congress of the United States of America
H. Con. Res. 57
Written by Rep. John Conyers, Jr. of Detroit, Michigan
Introduced March 3, 1987
Whereas, jazz has achieved preeminence throughout the world as an indigenous American music and art form, bringing to this country and the world a uniquely American musical synthesis and culture through the African-American experience and -
makes evident to the world an outstanding artistic model of individual expression and democratic cooperation within the creative process, thus fulfilling the highest ideals and aspirations of our republic,
is a unifying force, bridging cultural, religious, ethnic and age differences in our diverse society,
is a true music of the people, finding its inspiration in the cultures and most personal experiences of the divers peoples that constitute our Nation,
has evolved into a multifaceted art form which continues to birth and nurture new stylistic idioms and culture fusions,
has had an historic, pervasive and continuing influence on other genres of music both here and abroad, and
has become a true international language adopted by musicians around the world as a music best able to express contemporary realities from a personal perspective;
Whereas, this great American musical art form has not yet been properly recognized nor accorded the institutional status commensurate with its value and importance;
Whereas, it is important for the youth of America to recognize and understand jazz as a significant part of their cultural and intellectual heritage;
Whereas, in as much as there exists no effective national infrastructure to support and preserve jazz;
Whereas, documentation and archival support required by such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied to the jazz field; and
Whereas, it is in the best interest of the national welfare and all of our citizens to preserve and celebrate this unique art form:
Now, therefore be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that it is the sense of the Congress that jazz is hereby designated as a rare and valuable national American treasure to which we should devote our attention, support and resources to make certain it is preserved, understood, and promulgated.
Passed by the House of Representatives
September 23, 1987
Passed by the Senate
December 4, 1987 |
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| Thu, Aug. 9 2007 |
| Ron "Slim" Washington Productions is glad to announce a new dynamic season of jazz programs, continuing on the success of the well known "Black Workers Pub" series.
A fall program of world renowned and exciting new artists is planned for a Friday/Saturday night series at Cecil's, New Jesey's premier jazz club and restaurant.
Don't miss an exciting program of what we call "music of the spirit."
Ron "Slim" Washington Productions
Friday/Saturday Nights at Cecil's
2007
September 7th and 8th: The Eric Alexander Quartet
September 21st and 22nd: Renee McLean: Tibute to his
father, the great Jackie MrLean
October 5th and 6th: The "Saxophone Summit" featuring
Oliver Lake, Bruce Williams and
Salim Washington
October 19th and 20th: The TK Blue Ensemble
November 30th and December 1st: The Singers Paradise:
featuring on Friday, Denise
King from Philly, and Saturday
Cynthia Holiday from Newark
December 7th and 8th: The John Hicks Legacy Band, featuring
Elise Woods-Hicks
December 21st and 22nd: The Billy Bang Quintet
January 16th and 17th: TBA...The "Trombone Summit"
All sets begin at 9pm $20 Admission at the door $10 min
For information call 201 222 0211, or 973 736 4800 |
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