A great drummer, despite Wynton Marsalis's adoration

Jazz lost one of its great percussionists in Max Roach today. He may not have been the greatest jazz drummer, or my favorite (probably Rasheid Ali), but his importance cannot be understated. Just listen to Parker's or Miles's albums in the 50s, and you'll see Roach's importance to jazz. While not surprising (he was 83), it is nonetheless a sad loss.