Force / Max Roach & Archie Shepp

言うまでもなく、ジャズドラムの可能性を極限まで引き出し、新たな世界を確立することに成功した巨人 Max Roach。戦後ジャズ史に燦然と輝く多数の名演奏を残した Brown=Roach Quintet 時代や、1960年代のアメリカという時代を反映した諸作に勢い評価が傾きがちですが、1970年代以降の作品にも注目すべき作品は少なくありません。

The Jazz Giant Max Roach was, of course, one of the most important Jazz drummers who explored the possibilities of drumming. His greatest works include legendary Brown=Roach Quintet, and his numerous works in the 1960s which reflects the atmosphere of the 1960’s USA. However in the 1970s, he recorded several albums which were also far above his average.

[UNI 28.976 Front Cover]

Force: Sweet Mao – Suid Afrika 76 / Max Roach & Archie Shepp
(Uniteledis [F] UNI 28.976)

大胆にも 毛沢東 (1893-1976) と文化大革命をテーマにした組曲 (A面〜C面)、及び 1976年6月に南アフリカで起こった反政府暴動をテーマにした曲 (D面) のカップリング。共に Max Roach 作曲。フランス のレーベルからリリースされているところに、中国贔屓のフランスという構図がみてとれますが、ここはそういった思想(?)を抜きにして演奏そのものを楽しむのが吉でしょう。

Max Roach’s fearless composition (suite) dedicated to Mao Tse-Tung (1893-1976) and the Chinese Revolutions (Side A – Side C), and also Max Roach’s composition of South Africa’s student uprising in June 1976 (Side D) – a French label might release this album, experssing sympathy with the Chinese Revolution, containing such compositions with delicate ideology. However, we should better enjoy listening to these compositions without any ideologies.

[UNI 28.976 Side-A] [UNI 28.976 Side-B]

[UNI 28.976 Side-C] [UNI 28.976 Side-D]

限りなくソロに近い 2名の音楽的対話ですが、Max Roach のドラミングの何と美しいことでしょう。リズムが美しいだけでなく、ドラムセットを縦横無尽に使って「歌って」いるという、Max Roach の真骨頂がここにあります。本当に美しく、全く飽きることはありません。

This album is full of musical dialogue between two musicians (or even double monologue by two). Above of all, what a beautiful drumming by Max Roach! Beautiful is the rhythms he plays, and also he even “sings” with every components of the drum set – Max Roach definitely shows his true worth of what the Jazz Drums sould be. Really beautiful and never get bored from start to end.

Side-A Sweet Mao: La Préparation
Side-B Sweet Mao: La Marche
Side-C Sweet Mao: Le Commencement

Side-D Suid Africa 76

Archie Shepp (sax), Max Roach (ds).
Recorded in Summer 1976.

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