Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

Play trailer

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

2023

1h 22m

Documentary

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes is the story of a musician whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him. His stunningly diverse seven-decade career marked him as one of the great musical artists of the 20th century and a pioneering cultural activist at times when the nation was steeped in racism. The film follows Roach across a rich and complicated life, years of now-legendary achievement, deep personal struggle, and the price he paid for his outspoken views. His was an epic musical journey -- from the revolutionary Jazz of the 1940s to the Civil Rights years, through experiments in hip hop, multi-media works, and beyond.

Robert Daniels

RogerEbert.com

11/13/2023

“Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes” is another towering and imperative installment in Pollard’s dedication to recording the titans of Black life.

Go to Full Review

John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

10/05/2023

Time is everything in this “American Masters” presentation. The documentary benefits from having had an abundance of it.

Go to Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

03/14/2023

The film uses a vast array of archival footage and interviews to bring the recent past to life, often building sections into pulsating impressions that reflect its subject and an overall musicality.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

10/14/2023

4/5

Propulsive and fascinating, featuring plenty of Roach’s music. The backstory is even more compelling

Go to Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

05/20/2023

B

Perfectly captures an unfortunately forgotten iconoclast of music and history.

Go to Full Review

Sam Machkovech

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

05/15/2023

This crucial music documentary opens with drummer Max Roach rejecting the word "jazz" in no uncertain terms.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Sam Pollard

Director

Ben Shapiro

Director

Max Roach

Self

Sonny Rollins

Self

Quincy Jones

Self

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Self

Sidney

90%

84%

Sidney

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Sidney

Fragments of Paradise

100%

%

Fragments of Paradise

Watchlist

Following Harry

%

%

Following Harry

Watchlist

Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power

100%

%

Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power

Luther: Never Too Much

98%

98%

Luther: Never Too Much

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Luther: Never Too Much

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes is the story of a musician whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him. His stunningly diverse seven-decade career marked him as one of the great musical artists of the 20th century and a pioneering cultural activist at times when the nation was steeped in racism. The film follows Roach across a rich and complicated life, years of now-legendary achievement, deep personal struggle, and the price he paid for his outspoken views. His was an epic musical journey -- from the revolutionary Jazz of the 1940s to the Civil Rights years, through experiments in hip hop, multi-media works, and beyond.

Director: Sam Pollard, Ben Shapiro
Producer: Sam Pollard, Ben Shapiro
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 22m

Most Popular at Home Now