alonewiththemoon | That's what jazz means to me

I was very sad to see that Max Roach passed away. His kind of hard bebop was part of the regular background noise of my home growing up, and I think I can really thank him and his drumming technique for my ears' ability to be able to pick up on Arabic and North African rhythms. His work with Clifford Brown is just some of the most brilliant music ever recorded, and their collaboration with Dinah Washington is sheer perfection. Not every group will give a singer the chance to be an equal instrument, but that recording is a musician's dream for all involved. I never met Max Roach or saw him perform, but he made my world a better place. Rest in peace.