JAZZ
Grade: 5/5 stars
McCoy Tyner's new CD "Guitars" might just be the jazz album of the year. It's that good. And it's entertaining on various levels.
Usually the old piano master takes a progressively complex approach to jazz on most of his recordings. His music is highly intense and often stretches the boundaries of mainstream jazz. Yet his playing is always very poignant and has an elegant almost regal quality.
But on "Guitars," Tyner just seems to want to have fun. He seems almost like a kid setting off fireworks to see what will happen next.
In fact Tyner almost takes a backseat on his own CD. It seems he'd rather showcase the abilities of his band mates instead. And what a group.
For starters there's the legendary rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jack DeJohnette. And these old lions are joined by a revolving chair of guest guitarists, Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Marc Ribot, Derek Trucks and banjoist Bela Fleck. String players from different jazz and musical worlds coming together as one.
"We have guys with disparate styles," said Jeff Levenson, vice-president of McCoy Tyner Music/Half Note Records from a press release. "The beauty of this project is how they all found common ground with McCoy."
While "Guitars" can still be considered mainstream jazz, it sometimes verges awfully close to the edges of jazz rock. It's also bluesy in some parts and playful. But for all this accessibility the improvisational integrity is still intact.
Derek Trucks adds a down home, blues feel to "Slapback Blues." And he plays the old standard "Greensleeves" like you've never heard it before with hints of both rock and hard bop jazz.
At first Fleck's banjo seems curiously out of place in a mainstream jazz framework. But hearing him play the standard "My Favorite Things" will blow you away.
"Guitars" is full of similar musical surprises. It also comes with a DVD that showcases the work of each guitarist on the recording.
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© Copyright 2008, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo, Japan
