Max Roach & Archie Shepp: The Long March

Roach launches the festivities with one of his infamous, lyrical and melodic drumming vamps. As he cycles through a consortium of energized, polyrhythmic metrics on a piece inspired by and titled after 1960s modern jazz drummer "J.C. Moses." Then Shepp follows with a bluesy and airy solo spin on Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady." And it all equates to an asymmetrically engineered modern, free-form rendition, accelerated by his steely-edged lines during the bridge.

On the title and twenty-six minute duet "The Long March," they exercise a multifarious procession, teeming with acutely-placed dynamics and swarming motifs, while affording themselves room to breathe and expand. In addition, Roach's monstrous solo is augmented by the duo's seamless ability to throttle back flows along with a throng of oscillating undercurrents.

The duo alternates a laid-back approach with spirited soloing jaunts on its take of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps." Here, Shepp lashes out via spirited upper-register phrasings and scorching flurries, as the musicians bring it all back home towards the finale. But they lower the temperature with Roach's mid-tempo swing and memorably melodic composition, "It's Time," where their resonating interactions, segue into a frenzied set of circumstances. The Long March offers a glistening testament to the jazz-duet format, as these revered artists convey a paradigm of ingenuity. It's largely about clarity of execution and music extracted from the soul.

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