His first solo albums on Blue Note albums (apart from the covers that is) were not as memorable as this later Milestone period. All tracks here were recorded between 1972-1980 when he was at his pinnacle.

As we noted a couple of weeks ago, the Shiftless Shuffle Jazz dancers love Tyner as much as jazz head fans at home. Tracks like, Coltrane’s ‘Impressions’ have the entire thrill, throb and tension that inspires all those pacey moves. Backed by Ron Carter and Elvin Jones on this track, this trio also open this selection with the appropriately entitled ‘The Greeting’. Listening again, it’s hard to believe they’re only three musicians on these tracks such is the power.

Going back to his Coltrane period, there a solo version of ‘Naima’ that he did in Japan from the tribute Echoes Of A Friend. On a different session recorded the same year, Sonny Fortune’s soprano on ‘Ebony Queen’ is 100 mph as Tyner goes head-to-head with Alphonse Mouzon (drums) and Calvin Hill (bass) for most of the nine minutes.

A year later, again with Mouzon in a quartet, ‘Genesis’ is a live recording from the Montreux Jazz Festival. It starts suitably spiritual before Azar Lawrence blows some hard sax (also see ‘Sama Layuca’ and Fusion With Attitude) but it’s another long one that Tyner dominates.

Of course, Tyner has played with everyone who is anyone in his time but the names on some of these tracks say it all. For instance, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Bobby Hutcherson, Bernie Maupin, Stanley Clarke, Jack DeJohnette and Bill Summers on ‘One Of Another Kind’. This one sadly just fades away after seven minutes but it’s as fair a representation of what fusion was at its best in 1978.

The slower side of things is covered by the most recent track of the set ‘Search For Peace’, which includes some of his old friends (Laws, Carter, DeJohnette) and some ‘new’ names (Ricky Ford, Airto, Dom Um Romão) in a big band line up.

As the sleeve notes point out, Tyner pre-dated rock guitarist power chords with his playing. For rock fans, think of Peter Hammill on speed and you get the idea of the intensity. His style really suits the Latin numbers which he excels at. It’s a shame ‘Love Samba’ isn’t included here but check out ‘Sama Layuca’ and ‘Song Of The New World’.

This is an excellent compilation and a great introduction to and/or a reminder of McCoy’s talents.

Hectic Mix nominations: All are impressive.

Reviewed: McCoy Tyner — Milestone Profiles (Milestone Records) Cat. No. 0888072300996 Release date: Nov 2006: Credits: Compiled by Nick Philips, 24-bit Remastering by Kirk Felton at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, 2006.

Tracklisting:
1 The Greeting (7:56)
2 One Of Another Kind (7:05)
3 Niama (6:43)
4 Ebony Queen (8:58)
5 Sama Layuca (8:37)
6 Enlightenment Suite, Part 1: Genesis (10:12)
7 Search For Peace (7:33)
8 Song Of The New World (6:50)
9 Impressions (5:03)

Links:
www.mccoytyner.com