Search - McCoy Tyner :: Greeting

Incredible Live Set from '78

Joe Pierre | Los Angeles, CA United States | 09/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Greeting is taken from a vigorous live set from 1978 when Tyner's band included George Adams (tenor and flute) and Joe Ford (alto and flute) along with Sonship, Charles Fambrough, and Guilherme Franco. I have long awaited the re-release of this concert on CD and now it's finally here -- it is among the very best group playing from Tyner's career. The energy level is extremely high and the quality of solos from Tyner and Adams are simply incredible. The opening number, Hand in Hand, begins with some casual strumming on the berimbau and the album takes off from there. At this stage, Tyner was playing long, blisteringly fast, and dense solos using the range of the keyboard making for great energy music (as on Fly With The Wind, Pictures, and The Greeting). Only on the excellent solo version of the classic Naima does he let up a bit. Adams, in transition between his Mingus days and teaming up for George Adams/Don Pullen quartet, offers up some fiery solos and isn't afraid to let loose with a squawk or wail (great stuff on Fly With the Wind). The playing resembles the kind of music Tyner was playing on the critically acclaimed album Enlightenment (another live date from some years earlier), but although this is a shorter concert (43 minutes), the better recording quality and the inclusion of Adams make it superior."

Great small group

jazzster_100 | 11/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I concur with Joe that this is probably McCoy's finest small group.

I was lucky enough to see this group in the late 70's and this CD captures perfectly the group probably at its peak. Charles Fambrough has a fat sound on the bass which adds alot. The two horns push things just enough to where the listener does not struggle to understand what they are trying to say. And McCoy's solo performance of Naima IMHO is among the finest of any solo pieces he has recorded, and worth the price of the CD itself."

Arguably McCoy's peak as a player and bandleader

Michael Kydonieus | San Francisco, CA United States | 08/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, I agree completely with reviewer Joe Pierre. To the list of albums he cites as being similar to this one, I would add "Focal Point." I'd also like to add that Sonship's cymbal-heavy style and Fambrough's percussive, hella-swinging bass are ideally suited to the leader's conception. This band swings like a mother******! If you would like to read more reviews like this, check out JazzboNotes.com.

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