A Jazz Piano Legend Comes To San Francisco...

Yoshi's S. F. building sign: Photo courtesy
of  Cameron Jackman

Alfred McCoy Tyner loves to play ballads-by his own admission-and on a splendid Thursday night on the 10th of March, 2011 he and his jazz piano came to "The City by The Bay," San Francisco no less; to do just that and more at Yoshi's fabulous Jazz Emporium located at 1330 Fillmore Street. I can think of another giant of jazz who shared this inexorable enthusiasm for the ballad: Miles Dewey Davis III: What is it they say about great minds?

McCoy Tyner was influenced by Earl "Bud" Powell and Thelonious Sphere Monk. Powell was arguably the best bebop pianist in jazz history, who was in turn tutored by the now legendary Thelonious Monk during Powell's artistic emergence. These two influences represent significant guideposts in Tyner's jazz lineage and together contribute mightily in making his artistic pedigree unquestionable. It is not surprising, that such reliable hands should have guided McCoy Tyner's "Giant Steps" into the stellar musical orbit of John William Coltrane-the greatest tenor saxophonist in modern jazz history-to become one of his most important and lasting jazz piano accompanist.



McCoy Tyner: Photo
courtesy of josejamesmusic.com

I went to see and hear McCoy Tyner on this night at Yoshi's. In addition to his quartet, featuring alto saxophonist Gary Bartz, Gerald Cannon on bass and Herlin Riley on drums, he had as special guest, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, a legend in his own right.

The sold out show attracted an appreciative and knowledgeable audience who gave this special group of musicians a sustained, standing ovation at the end of their first show. Throughout their ninety-minute show, they played with a calm, sophisticated elegance imbued with beautifully shimmering musical colors and balanced voicings that were almost mesmerizing. The 'elder' statesmen-Tyner, Bartz and Hutcherson-displayed such masterful control of varying force and tone in their musical approach, as to be clinical. Hutcherson in particular played with an ease of imagination, poignancy and magician-like flair that showed why he is the most important modern jazz vibraphonist since Milt Jackson.

Bassist Gerald Cannon excelled with thoughtful, coherent, well constructed solos, and drummer Herlin Riley was simply sharp. In one particular Tyner composition, "Mellow Minor," Riley came as close to re-igniting the fire, dexterity and drumming authority of the late Art Blakey as I have heard; including skillful accents of  Blakey's signature "press roll."

On another Tyner composition, "Blues On The Corner," dedicated to "...some of the guys from his old Philly neighborhood," Tyner left no doubt that his deft left hand still possessed the propulsive power, uncanny accuracy, withering speed and bluesy lyricism reminiscent of Monk and Bud Powell.

The performance that the audience heard this night was vintage McCoy Tyner, entirely and spontaneously "in the moment" and matchless as is the man himself. This living legend with this quartet, had subtly demonstrated, for me at least, that good music need not be loud to be "heard," neither do good musicians.

Unfortunately, McCoy Tyner passed in March 2020 (New Jersey. Bobby Hutcherson passed in August 2016 (Montara CA).