max roach – Charlie Watts Jim Keltner Project

Those fans with more than a passing knowledge of the Rolling Stones will be aware of drummer Charlie Watts longtime interest in traditional jazz. Some might even be aware that Watts has assembled and fronted a British big band, and has also led a solid jazz quintet with several CDs to its credit. Still, it comes as something of a surprise initially that Watts would produce what appears to be a solo drum CD, with song titles named after various jazz master drummers — "Max Roach," "Art Blakey," "Shelley Manne," and so on. Superficially, this might suggest an ego trip for Watts wherein he sets out to demonstrate his dazzling technique and versatility, but Watts characteristic modesty would never allow him to attempt such a thing. Instead, what he has done — with the assistance of drummer, producer, and idea man Keltner — is to distill some sort of personal essence of each of the nine drummers featured on this CD, and then put together what amounts to a series of musical portraits. So, for example, the Art Blakey piece is very African and tribal, with plenty of tom-toms, emphasizing that aspect of Blakeys playing. And Airtos piece, of course, uses a samba rhythm, supplementary congas, and a bandolean for added ethnic flavor. Other interpretations are a little less obvious, and perhaps more subjective. Kenny Clarkes piece, for example (Clarke being the elegant longtime drummer with the Modern Jazz Quartet), uses violins, oud, and tar, and has a decidedly Middle Eastern <b>…<b>