Max Roach, the self-taught jazz drummer who pioneered the bebop style, has died at the age of 83.
Roach drummed with the likes of Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus. His work with Parker after the second world war was revolutionary, with Roach developing a free-wheeling, aggressive, fast-paced technique, helping create a style of jazz more suited to smoky clubs than the dancehalls of the decades previous.He co-founded Debut Records in 1952 with Charles Mingus, and a year later they released the seminal 'Jazz At Massey Hall', a concert featuring the quintet of Roach, Gillespie, Parker, Mingus and Bud Powell.
In 1954, Roach joined forces with trumpeter Clifford Brown, saxophonist Harold Land, bassist George Morrow and pianist Richie Powell to create one of the most famous quintets in the history of jazz. The project was tragically cut short two years later when Brown and Powell were killed in a car crash.
As part of a trio with Mingus and Ellington, Roach released the 'Money Jungle' sessions in 1962. In his later years, he devoted much of his time to jazz education. He was staff member in the University of Massachusetts' music department.
Max Roach died in his sleep on Wednesday evening in New York. A cause of death was not made public.
