Customer Reviews

Focal Point

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This is great small group McCoy, with two reed players, bass, drums and percussionist. McCoy was intense and melodic in these days, brimming with energy. The horns and percussionist provide variety and color which is lacking in his current trio group. The music has an exotic, Middle Eastern color or flavoring at times which is very appealing.

Focal Point has always been my favorite McCoy Tyner album. I will remember when it first came out, I was fascinated by the music and, on my first flush of success, I too it with me when I bought my first stereo components. The detailed interplay between the piano, bass, drums and bongos(!) was amazing to listen to. I tested several speakers before I found the AR-2s which would allow me to hear each intstrument separately and hear how each instrumentalist responded to the other. What more can you ask of a jazz recording? It's all about communicating and when you can hear each instrument separately and see how well they communicate, it's a thrill. I don't think any other recording has sounded the same to me since. This CD is the standard against which I measure all others. I have had the opportunity to see McCoy Tyner's trio twice in the past six months and he still thrills me from the first chord. Don't miss him when he and Aaron Scott (drums) and Avery Sharpe (bass and electric bass) come your way. You will never hear piano the same way again. Buy this recording; you will never regret it.

This album is McCoy Tyner's best piece of work. It encompasses a total sum of great instrumental arranging and compositional ear candy!

When I first heard this album way back in 1976 my first reaction was Wow! Now that this music has been transfered to CD my reaction is still wow! For me, Focal Point is McCoy at his best and I thought this music was cutting edge back in the 70's and I still believe it is cutting edge today. This is my favorite McCoy Tyner recording and would definitely be on my desert island list.

I definitely agree with William Donoghue. Both technically & artistically, FOCAL POINT is the toppermost of the tynermost. Tyner's low-end is in the left channel and his upper register is in the right channel. On Tyner's own records as a leader, Tyner has been every bit as erratic as Coltrane. But Tyner really redeemed himself with FOCAL POINT. This is fierce hard-hitting stuff that hits you where it counts. There's a 3-beat track called PARODY. Which raises the question: is PARODY so-named because it's a parody of Chick Corea's 3-beat tracks and Bill Evans's 3-beat tracks?

Here's a quote from Tyner himself: "Composition is taking a larger role, which is a good sign for the music. It means that we're hearing other forms. When changes take place in the music, it often happens compositionally. Guys start to write differently, and pretty soon you'll hear a concept change. Of course, it depends on the artist. John [Coltrane] created a change thru his playing. His writing complemented his style. In a way I think that's true in my own case. I write my own music best, as a complement to my style as a player."