McCoy Tyner: Sahara (1972)

After the death of John Coltrane, his longtime pianist McCoy Tyner was in something of a musical quandary. Keeping up with his mentor through the incredible explorations of the early '60s, he seemed to have some difficulty navigating the even further out territories explored in the two or three years before Coltrane's death in 1967. His subsequent albums as a leader were solid, enjoyable efforts but seemed oddly retrograde, as though he needed time to settle back and re-digest the information handed down to him. With Sahara, Tyner found the precise perfect "middle ground" on which to stand, more structured than late Coltrane, but exploding with a ferocity and freedom of sound that made it simply one of the greatest jazz recordings of the decade. None of the other members of his quartet ever sounded so inspired, so liberated as they do here. Sonny Fortune threatens to tear the roof off the joint on more than one occasion, Calvin Hill is more than rock-solid on bass, his roots arcing deeply into the earth, and as for Alphonse Mouzon, well, no one familiar with his later vapid meanderings in fusion would begin to recognize him here, so incendiary is his playing. And Tyner develops so much pure energy, channeled with such pinpoint precision, that one worries about the physical stability of any piano under such an assault. From the extraordinarily intense "Ebony Queen" through the ruminative solo "A Prayer for My Family, the equally intense "Rebirth," and the concluding, side-long title track, there's not a misstep to be heard. "Sahara," over the course of its 23 minutes, covers vast ground, echoing the majesty and misery of the geographical area with percussion and flute interludes to some of Tyner's very best playing on record. Even something that could have resulted in a mere exercise in exotica, his koto performance on "Valley of Life," exudes both charm and commitment to the form. Tyner would go on to create several fine albums in the mid-'70s, but never again would he scale quite these heights. Sahara is an astonishingly good record and belongs in every jazz fan's collection.

Buy at Amazon.com

Sahara - Part 1 - Part 2 (RS) / Sahara - Part 1 - Part 2 (HF) flac

McCoy Tyner Quartet: Live (2006)

McCoy Tyner's work with the John Coltrane Quartet is well documented, and this CD marks a welcome return to that format. Recorded live at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA, over New Year's, Joe Lovano does the honors in the tenor sax chair, while bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts hold the rhythm section together with honor, passion, and drive. The world-class bassist and drummer, usually known for their overt showmanship and over the top chops, show remarkable restraint and sensitivity throughout. Tyner and friends play several of his original compositions, well-known and revered over the years. Lovano sounds, eerily enough, like Pharoah Sanders, employing a slightly staggered expansive vibrato on "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit," while using a more haunting stance à la Coltrane for "Mellow Minor," a new modern mainstream tune. Sounding more like himself, Lovano and the group join a loping desert caravan for the beautiful "Sama Layuca," with Lovano playing the part originally written for flute. They rip through "Passion Dance" and melt abject militarism during the poignant ballad "Search for Peace." Tyner, in character, utilizes a minimalist palette to extrapolate on improvisationally during his solos. After reported health problems, it is good to hear he is sounding quite inspired and energetic during the entire date. The happy song "Blues on the Corner" further cements his upbeat demeanor, while the finale/solo standard "For All We Know" is truly the real McCoy, replete with the many flourishes, dynamism, and harmonic colorations that distinguish him from all others. In many ways this is a remarkable date, a well-paced program with all the pieces (save "For All We Know") timed at around ten minutes, proof positive that Tyner's game is still very much on, and hovering at a very high level. --Michael G. Nastos - All Music Guide

Buy at Amazon.com
Live (RS) / Live (MU) / Live (HF) / Live (DF)

McCoy Tyner: Double Trios (1993)

This little-known CD features the masterful pianist McCoy Tyner with two different trios: his regular group of the period (which includes bassist Avery Sharpe and drummer Louis Hayes) and a unit with electric bassist Marcus Miller and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. Percussionist Steve Thornton pops up with both groups. In addition to three Tyner originals and Miller's "Sudan," it is particularly interesting to hear the pianist's reworkings of "Lil' Darlin'," "Satin Doll," "Lover Man" and Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning," transforming them into modal masterpieces.

Buy at Amazon.com

Double Trios (Flac, scans, MU)

McCoy Tyner Trio with Michael Brecker: Infinity (1995)

It seems only fitting that the initial new release on the latest revival of the Impulse label features McCoy Tyner and Michael Brecker. When Impulse started out in 1960, John Coltrane and Tyner were the first artists to be signed, and when Impulse was briefly brought back by MCA in the 1980s, two of its most important albums were recordings by Brecker. There are not a lot of surprises on this quartet matchup (with bassist Avery Sharpe and drummer Aaron Scott) except perhaps for how well Tyner and Brecker mesh together. The music is somewhat similar to a set by the pianist's regular trio with a solo piece ("Blues Stride"), a generous amount of Tyner originals and colorful versions of Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You" and "Good Morning Heartache," but Brecker's presence and consistently powerful playing does inspire Tyner and his sidemen. For a strong example as to why today's saxophonists have such a high opinion of Michael Brecker, his roaring statement on the extended "Impressions" will suffice. Highly recommended.

George Benson with McCoy Tyner Trio: Round Midnight (2007) [lossless]

Live album recorded in Fort Lauderdale (Florida) in 1989.

George Benson (gtr, voc), McCoy Tyner (p), Avery Sharpe (b), Aaron Scott (dr).

Songs:

1. Stella By Starlight

2. Here, There & Everywhere

3. Don't Leave Me

4. Round Midnight

5. Monk's Dream

6. Hipside

7. At The Mambo Inn

Highly recommended!!!