Concert Review: McCoy Tyner Trio

Whenever one of the legendary figures of jazz makes it over here there is always a buzz in the local community.

By BARRY DAVIS
McCoy Tyner Trio 390 (photo credit: mccoytyner.com)
McCoy Tyner Trio 390
(photo credit: mccoytyner.com)
Whenever one of the legendary figures of jazz makes it over here there is always a buzz in the local community. The seemingly strange decision to host the single local concert by 73-year-old pianist McCoy Tyner in Petah Tikva, rather than Tel Aviv, did not prevent fans from the metropolis from making the trek down Jabotinsky Street to the handsomely appointed concert hall round the corner from the Petah Tikva Bus Station.
However, expectations far exceeded the end result. Tyner made his name as a member of iconic saxophonist John Coltrane’s great quartet in the first half of the 1960s. The pianist later struck out on his own when he received an offer from Impulse Records owner Bob Theile to record as a band leader in his own right. Several well-received records followed, including The Real McCoy, in 1967, and Expansions the following year.
Tyner also joined forces with like-minded musicians such as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Ron Carter and drummer and former fellow Coltrane sideman Elvin Jones, and made a name for himself for his white-hot technique and ability to incorporate seemingly dissonant runs and dense chords into his solos.
However, what we got on Saturday night was an endless stream of chords that were so dense they became opaque. It was only when Tyner offered some more delicate melodic lines that the audience got some breathing space, but the pianist was soon back pounding the keys into submission, particularly in the lower register.
Bassist Gerald Cannon and drummer Francisco Mela did little to lighten the proceedings, and their solo spots showed little in the way of creativity.
It would be sad if this were to be Tyner’s last appearance in this country but, should he venture back this way again, one would hope for less aggression and more in the way of lucid storytelling.