Object Details
- Artist
- Herman Leonard, 1923 - 2010
- Sitter
- Max Roach, 10 Jan 1924 - 16 Aug 2007
- Exhibition Label
- A seminal figure in postwar jazz, drummer Max Roach fueled the transition from swing to bebop by employing multiple rhythms to push beyond the boundaries of traditional 4/4 time. Roach worked with a string of jazz greats from the outset of his career. He served as the drummer on Dizzy Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins’s recording of “Woody ’n’ You” (1944) and was the percussionist on Charlie Parker’s landmark “Ko Ko” (1945). During the Birth of the Cool recording sessions (1949–50) he played cool bop with Miles Davis before partnering with trumpeter Clifford Brown in 1954 in the founding of free jazz. He went on to front his own bands and to experiment with multicultural fusion in collaborations with African and Asian musicians. Roach’s innovations were rooted in his impeccable control, virtuoso technique, and artistry. As a fellow musician observed, “because of him, drumming no longer was just time, it was music.”
- Figura seminal del jazz de posguerra, el baterista Max Roach fue una fuerza motriz en la transición del swing al bebop, explorando diversidad de ritmos para rebasar los límites del tradicional compás 4/4. Roach colaboró con una larga lista de luminarias del jazz desde los comienzos de su carrera. Fue baterista de Dizzy Gillespie y Coleman Hawkins en su grabación “Woody ’n’ You” (1944) y percusionista de Charlie Parker en la icónica “Ko Ko” (1945). Tocó cool bop con Miles Davis en las diversas sesiones que conformaron la grabación Birth of the Cool (1949–50), y en 1954 colaboró con el trompetista Clifford Brown en la creación del free jazz. Luego dirigió sus propias bandas y exploró fusiones multiculturales en trabajos con músicos africanos y asiáticos. Las innovaciones de Roach siempre estuvieron ancladas en su impecable control, su técnica virtuosa y su gran musicalidad. Como bien dijo un colega suyo: “gracias a él, la batería dejó de ser mero tiempo para convertirse en música”.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
- 1950 (printed 1998)
- Object number
- NPG.2014.111.24
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright
- © Herman Leonard Photography LLC
- Type
- Photograph
- Medium
- Selenium-toned gelatin silver print
- Dimensions
- Image: 36.5 × 30.2cm (14 3/8 × 11 7/8")
- Sheet: 50.4 × 40.5cm (19 13/16 × 15 15/16")
- Frame: 71.8 × 56.5 × 3.8 cm (28 1/4 × 22 1/4 × 1 1/2")
- Place
- United States\New York\Kings\New York
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Interior
- Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses
- Equipment\Sound Devices\Microphone
- Equipment\Smoking Implements\Cigarette
- Music\Musical instrument\Drum
- Max Roach: Male
- Max Roach: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician
- Max Roach: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Composer
- Max Roach: Education\Educator\Professor
- Max Roach: Education\Educator\Teacher\Music
- Max Roach: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Jazz
- Max Roach: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Drummer
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.2014.111.24
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm417d8a3fc-00f4-4be8-a858-b6e028bb38c3
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