Tracklist
Side A
- Garvey’s Ghost
- Mama
- Tender Warriors
Side B
- Praise For A Martyr
- Mendacity
- Man From South Africa
The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Verve, 1961
Percussion Bitter Sweet, released in 1961 on Impulse! Records, is one of preeminent jazz drummer Max Roach’s most politically charged and musically expansive recordings. Recorded over two days in September 1960 at Universal Studios in Chicago, the record reflects Roach’s deepening engagement with themes of social justice and Pan-African identity. The ensemble features trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, and tuba innovator Ray Draper, alongside Roach’s own commanding blend of cymbal textures, mallets, and explosive rhythmic detail. The inclusion of vocalist Abbey Lincoln — Roach’s artistic and political partner at the time — adds urgency and emotional power to the project’s most pointed statements. While not formally structured as a suite, the album’s six tracks move fluidly between spiritual lament, militant swing, and improvisational abstraction. The opening piece, “Garvey’s Ghost,” sets the tone with Afro-Caribbean rhythmic undercurrents, while “Mendacity” takes aim at hypocrisy with biting horn lines and Lincoln’s dramatic delivery. Elsewhere, “Mama” and “Praise for a Martyr” explore personal and collective grief through dynamic interplay and modal intensity.
Tracklist
Side A
Side B
The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Shipping
We ship to customers in the US and most international countries including in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Most international orders are delivered duties paid with no additional taxes or custom charges to pay on delivery - please see details for your country at check-out. We aim to dispatch your order within 2-3 business days for in-stock items.
Shipping costs are calculated for each order at check-out and vary based on size and weight of the package and final destination country. Expected delivery times and typical costs for some of our most popular package sizes to USA and Europe:
STANDARD USA ("SHIP ITEMS TOGETHER") 5-7 working days |
STANDARD EUROPE ("SHIP ITEMS TOGETHER") 2-10 working days |
|
---|---|---|
1LP | $21 | $56 |
1CD | $14 | $46 |
3LP | $44 | $78 |
Returns
Faulty or damaged goods are applicable for a full refund or re-ship. Please contact everything_jazz@umgstores.com for any issues with your items. Full terms and conditions.
See also our FAQs for more Shipping & Returns details.