We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite

Recorded in August 1960, the year in which black Americans' struggle for civil rights reached critical mass, We Insist! was the first of several jazz-as-protest albums explicitly to voice the growing demand for equal rights. Conceived as a suite by Roach, its composer and arranger, the album features a shifting cast of players, with only Roach and singer Abbey Lincoln heard throughout. Three of the five tracks feature lyrics by Oscar Brown Jr., sung by Lincoln, who is joined on "All Africa" by Nigerian conga player Michael Olatunji. Veteran tenor saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins makes a powerful statement in "Driva' Man", which also features stirring solos from trumpeter Booker Little, trombonist Julian Priester and tenor saxophonist Walter Benton. The ensemble's focus is razor sharp throughout, honed by Roach's virtuosic drumming, and Abbey Lincoln's screams during his husband's drum solo in "Triptych: Prayer / Protest / Peace" will send chills down your spine. One of the all-time 'free jazz' classics finally available again!