Max Roach - We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite

"Based upon the diversity of music, quality of product and their extraordinary rate of progress, Pure Pleasure Records is our re-issue record company of the year." - hi-fi+

"This is a classic. At a time when the civil rights movement was starting to heat up, drummer Max Roach performed and recorded a seven-part suite dealing with black history (particularly slavery) and racism. 'Driva' Man' has a powerful statement by veteran tenor Coleman Hawkins and there is valuable solo space elsewhere for trumpeter Booker Little and trombonist Julian Priester, but it is the overall performance of Abbey Lincoln that is most notable. Formerly a nightclub singer, Lincoln really came into her own under Roach's tutelage and she is a strong force throughout this intense set. On 'Tryptich: Prayer/Protest/Peace,' Lincoln is heard in duets with the drummer and her wrenching screams of rage are quite memorable. This timeless protest record is a gem." – Scott Yanow

"Abbey Lincoln joins Max roach in her most intense vocal performance on record. Like John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band and Marianne Faithful's Broken English, Lincoln's performance is gut wrenching and emotionally raw…This is an indispensable album. Pure Pleasure has been mining the Candid catalog to good effect, and this is one of the gems…It's an excellent disc with only a faint trace of tape bleed-through in a few places. My highest recommendation for this classic." Recording = 9/10; Music = 10/10 – Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi+, Issue 45