Max Roach (1924–2007) is a figure who not only made significant contributions to music, but also played a major role in challenging racist power structures and the bigoted hegemonic thought of many bourgeois white Americans. This paper aims to analyze Roach’s musical and non-musical works of protest, as well as his “symbolic resistance” in unintentionally subversive actions, to determine the impact and “efficacy” of his work in influencing social change. How can a notion of efficacy be determined in protest music? How does the intent and goal of the artist affect the reception of their protest music? What actions have had a verifiable and provable impact in fighting prejudicial, exploitative, and oppressive systems? These broader questions are explored as they relate to the work of Max Roach.
The diversity of approach and intent in protest music among artists highlights the complexities when considering Roach’s works of protest and “symbolic resistance.” The paper first establishes context by discussing several notable works of twentieth-century American protest music up to the 1960s. By such time, Roach had become a prominent musical innovator and Black rights activist. Thorough review of Roach’s career makes it possible to identify key actions and musical contributions with complex social implications, which I refer to as “symbolic resistance.” This includes Roach rejecting his professor’s assertion that he had improper drumming technique, the power in the act of drumming and its loudness, and a dismantling of racist ideas of “primitivism” in playing drums.
On the other hand, Roach was a revolutionary figure with lifelong involvement in protest. I focus mostly on Roach’s article, entitled “What ‘Jazz’ Means to Me,” as one of his best-known non-musical works of protest. Lastly, this paper presents a detailed and methodical analysis of the album We Insist!: Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite. I attempt to determine the intent behind these works of protest, and ultimately argue how such works have been received by audiences. Roach fought oppression and discrimination based on race, yet relevant economic critique and class struggles are often overlooked by critics. Throughout the paper, connections are made between race and class struggles, both of which were significant during Roach’s lifetime. Roach is among the most influential musicians in the history of American jazz, having made unparalleled contributions to jazz drumming, protest music, the fight against racist structures, and representation through the performance of various Black musical expressions.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/46672 |
| Date | 05 September 2023 |
| Creators | Morese, Jacob R. |
| Contributors | Yudkin, Jeremy, Clarke, Leland |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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