To the Max!
Max Roach Unlimited
By Jon Jang
In his own words, the great artist and humanitarian Max Roach has
gone “to the great hunting ground in the sky.” Since 1989,
Max and I have shared some “bright moments” as artists
and friends. In his convincing manner of tone, Max always reminded
me,” Jon, we are making history.”
Our relationship “up started!” in 1989 when I approached
Max Roach about collaborating on a work called, “SenseUs,”
in response to the dramatic and dynamic racial changes occurring in
United States, as well as questioning the validity of our National
Anthem which we felt did not embrace US in the US of A. Max was very
excited listening to a fresh new idea from this unknown newcomer.
During this time, he was awarded the highly prestigious MacArthur
Foundation Fellowship (aka “genius” award) for his contributions
to this country. Instead of resting on his laurels, the multi-year
fellowship allowed Max to fuel his passion to continue to pursue &
create, pursue & create, pursue & create. At our first meeting
in discussing the Star Spangled Banner, Max Roach pointed to inspired
renditions by Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Jimi Hendrix and Jose Feliciano
because they made powerful statements. However, in contradiction,
Max felt the lyrics,” land of the free,” did not include
us. When we performed the world premiere of “SenseUs”
on October 13, 1990 at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco as part
of Festival 2000, we received a standing ovation from the audience
of 6,000. The primary collaborators were Max Roach and Sonia Sanchez,
John Santos and Victor Hernandez Cruz, Genny Lim and me along with
the finest musicians who live in the Bay Area.
On a very profound level, Max Roach had deepened my understanding
of institutional racism. He considered Louis Armstrong a political
inspiration who had strong convictions and “hated New Orleans
for its racism.” Max recounted a story about the moment he privately
witnessed Louis Armstrong’s facial expression fall from the
“happy face” façade to the deepest empty pit of
sorrow.
During the time James Newton and I spent with Max Roach in New York
in May 1998, we had a chance to share our meaningful experiences in
Beijing. I told Max that I was in the process of developing a 5 year
plan and asked if he would consider doing a recording project with
me in a few years. Max jumped excitedly, “I am ready to do it
next month; I am not getting any younger.” In shock, I stuttered,”
But-but-but Max, how am I going to get the funding?” Max in
casual demeanor tone,” Don’t worry, you will find a way.
Remember, we are making history.”
The next month, Max Roach flew to San Francisco to make a recording
with me. Max had a strong desire to stay in a hotel in Chinatown for
a week to “see, listen and smell the streets of the people.”
Growing up in rural North Carolina, Max was an early riser who enjoyed
watching the elderly Chinese people performing Tai Chi at dawn. He
also attended a Cantonese Opera rehearsal and shopped for quality
ginseng medicine. During this time, Max did not just focus on Chinese
America. The multiple percussionist and multi-taskmaster was simultaneously
developing a score for a 1920s Oscar Micheaux silent film commissioned
by Ted Turner. Max also made time to meet with Tony Williams’s
widow to prepare to testify in a lawsuit against the hospital where
Tony died under questionable circumstances. I still remember what
Max said almost verbatim and the way he would accentuate words to
make his point: “Jon, this country and ‘ITS’ system
does not know anything about who Tony Williams is and what he has
done. Tony wasn’t just a drummer. Tony Williams was a great
artist and a genius.”
After Max, Jiebing Chen and I recorded “Beijing Trio”
the summer of 1998, we began our tour one year later. Three years
later when Max was 77 years old, the Beijing Trio toured Europe in
2001. Max went to bat for Jiebing and me. One cannot imagine the amount
of skepticism that exists when the world renowned Max Roach performs
with two Chinese artists. First, we were housed in separate hotels.
Second, before Max was to receive a medal of honor from one of the
universities in Milano, Italy and give a lecture-demonstration, he
requested that Jiebing and I join him on stage. The main organizer
who was a prominent professor at the university asked, “Do they
speak English?” After Max gave his comments about the music,
he introduced me and I offered my perspectives on the future of music
in the United States in the 21st Century.
To strike the percussion, I feel that Max Roach, for whatever reason,
wanted me to play a part in making sure that what he did was beyond
that four letter word that begins with a “j” and ends
with a “z.” It’s about deeds, not words. I remember
Max not being impressed with “trained singers” when he
made the casual remark: “Charlie Parker did not attend a music
school. He graduated from auto mechanic school.” But to me,
the most important lesson that I learned from Max is we are artists
who are not defined by that four letter word. We do not “play”
music; we “perform” music. I was blessed to be one of
many artists who were given the dream to perform the music of Max
Roach in what he often described as the “world of organized
sound.” To the Max Unlimited! It’s Time!!!