Max Roach Health

[Brad]

I was wondering if Max has been ill lately because in the past week or so Phil Schapp on his Charlie Parker show on WKCR has been asking listeners to send in card to WKCR to send to Max but Phil Schapp doesn't really say if Max is ill. Does anybody know one way or the other?

[Quincy]

There was a thread here in October about how he either has Alzheimer's or dementia.

Link to thread.

Actually, the thread is as much about confining someone to a home, the rights of families and patients, dignity, and so on, but it does contain the mention of a condition.

[Brad]

Thank you for that link. I must missed that thread entirely. It is very sad news indeed. I had no idea.

[brownie]

Max Roach attended Ossie Davis' funeral at New York's Riverside Church yesterday!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...nymk10902122304

[JSngry]

Max Roach attended Ossie Davis' funeral at New York's Riverside Church yesterday!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...nymk10902122304

Something about the look in his eyes...

[Guest ariceffron]

ENOUGH WITH THE SENTIMENTAL PYSCHOBABBLE GARBAGE-- MAX LOOKS GOOD FOR A MAN OF HIS AGE AND VERY DISTINGUISHED AS WELL- I JUST HOPE HES NOT IN ANY PAIN ETC

[Dan Gould]

Something about the look in his eyes...

I don't know that the look is all that bad ... but I guess the question is, did he know why he was there or did his friends/family just arrange to have him attend? But its probably a good sign when someone makes public appearances-at least, compared to the alternative.

[brownie]

Looks to me he is seated in a wheelchair...

[JSngry]

Sorry, but those eyes have a "do not disturb" look to them. Old folks get that way when they're in the process of checking out. I've seen it more than once...

I'm a big believer that the eyes are indeed the window to the soul. Literally.

But whatever. Max has been a huge hero of mine for many, many years, and it hurts me to see him like that. Then again, whatcha gonna do 'bout death, huh?

[AllenLowe]

I have great respect for Max musically, tempered, however, by the fact that he is another jazz/woman beater - if you don't believe me, ask Abby Lincoln. This stuff has been swept under the rug too much when it comes to jazz musicians (thinking also about Miles and Ben Webster) -

[Guest ariceffron]

ARE YOU SAYING MAX USED TO BEAT ABBEY LINCOLN?? THAT MUST BE AN URBAN LEGEND MAN. MAX IS A GOOD GUY HE WASNT BEATIN UP ON NO ABBEY LINCOLN. AND IF HE REALLY WAS, WELL HE PROBABLY WAS FUCKED UP AND MAD AFTER CLIFFORD DIED

[Christiern]

Allen speaks the truth.

[JSngry]

Yeah, I know about that (and some other stuff too).

I should say that the public Max Roach is a hero of mine.

[Free For All]

AND IF HE REALLY WAS, WELL HE PROBABLY WAS FUCKED UP AND MAD AFTER CLIFFORD DIED

Yeah, if that was the reason it was OK.

[AllenLowe]

look, Max has a real history, and he cleaned himself up considerably after the 1940s-1950s (a quote from a pianist I know: "when you were walking down the street and you saw Max coming, you crossed the street.") Still, I think we jazz people tend to overlook some of this stuff, and I don't think that's right. And yes, he did beat up Abby Lincoln.

Edited February 14, 2005 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

And Sonny Rollins said that Max was afraid of HIM before he cleaned up, so how bad was Sonny?

[AllenLowe]

I think that Max's problem was not just substance abuse, thoug I'm sure that made it worse - as I believe he was clean when he was married to Lincoln -

[Brad]

Let's face it, we all get old and lose a bit of our skills. Max, unfortunately, is no exception. We can only wish him well. Jim may be right. I don't know. We just know he's not well.

[TedR]

I'm bothered by the tag of "another jazz/woman beater". Domestic violence is a personal flaw unrelated to profession. The connection of woman beater to jazz musician seems unfair. What were Max's issues? In Miles autobio he related Max's temper to drugs: "That wasn't the real Max Roach screaming in the club at me...........Drugs was talking for Max". Upsetting because Max is one of my musical heroes too.

[neveronfriday]

I'm bothered by the tag of "another jazz/woman beater". Domestic violence is a personal flaw unrelated to profession.

If I recall correctly, there was a number of other great jazz musicians and producers that had to take a barrage of negativity - it has become trendy as of late on this board.

Sad to see.

And no, I'm not defending any type of abuse. I think it's just weird how, usually without any advance warning, this negative stuff pops up out of nowhere, as if everyone needed to know this to understand the music better.

Weird.

Edit: I should add (to avoid the flames) that I was not talking about the WM thread, although it does fall into the same pattern.

Edit numero two-o: Have to add writers to the list. Forgot about Arthur Miller being crapped on as well.

Edited February 15, 2005 by deus62

[Dan Gould]

Arthur Miller was crapped on? Guess I should go take a look at that thread.

[Guest Chaney]

I really have to wonder how each of us would withstand having our lives chronicled and then having the less savory bits publicly exosed as we're either near death of after we've gone.

Not excusing what men have done but who amongst us is without sin? (That sounds... familiar. -_- )

[AllenLowe]

it seems musicians love having their lives focused on when it looks good for 'em - and it's true that nobody's perfect, but it always seems easier for groups of males to ignore domestic abuse - just label it as PC and irrelevant to the art. Well, in many ways it IS irrelevant to the art - but if we talk about the lives, and what great people the artists are, it than becomes relevant. It's not trendy, it's honesty -and if Arthur Miller hit Marilyn Monroe (as he did), as Roach beat Abby Lincoln, and as Miles beat Betty Davis (all of which is absolutley true) - than what do we do? Pretend it's just a small part of their day? After all, we sure enjoy listening to the CDs -in that case, let's not forget to mention that Hitler was nice to Eva Braun and I have a very nice painting of his that I can sell you -

Edited February 15, 2005 by AllenLowe

[baryshnikov]

i hope he gets better, from all the fans in Uk,paul

[Nate Dorward]

It's not trendy, it's honesty -and if Arthur Miller hit Marilyn Monroe (as he did), as Roach beat Abby Lincoln, and as Miles beat Betty Davis (all of which is absolutley true) - than what do we do? Pretend it's just a small part of their day? After all, we sure enjoy listening to the CDs -in that case, let's not forget to mention that Hitler was nice to Eva Braun and I have a very nice painting of his that I can sell you -

What's the last example have to do with the preceding ones? We despise Hitler's actions in the wider public realm & don't care whether he was in private a decent family man, liked classical music, &c. This is exactly the opposite from cases where one admires someone's public achievements (e.g. notable musical documents) but is queasy about their private actions.