by Michael G. Nastos
Drummer Max Roach was fond of playing with string quartets in the latter part of his career, and in this case he is with one sans his regular working foursome. The cerebral nature of this music cannot be discounted, nor can the interplay and counterpoint between the drummer and string players. The lengthy title track best exemplifies this concept, which is carried throughout the project. But the majority of this recording consists of drum solos, all earmarked by the signature drum sound and complex polyrhythmic drive that only Roach can claim.While not as successful as other like-minded recordings, this serves as a powerful reminder of why Roach's drumming was so strong and visceral even in his older years, and how fertile his imagination continued to be.