Actor · Musician · Original Music Composer · Music
Born Jan 10, 1924 · Newland, North Carolina, USA
Active 1964–2007 · Awards: MacArthur Fellows Program, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Paul Acket Award, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, NEA Jazz Masters
Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history.