Max Roach is a gifted musician/drummer. There is no; so and so is 'better than' so and so when it comes to one-of-a-kind geniuses like Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Joe Morello, or any number of other drum artists with a unique style and sound. They are who they are and they stand alone. It would be like comparing apples and oranges. Yes, Max is a drummers drummer, but so are all the other guys. It's easy to find the other musicians of their caliber... there are so few of them and they are the ones that everybody else is trying to copy/emulate.

John

Buddy thought Chick Webb was the answer...

Keep on Pl

Max Roach played from the head. Papa Jo played from the heart. Buddy Rich played from the wrists. Tony Williams played from the elbows. All of them had different things to say, and none of them played from their rectum.

> and none of them played from their rectum.

Hey man, don't knock it! It's a great place to keep an extra pair of sticks! That's where plumbers and carpenters keep their pencils! :p

John

Buddy Rich and Max Roach are very different drummers. There is a drum battle record with them both, one in each channel, if you want a direct comparison. Personally, I think Buddy is great to watch with his own big band. But I hate listening to him on recordings. Max I both love to watch and listen to.

/Magnus

Yes that's where this started. I happened across it a couple of weeks ago. Then I got into Drums unlimited and so forth. I've known for years they exist, but really only started properly listening recently.

I didn't mean to start an apples/oranges context, although thats how my post reads. I guess what I'm feeling is I'm finding him much more entertaining to listen to right now than Buddy. Maybe deeper than Buddy. There is also a part of me wondering what if i was turned onto this guy when I was 10 instead of Buddy. I wonder if my playing would of been different.

I must point out though Buddy will always be an icon for me.

Max is great in his own way.

Yes Sir so true, John! Drumming is an art, not a sports competition. There's no keeping score in art. No one asks, "Who's better.. DaVinci or Michelangelo? Pavarotti or Caruso? Spielberg of Scorsese?" So why do we try to do this with drummers? It's ridiculous, like trying to determine who's the better percussionist: Evelyn Glennie or Vic Firth? It's just silly. Although it's perfectly legitimate to throw out the "who's better?" nonesense and discuss, "Who's style do you like more?"

Just my:2Cents:

Mike

What what?!! No mention of Art Blakey, Joe Morello or Gene Krupa?