Max Roach & Abbey Lincoln
Jul 13th, 2009 by jacob
Without question one of the more stunning performances I’ve ever see on the Youtube highway. Abbey Lincoln and (then) husband Max Roach, on what looks to be a french broadcast. Prayer… Protest… Peace… in that order. No words spoken, but more is communicated than in whole books and films.
The piece is from Roach’s 1960 LP, We Insist! - Freedom Now Suite. Wiki tells me he composed the suite with lyrics by Oscar Brown Jr., after being invited to contribute to commemorations of the hundredth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Now I wouldn’t begin to pontificate on what exactly is at stake here. I know that both Roach and Lincoln were heavily involved activists on civil rights issues, so much so for Roach that for a period during the 60s he was in fact blacklisted by the American recording industry. I think all that needs to be known here can be found in the state of grace Lincoln inhabits during Peace, her eyes glassing over as she coos and fights back tears.
It’s all there.
July 13th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
this clip is an amazing find.
i bought that lp years ago and have not seen it since.
very happy there is footage of such an important performance.
July 13th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
looking now, the lp is easily available.
even on amazon.
July 14th, 2009 at 5:42 am
Zep “Whole Lotta Love”??
July 14th, 2009 at 7:30 am
i watched the film Nothing But a Man which co-starred Lincoln and was instantly struck by her. who was she? then watched a short doc on her on the dvd extras and was bowled over again, this time by her singing. just an amazing Individual. capital I.
beetle, that’s a good song. i prefer Trampled Underfoot.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:04 am
i’ve some straight ahead Abby stuff that kicks but again nothing hit me like this LP.
i always wondered why the prolific rapsters like PE never bit this LP.
maybe they have?
it’s chock full of goodies.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:22 am
a stunner.
yeah , Abbey Lincoln and this entire performance didn’t just materialize out of thin air.. it has a context,a genesis,and a history.
these people lived it, walked it, and hopefully helped others come out the other side better for it.
the beat goes on.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
I’m sure Zeppelin had to have heard this nugget-sounds like Whole Lotta Love what with Abby’s wails and the drum (to my water clogged ear anyway)