Customer Reviews

Live at Sweet Basil

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Here is McCoy at his high energy self. Really great explorations and probably one of the last few recordings with him cranking it out before he started to quite down and change his style. Unfortunately whether the recording is wonky or it is just the way Aaron Scott is interpreting but the cymbal work overshadows alot of the bass (Avery Sharpe) and keys at times. I want to hear a better balance almost all the way through the date.

This is just one of those live recordings I wished I'd been there on the spot. Actually, it was the first McCoy Tyner album I ever bought about 15 years ago and I really had to get used to McCoy's percussive style and treatment of music. But it just catches you and something in this album kept wondering me, and it still does.

First of all, though being a trio album, this album contains a few piano solo songs as well. For instance "Don't Blame Me" is just played in sheer perfection. It clearly illustrates McCoy's virtuosity at absolute peak level of his carreer.

But you have to listen to the opening track of Disc 2, "Yesterdays". After the piano intro, you'll hear McCoy's characteristic way of voicing and comping which is just so unique and powerfull. Later on Avery Sharpe's bass solo will surprise you as well and McCoy concludes the song solo again. Just hear how he's able to build up the tension in his sound during this part. The dynamics of his piano sound are just awesome and unparalleled by many other top jazz pianists of our history.

Other highlights include "Rio" which is just an example of the many beautiful original compositions by McCoy. His own compositions are so well structured and are so unusual just looking at their chord patterns. But it's sounds so natural, that you might just overlook that. It's just McCoy's magic way of creating his very own unique sound which should deserve much wider recognition among all jazz enthusiasts.