Max Roach & Archie Shepp

Drummer Max Roach made an indelible mark in jazz history in the 1940's as one of bebop's musical revolutionaries, but his vital contributions to music history only began at that time. A significant facet of his musical explorations emerged in the 1970s, when Roach began a series of spontaneous duo performances utilizing his unparalleled technique to create captivating and intuitive musical excursions. One of his most significant partnerships was with tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp who, like Roach, was a pioneer in jazz academia. The main work featured on this program was recorded at a time when the two were colleagues at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. An extended work in three sections, "Sweet Mao" was named for the then recently deceased Mao Zedong, and it gives the listener an opportunity to hear extended improvisations by Roach and Shepp at the peak of their powers.

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