M’Boom – Re: Percussion

The incredible drumming of Freddie Waits on McCoy Tyner’s final sessions at Blue Note led me on a search for as many of his recordings as I could find. As it turns out, after his stint with Tyner, Waits joined the all-percussion M’Boom ensemble founded by Max Roach in 1970. Roach wanted to explore all the textures and possibilities of percussion, much like the attempts of the 1960s exotica crowd, like Dick Schory, who founded the New Percussion Ensemble while working as the educational and advertising director for the Ludwig Drum Company. But Roach wasn’t building some lounge act. He wanted to take his percussion ensemble to the outer limits, and that he did – with marimbas, xylophones, timpani, vibraphones, gongs, timbales, chimes, bongos, steel drums, glockenspiels, and the musical saw. Originally formed as a septet: Max Roach, Roy Brooks, Joe Chambers, Omar Clay, Warren Smith, Freddie Waits & Richard ‘Pablo’ Landrum, M’Boom would go on to have as many as ten members. Re-Percussion is M’Boom’s 1973 debut on Strata-East Records.

Side A:

1) Morning, Noon, Midday (5:44) – Omar Clay, Warren Smith; solos: (On Midday) Joe Chambers, marimba, Warren Smith, Marimba.
2) Attention-Call & Response (0:47) – Richard “Pablo” Landrum.
3) Jihad Es Mort (8:15) – Joe Chambers; solos: Max Roach, Drums,Roy Brooks;Warren Smith, Xylophone.

Side B:

1) Elements Of A Storm/Thunder & Wind (2:00) – Warren Smith.
2) Inner Passion (4:04) – Freddie Waits; solo: Freddie Waits, Indian Flute.
3) Heaven Sent (5:08) – Roy Brooks; solos:Roy Brooks, Bowed Cymbals, Omar Clay, Saw;Joe Chambers, Xylophone; Max Roach, Tympani.
4) Onamotapoeia (6:38) – Omar Clay; solos: Roy Brooks, Saw, Max Roach, Xylophone, Warren Smith, Tympani.