Latest McCoy

[Mccoy]

BigH asked me a few threads back about the latest McCoy's release 'Guitars'.

I finally listened to it. A most awesome rythmic section (McCoy, Ron Carter and Jack De Jonette) supports various guitarists and even one banjo player.

A very enjoyable CD, Mccoy's voicings are no less than perfect, Carter and Jonette are superlative, the guitarists perform superbly. Mccoy likes to improvise with syncopated rythmic chords and counterpoint rather than with his volcanic, pointillist style of the 70's 80's.

I tried to attach a sample MP3, it didn't work maybe the file is too large. If you guys are interested I'll upload some into one of those hosting sites and post the link.

The waltz 'Geensleeves' with Derek Truck at the guitar is too good not to be shared.
A 10-minutes videoclip on the CD is avalaible with sample tunes:

http://www.mccoytyner.com/

 

[BigH]

McCoy - thanks for the review - I think I'm going to wait and buy the CD - don't like downloading - always in limbo about who owns what. I've always liked McCoy Tyner. Have always wondered how he could continue the My Favourite Things backup when Coltrane went off on his 60 minute plus solos . . . (See John Coltrane in Tokyo) Cheers.

 

[Mccoy]

Have always wondered how he could continue the My Favourite Things backup when Coltrane went off on his 60 minute plus solos .

:-D

 

[fattdad]

+1 on the whole McCoy Tyner career! With my new-found re-interest in guitar playing, I'd like to check this out! Thanks for the heads up.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[Mccoy]

Fattadd,
maybe your new found re-interest in guitar will inspire a parallel re-interest in piano playing for me.

I quit because I just could not keep up with McCoy's phrasings.

Maybe a tad too hard on myself.

 

[fattdad]

My guitar playing is inspired by my former guitar teacher, John Cephas (google him, he's an international legend and his recorded music is just great), Mississippi John Hurt, Reverand Gary Davis, Jorma Kaukonen (don't ask me to spell his last name), Blind Blake, Willie Moore, Skip James, Big Bill Broonzy and the like.

For piano jazz (in addition to McCoy Tyner), I like Les McCann, Grant Green, Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson and the like.

For guitar jazz, George Benson, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Grant Green, Stanley Jordon and the like.

Lately, I've been listening less and playing more. You have no idea how many hours a week I spend either playing old-time fiddle tunes on my mandolin or acoustic blues on the guitar. My goal, to get the dog to stop howlin' - ha.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[BigH]

For piano - check out Kenny Barron as well. Wished I could play the piano half as good as you all sound like you can. I did play organ in a rock group back in the late 60s.

 

[Mccoy]

Kenny Barron is indeed within the circle of the great monsters, together with Mccoy of course and Mulgrew Miller.

These three are presently the best in jazz piano, even though there are of course more, very, very good ones around.

I'd listen to the rendition of the old standard 'Blue Moon' played by Barron's trio in 'Live at Bradley's'. It's breathtaking. Also 'Autumn lives' played in a bossanova rythm by Barron, Carter and Cobham in 'The art of three' is awesome.

If you want a taste of the young, powerful McCoy, 'Atlantis' is one of my favourite recordings. It just sounds like the description of the lost continent's destruction.
And 'New York Reunion' with Joe Henderson, Carter and Foster is just too perfect to be true, from the standpoint of sound quality and musicians performance.

Mulgrew Miller released a CD in duo with the bassist Dave Young. The rendition of Duke Ellington's'Caravan' is superlative.

Well' I sat up to work I realize I'm writing an essay on piano jazz instead...

 

[fattdad]

I really should have added to my list of favorite keyboards, Herbie Hancock. +1 on Kenny Barron, for sure. Also, let's not forget Ramsey Lewis. His "In Crowd" still gets played in my house!

p.s., I don't play the piano, I just noodle on the guitar (acoustic blues) and the mandolin (old-time fiddle tunes). I do love to listen to trio/combo jazz on the stero and can take the traditional and the esoteric equally well.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[Mccoy]

Herbie Hancock belongs to the olympus of the jazz pianists, a real wizard, only thing I don't like about him are his past forays into rock music.

Also, don't lets forget the monsters of Latin jazz piano, Chucho Valdes and Michael Camilo.

A couple of good youtube links on Mccoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3LTh99BeL4&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17uQk8A0-G4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PukuQPUKfyU&NR=1

 

[fattdad]

O.K. Mose Allison just popped into my mind this morning. Another jazz piano player that I really love to listen to (and have seen a couple of times). The thing I liked about Mose was his cool chording and interesting songs.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[Mccoy]

Fattdad I didn't know him, I definitely enjoyed Mose Allison on blues changes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCpekvOkwNM

A different genre but great anyway!

 

[Mccoy]

A very swinging tune by Les MccCann :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzt5k3aS-QA

 

[fattdad]

Grooved to "The Real McCoy" last night along with some newly-found vinyl (in my attic) of Grant Green, Kenny Burrell and Ritchie Cole. Had a folks over and it was great fun!

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[Mccoy]

Les Mccann with Eddie Harris (tenor sax, piano and voice) was superb as well

 

[BigH]

The lead guitarist in our high school rock group - who is now mayor of our home town (how can a rock-n-roll guitarist become a mayor . . .?) used to play at a lounge outside Cleveland. When Kenny Burrel came and played in Cleveland bar, he used to drive 20 miles to catch the last set - needless to say he was the only grain of salt in a pepper shaker. Said the guy was fantastic.

 

[jheidt2543]

Well, I'll add one of my favorites, Jimmy Smith. He was on a roll in the late 60's and early 70's and I think his biggest hit was "The Cat".

 

[Mccoy]

Jimmy Smith is terrific,
his improvisations at the hammond organ were the first jazz material I started to listen when I was 12.
Start of the '70s. Check this Japanese concert out!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYosYlqiBOk

 

[fattdad]

"The Sermon" by Jimmy Smith is a great album! Adding to the list of jazz keybordists: Lonnie Liston Smith. I've never heard him on the piano, but his electronic stuff is very cerebral and cool.

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[Mccoy]

I confess Jimmy smith at the Mount fuji jazz festival (the previous link's concert) looked like he had one glass of booze more than usual, but watching other vids it appears it's his own performance style.
I also realized he more often than not plays his own bass line. By his feet, of course, since he's an organist.
That speed managing 2 hands and 2 feet ain't no kidding!