Remembering A Master Drummer as Bandleader (Continued)

The set included a few other ecstatic contributions, among them a version of the Mal Waldron ballad "Soul Eyes" performed by Mr. Carter on soprano saxophone.  (He was never a member of a Max Roach band, but that's no hindrance to his enthusiasm.) On "Prince Lawsha," a modal fanfare by Mr. Pope, there were gripping, blustery solos by each of the saxophonists. Mr. Harper's elaboration somehow ended up as a waggish reggae vamp, which made the return to form feel a bit jarring.

Cohesiveness can be a hurdle for any all-star team, and this one generally had more firepower than focus. So it was a small relief when Mr. Pope played one ballad unaccompanied, with a balance of adroitness and restraint. It was also appropriate: the ballad was "I Remember Clifford," a lament for the trumpeter Clifford Brown, who jointly led Mr. Roach's first significant band, and who died in 1956. Here the song paid homage to both musicians, and its elegiac tone was coupled with a spirit of celebration.