MAX ROACH : FREEDOM DAY [1961]

Ένα από σάουντρακ του Civil Rights Movement, πίσω στα early ‘60s ήταν το all-time classic του Max Roach, σε συνεργασία με τον στιχουργό Oscar Brown : We Insist! (Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite). Το έργο θα παρουσιαζόταν ζωντανά, δυο χρόνια μετά την κυκλοφορία του, στην εκατονταετηρίδα της Διακήρυξης Χειραφέτησης. Ακούμε ένα μέρος του.
Η μπάντα : Booker Little -τρομπέτα, Walter Benton – τενόρο σαξόφωνο, Julian Priester – τρομπόνι, Max Roach – ντραμς. Στα φωνητικά η μετέπειτα σύζυγος του συνθέτη,
Abbey Lincoln.

One of the soundtracks of the Civil Rights Movement, back in the early ’60s was the all-time classic by
Max Roach, in collaboration with lyricist Oscar Brown : We Insist! (Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite). The work would be performed live, two years after its release, on the centenary of the Emancipation Proclamation. We hear a part of it.
The band: Booker Little – trumpet, Walter Benton – tenor saxophone, Julian Priester – trombone, Max Roach – drums. On vocals the composer’s later wife,
Abbey Lincoln.

Whisper, listen, whisper, listen. Whispers say we’re free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’. Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, can’t believe it. But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer, this is Freedom Day.
Freedom Day, it’s Freedom Day. Throw those shackle n’ chains away.
Everybody that I see says it’s really true, we’re free.
Whisper, listen, whisper, listen. Whispers say we’re free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’. Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, don’t believe it. But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer, this is Freedom Day.
Freedom Day, it’s Freedom Day. Throw those shackle n’ chains away.
Everybody that I see says it’s really true, we’re free.
Freedom Day, it’s Freedom Day. Free to vote and earn my pay.
Dim my path and hide the way. But we’ve made it Freedom Day.

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2 Comments

  1. Resa May 25, 2023 at 4:58 am

    Fantastic! Love this… all of it, every instrument, vocals simply great.

    Reply
    1. Oannes May 25, 2023 at 9:15 pm

      Yes this is a milestone recording, and Abbey is just superb. Thank you!

      Reply

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