I love the way this disc starts—with a way out there free improv number between Marc Ribot Tyner. Why take a chance like this? Why not play it safe? Because you’re McCoy Tyner (and 69 years old), and you can. Then, boom! Right into a trademark killer version of “Passion Dance,” everyone swinging their butts off, followed up by an almost Dead-like loping, free-wheeling, bloozy, and heartlandish “500 Miles.” Great stuff.
The concept here is to put the leader in a wide-ranging context of top drawer guitarists (and one banjo player), give everyone pretty much free reign, and see what happens. It’s mostly magical, with a few less stunning but still creditable moments thrown in. Ribot, perhaps the least well-known guitarist, comes off as the hero, especially with his focused and spot-on playing on “500 Miles.” The unlikely Derek Trucks also impresses. Note his searing solo on “Slapback Blues.” The highly odd reading of “Greensleeves” (also featuring Trucks) takes a little getting used to, but the blues overlay on this hoary British folk tune works in the end. Somewhat problematic are the tunes featuring Bela Fleck. There just seems to be little common ground between him and the band; they sound a little forced. [Odd – I thought Fleck’s lengthy treatment of “My Favorite Things” was one of the CD’s highlights…Ed.] I would have preferred Tyner linking up with someone truly weird like Eugene Chadbourne or Noel Akchote.
Perhaps most intriguing are the numbers with Frisell. I wouldn’t have thought of Tyner necessarily being able to easily navigate Frisell’s recent heartland-meets-world-jazz moves, but it sounds uncannily natural on “Contemplation” and especially the highly evocative “Boubacar” and “Baba Drame.”
My only objection is that Ron Carter’s bass sounds a little boom-y, something he has struggled with in the past. I would also have liked to have seen someone a little more cutting edge in the drum chair—say, Tyson Sorey or Eric Harland. But these are small quibbles. All in all, a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable tour through modern guitar styles from a jazz piano master.
Also contains a bonus DVD. [Which is a loose collection shot during the studio sessions, with a few tunes run thru in rehearsal. It’s in 4:3 aspect ratio, not well-lit, has much unintelligible mumbling about the music, and illustrates the seeming disconnect of all the performers – separated widely from one another with headphones on. Interesting how good most recordings sound in spite of this recording process. But on the other hand using the Angle button on your remote you can chose multiple viewing angles of the individual players, and the two-disc set sells for the same as a standard single CD…Ed.]
TrackList:
Improvisation 2
Passion Dance
500 Miles
Mr. P.C.
Blues on the Corner
Improvisation 1
My Favorite Things
Slapback Blues
Greensleeves
Contemplation
Boubacar
Baba Drame
– Jan P. Dennis
