McCoy Tyner in Seattle

[Jamming With Edward]

I caught McCoy's opening night set at the Jazz Alley with Charnett Moffett and Eric Harland: the band was so hot that my wife, who doesn't care for jazz but gamely came along, commented afterward that she couldn't really say which player was her favorite since they were all so good! McCoy started a little listlessly on the first number, but after two tunes anchored by jaw-dropping solos from Charnett Moffet on the bass, he perked up and took off into the zone he plays from at his finest. Back to moffett for a moment: his artfull, precise, and utterly bizarre bowing features made me pine for the board while it was out, because I wanted to hop on the old bowing thread and trumpet the new champion! He makes Paul Chambers sound like a lumberjack (when bowing, anyway)! Back to the set, it was chock-full of latin-tinged minor chord work and the exciting rubato wanderings that I love about McCoy's work both back in the day and currently. Harland busted out a couple of fine solos as well, including an outstanding figure based on a thumping mid-tom groove. A great night out, and my first exposure to the Jazz Alley's new look (nice work, that).