The music here finds drummer
Max Roach dropping the piano out of his quintet for the first time and performing with a pianoless quartet. With the departure of
Sonny Rollins (who is replaced on three songs apiece by either
Hank Mobley or
George Coleman),
Roach's group (which also featured trumpeter
Kenny Dorham and either
George Morrow or
Nelson Boyd on bass) was temporarily without any major innovators (outside of the leader). So it was perfectly fitting that
Roach would look backward and perform six of
Charlie Parker's compositions. Highlighted by "Yardbird Suite," "Confirmation," and "Ko Ko," this set is generally fine although the lack of a piano is really felt on some of the material. ~ Scott Yanow