Billboard : 08/18/1962
Four Stars

Angry jazz with a civil rights message is carved out here by Max Roach with chorus and ork, with all of the music composed by Roach. It is a sort of up-to-date Freedom Suite, and in addition to the drummer and the Greek-type chorus, the set also spotlights guests Abbey Lincoln, Richard Williams, Clifford Jordan, Julian Priester, Art Davis and Mal Waldron. Certain to interest many who dig Roach’s approach to jazz today. Best tracks are It’s Time, Living Room and Lonesome Lover.

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HiFi / Stereo Review
Joe Goldberg : December, 1962

Max Roach has written a series of six pieces that resemble a concerto grosso for bop sextet (trumpet, trombone, sax and rhythm) in which a wordless chorus of sixteen voices take the place of the ensemble. The formality of Roach’s liner notes are evidence of the seriousness of the project.

Most of the six are written to features particular soloists. Saxophonist Clifford Jordan, who leans heavily on Coltrane, is more assured than I have ever heard him. Richard Williams‘ trumpet tone is impressive. Mal Waldron‘s piano is not as unerringly good as usual, but bassist Art Davis makes excellent use of his few moments.

On Saturday Afternoon, a pretty melody, the chorus, after a striking programmatic opening, falls into the rut of popular choruses. Abbey Lincoln, who sings her own undistinguished lyrics on one track, should not have been obliged to sing with the unsympathetic aggregation. Much of the rest is merely angrily pretentious. The musical tone and the use to which the voices are put are reminiscent of showy and bombastic outdoor choral festivals.

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Oakland Tribune
Russ Wilson : 10/14/1962

“The artist should reflect the tempo of his time,” Max Roach asserted in an interview for one of his recent Impulse albums, and most certainly the brilliant drummer’s quartet is fulfilling this credo in the music it is playing at the Jazz Workshop.

Excellent modern jazz that is interesting for its construction and its presentation, the music also conveys Roach’s concern with “the cries for freedom from every corner of the world.”
One example of his repertoire is It’s Time, a piece in which composer Roach utilized mixed meters and moments of silence to create a powerful emotional statement. You should be able to translate the title yourself.

His associates are tenorist Clifford Jordan, whose hard-edged tone is meaningfully used; pianist Mal Waldron, whose great talent as individualistic improvisor was hidden while he was Billie Holiday‘s accompanist; and bassist Eddie Khan, who in the two years since he left the Bay Area for New York has risen to “new star” quality.

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Down Beat : 10/25/1962
Harvey Pekar : 4 stars

Roach was one of bop’s most important innovators, and he isn’t resting on his laurels. He composed all the music for this date, and it is thought-provoking. It’s Time employs 3/4, 4/4, 6/4 and 7/4 meters. Another Valley is written in 7/8 time and Living Room in 5/4. They are all excellent vehicles for improvisation.

In an even greater departure from convention, Roach uses a 16-member chorus. (Charlie Parker made some records with the Dave Lambert Singers several years ago, but little has been done with the concept since.)

This attempted synthesis of jazz and “the legitimately trained voice” is not, in my opinion, always successful, but it is important because it illuminates a possible method for broadening the scope of jazz.

In backing Miss Lincoln on Lonesome Lover, however, the chorus dilutes the starkness of her vocal, and the wordless vocal figures behind the soloists are often pretentious and distracting – they bury the jazzmen in their lushness.

On Sunday Afternoon the voicings behind Williams and Waldron sound like Fred Waring‘s music. On other tracks their “ya ya ya’s” and “baia’s” remind me of the chorus in a south-seas musical.

The vocal “collective improvisation” that opens Sunday Afternoon, however, is effective. I wish Roach would have assigned the chorus more of these unusual devices. They also come through powerfully on Living Room.

Jordan solos well on It’s Time, as does Priester on Living Room, and Williams blows his heart out in his solos. As for Waldron, his touch and graceful touch can make ordinary phrases sound good. He uses repetition very effectively – sometimes altering a figure rhythmically or melodically while repeating it. Throughout he displays a fine, active left hand.

As one would expect, Roach and Davis perform with strength and sensitivity. Davis breaks up his lines intelligently behind Waldron on Sunday Afternoon.

Despite my reservations about the manner in which the chorus is used, I consider this a noteworthy album.

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Liner Notes by Max Roach

The voice, as an instrument, has always fascinated me. The abundance of variations the voice can use in changing the color of one note are infinite. It was with these tonal images in mind, that led me to prepare this album.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Miss Abbey Lincoln, Mr. Earl Baker, bass singer, and Mr. Coleridge Perkinson, our conductor, for their invaluable assistance to me in this idea of integrating the “trained voice” with the music of the “jazz musician.”

It’s Time – This piece is written in C minor and cut time. The opening statement utilizes the mixed metre theory and, or, polyrhythmic theory to create melodic and rhythmic phrases, ex: the first ten bars are made up for two 3/4 bars, two 4/4 bars, two 6/4 bars and two 7/4 bars. The form is A-A-B-A. The opening statement is followed by a tenor saxophone improvisation, followed by a percussion improvisation, both improvisations accompanied by the chorus. We then recapitulate to the opening statement for the ending.

Another Valley – This piece is written in A minor and 7/8 time. The opening statement is used as an interlude to introduce the trombone soloist, who then improvises in A minor. The interlude is restated and the trombone soloist improvises in A major, followed by a percussion improvisation. We then restate the interlude a third time for the ending. The form is A-B.

Sunday Afternoon – This piece is written in E flat major and 2/4 time. The introduction is a “collective improvisation” by the chorus. The opening statement is made by the trumpet, followed by a trumpet improvisation, followed by a piano improvisation, both improvisations accompanied by the chorus. The opening statement is repeated by the trumpet for the ending. The form is A-A.

Living Room – This piece is written with a progression which resolves itself in the “B” section. It is in 5/4 time. In the “A” sections, the bar is divided thus: 1 2 1 2 3. In the “B” section, the bar is divided thus: 1 2 3 1 2. The form is A-A-B-A. The opening statement is followed by a trombone improvisation, followed by a piano improvisation, both improvisations accompanied by the chorus. We then return to the opening statement for the ending.

The Profit – This piece is written in F minor and 4/4 time. It uses the traditional blues progression. The opening statement is voice in fourths. The form is A-A. The opening statement is followed by a trumpet improvisation, followed by an improvised bass violin and percussion duet, both improvisations accompanied by the chorus. The piece then ends with a repetition of the opening statement, with the dynamics reversed.

Lonesome Lover – This piece is the only composition which uses words. The lyric was contributed by the talented Miss Abbey Lincoln. The piece is in A minor and 3/4 time. This composition opens with an 8-bar improvised rhythm section solo. The opening statement incorporates the voice of Miss Lincoln with the chorus, followed by a tenor saxophone improvisation. Both improvisations are accompanied by the chorus. For the ending, we again incorporate the voice of Miss Lincoln with the chorus as in the opening statement.

On all the compositions, 16 voices were used.

Speaking for the chorus, that never ceased to amaze me during this recording session, my guests, who surpassed my greatest expectations, and myself, I sincerely hope you enjoy the music in this album as much as we enjoyed ourselves bring it to you.