Giddins does Roy Haynes

[brownie]

Gary Giddins' Weatherbird is about Roy Haynes and Max Roach in this

week's The Village Voice:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0326/giddins.php

Waiting to get that 'Love Letters' album from Roy Haynes.

[JSngry]

LOVE LETTERS has been getting heavy play on KNTU, and what I've heard has been a bunch of rambunctious messification of the highest order. Roy's kicking EVERYBODY'S ass on this one.

FRIENDSHIP is a different matter altogether, imo. If this album is indicative of Max's current condition, then, as much as it pains me to say this, I hope this is the last record he makes. He's not "off" or anything, but it sounds as if his strength has diminshed and his reflexes have slowed JUST a little bit. His timing is still impeccable, but the execution slips ever so slightly, not ever blatantly, but still...

Objectively, it's not too a bad side at all, and Terry continues to defy time. But I've always idolized Max Roach as a Collosus of inextinguishable fire, inexhaustable strength, and neverending drive, both musically and personally. Objectivity is impossible. Hearing this album was a cold splash of reality that I'd really rather not have gotten, not just yet.

Max has gotten old, and I'm not ready for that.

[brownie]

Jim, thanks for your thoughtful comments on Roy and Max. I saw the Roach

CD a few days ago and wondered if it was worth getting it. I know now.

I'll get the Roy Haynes CD when it shows up here. The man's amazing.

[BruceH]

I once saw Max Roach perform live, in Cambridge MA. He was superb, but now that I think about it, this was about 1990 or maybe even '89. Time eventually catches up with us all. But being arguably the top drummer in jazz for roughly 45 years or more, well, there are worse things to look back on.

[jacknife]

I saw Roy a few weeks ago. He was absolutely amazing. I never would have guessed by watching him that he is 78 years old. He had the energy of someone half his age or better!