Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes

2023

1 hr. 22 min.

Documentary

Music

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9 Reviews

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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.

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Samuel D. Pollard

Director

Ben Shapiro

Director

Max Roach

Self

Sonny Rollins

Self

Quincy Jones

Self

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Self

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Robert Daniels

RogerEbert.com

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

Nov 13, 2023

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John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

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

Oct 5, 2023

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

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.

Mar 14, 2023

Full Review

Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

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

Rated: 4/5

Oct 14, 2023

Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

Perfectly captures an unfortunately forgotten iconoclast of music and history.

Rated: B

May 20, 2023

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Sam Machkovech

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

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

May 15, 2023

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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: Samuel D. Pollard, Ben Shapiro
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English

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