Drummer and bandleader Max Roach’s music is at the intersection of art, activism and resistance. His groundbreaking “We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite” was influenced by the then-emerging Civil Rights Movement.
This week, American Masters will premiere Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes.
The documentary explores the life of the pioneering drummer and cultural activist who spoke truth to power. The film traces Roach’s epic musical journey from bebop to hip-hop. It features Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln; Philadelphians Jimmy Heath, Sonia Sanchez and Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson; and music legends Harry Belafonte, Abdullah Ibrahim, Quincy Jones, Sonny Rollins and Randy Weston.
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzespremieres Friday, October 6 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App.