Plays John Coltrane – Live at The Village Vanguard

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McCoy Tyner has paid tribute on record to his former boss John Coltrane several times before, notably on the 1972 solo effort, Echoes of a Friend. But he is a different pianist now than he was then. Once a player of volcanic force and eddying intellect, Tyner has become a more elegant, restrained stylist. Recorded at New York’s Village Vanguard on what would have been Coltrane’s 71st birthday, and released to commemorate the saxophone legend’s 75th, McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane could hardly be more even-tempered. Working outside his standing trio–the bassist is George Mraz, the drummer Al Foster–Tyner brings the same lilting delicacy to “Afro Blue” that he brings to the classic ballad “Naima.” That isn’t to say he lacks intensity in returning to the Trane songbook, which is also represented by the title track from “Crescent,” “Moment’s Notice,” and the infrequently heard “Mr. Day” (from Coltrane Plays the Blues). With his gleaming note clusters, flowing lyricism, and spiritual weight, he makes it clear that the songs and their original singer still mean a lot to him–just as Tyner still means a lot to anyone who cares about the modern jazz piano. –Lloyd Sachs