This sampler has snapshots from pianist
McCoy Tyner's career, with five selections from the 1960s and three from the 1990s. The music is drawn from his Impulse and Blue Note sessions and cannot claim to give one a complete picture of his career since so much of his most significant work was done for Milestone in the 1970s. However, the music that is included is fine. The 1960s numbers are all
Tyner originals, featuring the influential pianist in a trio (for "Inception"), quartets with either tenor-saxophonist
Joe Henderson or vibraphonist
Bobby Hutcherson, and a sextet ("Peresina" with trumpeter
Woody Shaw, altoist
Gary Bartz, and
Wayne Shorter on tenor). The 1990s material has
Tyner's versions of three
John Coltrane compositions ("Lonnie's Lament," "Impressions," and "Naima") played unaccompanied, in a trio, or in a quartet with tenor-saxophonist
Michael Brecker ("Impressions"). Excellent music but this CD is just for listeners unfamiliar with
Tyner's work who want to get a sampling. ~ Scott Yanow