Personnel:
McCoy Tyner (p)
Reference: ACE11081
DVD PAL / Multizone
This live, solo outing by Mccoy Tyner was recorded at the Warsaw Jazz Festival (aka Warsaw Jazz Jamboree) on October 27, 1991. Tyner branched out on his own in the late 1960's, leaving Coltrane to foray further into his extended free jazz explorations with wife Alice replacing Tyner at piano. However, although his prodigious style is well suited to it, Tyner wouldn't record a solo album until the famous and excellent Coltrane tribute, Echoes of Friend, released in 1972. Throughout the 70's, Tyner typically fronted larger bands, not returning to solo concerts until a string of Blue Note records from 1989 and 1990 (Revelations, Things Ain't What They Used to Be (also containing some duets), and Soliloquy). Unfortunately, those solo dates tend towards the sedate and balladic, at least compared to typical Tyner, whose style is, in the tradition of Oscar Peterson, expansive and billowing with thundering left-hand chords and break-neck right-hand runs, flourishes, and trills.
And so, the Warsaw Concert is a welcome cap to those solo outings, because it is more energetic, emotional, and adventurous. This may have something to do with the set-list, which includes only two standards (Beautiful Love, Darn That Dream) while featuring six originals, two Coltrane tunes (Giant Steps, Naima), and two by Monk (Rhthym-A-Ning, Monk's Dream). In fact, the pacing of these tunes tends toward the similar and many of them are ballads at their core, with trademark Tyner embellishments. However, it's refreshing to hear Tyner briskly attack Giant Steps and Rhthym-A-Ning (he rarely seems to interpret Monk), offer up some full-bodied originals (Miss Bea, Lady From Caracas, Rio), and close out the set with the familiar Coltrane anthem, Naima. Tyner also introduces several of the numbers, giving this a nice live concert feel.
Tyner's ample talents are really showcased in the solo format, and it is nice to hear him take advantage of the space in this concert. This, along with Echoes of a Friend, are the Tyner solo dates to have.
Tracks:
1. Beautiful Love
2. Suddenly
3. Giant Steps
4. Darn That Dream
5. You Taught My Heart To Sing
6. Lady From Caracas
7. Rhythm-N-Ning
8. Miss Bea
9. Monks Dream
10. Rio
11. Naima
Recorded Live at The Warsaw Jamboree Jazz Festival, October 27, 1991
DVD features individual track selection.
