Search - McCoy Tyner :: Tender Moments

"Tender Moments" Revisited

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 09/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The latest batch of Blue Note/EMI RVG reissues (8/10/04) feature some terrific albums, all of which until now have been out-of-print on CD for some time. In fact, two of the titles, Freddie Hubbard's "Blue Spirits" and this title, McCoy Tyner's "Tender Moments," have been unavailable (aside from a brief reprint in the old Collectors Choice reprint program) for nearly 15 years! Well I must say it is great to finally revisit Tyner's "Tender Moments." This December 1, 1967 session features an extended lineup of six frontline players with rhythm trio, as McCoy seemed to favor larger groups in his post-Coltrane Blue Note days. On this date the pianist is joined by Lee Morgan on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, James Spaulding on alto sax and flute, Bennie Maupin on tenor sax, Bob Northern on french horn, Howard Johnson on tuba, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. Tyner's inventive, modern compositions (all six are his on this disc) are particularly appealing for their delightful, textured horn interplay, with the 'Trane tribute "Mode to John" and "Utopia" being my personal favorites. This is one of those rare Blue Note gems that I have enjoyed for years, and now with this reissue you can too."

Tender Moments Infectious Seconds.

earl rlabaci | 02/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Tender Moments" is a very big change from Mccoy's first on Bluenote. the Players have amuch more abrupt approach to the compositions. Along with Spaulding on Alto and Flute, Morgan on Trumpet, Maupin on Tenor, and Priester on Trombone, is the less familiar French Horn work of Bob Northern and Tuba of Howard Johnson. I give a lot of credit to the tuba because he creates this kind of lifting feeling and the rest of the Horns blend in incredibly well. The coltrane tribute, "Mode To john", is a Modal based tune. The Spontaniety it lacks is made for with complex arrangments. Tyner had an inclusive repertiore of tunes and he experimented with different rhythmns and time signatures. "The High Priest", not to be confused with a Messengers tune of the same name, is a Thelonious Monk influenced piece and incidently sounds very much like a Monk tune. "Utopia" and "All My yesterdays" are standout tracks with great dynamics and fluency. Thankyou bluenote for reissuing great music."

Excellent

William R. Nicholas | Mahwah, NJ USA | 11/30/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you are the panio player in the top unit in jazz, John Coltrane's, you do what he wants. Playing lots and lots of free jazz. But leave and start making your own albums, and you can do what you want.



Tender Moments, though, is not the ballad album the title may have you thinking. It is more a hard bop take on the blues. Tyner must have found it refreshing to return to music with chord changes, because given where jazz was in 1967, this is pretty straight forward.



That does not mean it does not have a powerful edge. Tyner lines up a fantastic band--James Spaulding, Jullian Presser, Joe Chambers, among others--and this mid-sized band plays great blues.



But this is no conservative hard bop throwback, allthough the driving rhythms and clean changes are hard bop informed. The band gives the album a full sound, and Tyner is not afraid to add chord subtitutions that make Tender Moments edgy and keep the suprises comming.



We can always listen to Love Supreme or Ascention or Sun Ship, but it is great when we can also both return and look forward with an album like Tender Moments."