JULY 29

             McCOY TYNER
     And the Latin All-Stars

             Recording Date:
                  July 29-30, 1998

             Personnel:
                   McCoy Tyner       P
                   Gary Bartz           S
                   Claudio Roditi     TP,FG
                   Steve Turre         TB
                   Dave Valentin      FL
                   Avery Sharpe       B
                   Ignacio Berroa      D
                   Johnny Almendra  Tim
                   Giovanni Hidalgo   Per


                   LINK

Reviewby Jim Newsom

McCoy Tyner's percussive piano style has always worked well within an Afro-Cuban groove, and this recording provides an excellent setting for him and his all-star lineup to work in. Mixing genre classics like "Afro Blue" and "Poinciana" with original material, Tyner's first release for the Telarc label provides a completely satisfying, highly rhythmic experience. Regular bassist Avery Sharpe combines with a three-man percussion section to propel the group's extended explorations. Besides the leader's instantly recognizable pianistic flurries and fat, two-handed chords, the front-line foursome of flute whiz Dave Valentin, saxophonist Gary Bartz, trumpeter Claudio Roditi and bone-and-shell man Steve Turre is superb, both in ensemble passages and individual solo spots. In the course of his long career, McCoy Tyner has recorded in nearly every conceivable setting. Though many of his solo, trio and quartet dates are superb, his expansive style has often been most enjoyably showcased in the company of multiple horns. From the rollicking opener "Festival in Bahia," to the beautiful "A Song for Love," to the straightforward timbale-driven Latin groove of "We Are Our Father's Sons," McCoy Tyner & the Latin All-Stars makes a potent case for inclusion in the upper tier of Tyner's catalog.