Featuring a comfortable duo between one of the kings of bebop, Max Roach, and master genre-bender Mal Waldron, this two-CD set contains a complete concert in honor of the pianist's 70th birthday. (Actually, there is also a bonus track of a cut recorded before the concert.) The 30 pieces are mostly fully improvised and flow into one another flawlessly. Waldron is a perfect partner; his often percussive technique is sandwiched by his lyrical flow, while Roach is in splendid form with his patented style. Together, they produce magical, magnificent results in a classic pairing of two of the greatest jazz musicians of the 20th Century. Most of the pieces were composed by Roach or Waldron, and almost every moment is filled with wonders. The quality of the recording is surprisingly good considering this was a live set. - Steve Loewy
Tracks
CD1
01 - Flirtations
02 - Diversions
03 - Homecoming
04 - Action
05 - Interaction
06 - One
07 - Mistral Breeze
08 - Bounce Em
09 - Brush Em
10 - Jet Downing Time
11 - In A Transitory Mood
12 - Free For Ct
13 - Snake Out
14 - Sparring
CD2
01 - Into The Void
02 - Clouds
03 - Hitting It
04 - Symbolic Cymbals
05 - Soul Eyes
06 - Scramble
07 - Once Over Lightly
08 - Groovin Out
09 - A Threesome Thing
10 - Our Coline's A Treasure
11 - A Little Taste
12 - What It Is
13 - The Theme
14 - You Don't Know What Love Is
15 - Happy Birthday
16 - Monk's Dream
17 - Ending
MAX ROACH drums
MAL WALDRON piano
Recorded live on 20th September 1995, at Designel Arts Centre, Antwerp, Belgium
Slam Productions SLAMCD 505