Mccoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane

Recorded live at the Village Vanguard in September 1997, McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane is a moving and profound tribute by the pianist to his old boss. But it is much more than that: the CD does not merely revisit past glories but showcases a pianist still at the peak of his powers, still anxious to explore new ideas and new territory. Impeccably supported by Czech bassist George Mraz and his long-serving drummer Al Foster, Tyner weaves new magic into and out of such Coltrane classics as "Naima", "Crescent" and "Afro Blue" while also conjuring readings of great beauty in such less celebrated pieces as "Mr Day" and Billy Eckstine's "I Want To Talk About You". All seven tracks are doubly valuable--deeply satisfying in their own right, they also compel you to check out anew the Coltrane quartet's original performances. Tyner's trio is not outfaced by the comparison: these cuts are different rather than inferior, and if one misses Coltrane's imperious sax at times, the thunderous power that distinguished the quartet remains mightily in evidence. It's hard to understand why Impulse sat on this date for four years-- it's unambiguously top-class stuff, and indeed one of the finest releases of 2001. --Richard Palmer

Label: Unknown
Studio: Impulse
Released: 2001-10-15
Format: Audio CD

Extras/Features:
Live