Live at Newport was the first live recording
McCoy Tyner led, and it happened to be among his most memorable dates for Impulse, but like many memorable sessions, it was the end result of equal parts planning, spontaneity, and talent. According to
Willis Conover's original liner notes,
Tyner was worn out from playing Montreal the night before, and he was paired with three musicians he'd never played with before (trumpeter
Clark Terry, alto saxophonist
Charlie Mariano, and bassist
Bob Cranshaw), two of who were using borrowed instruments. Given such chaotic circumstances, it's not surprising that the quintet (also featuring drummer
Mickey Roker, a former colleague of
Tyner's) chose to play two standards, plus
Tyner's "Monk's Blues,"
Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody 'n' You," and the improvised opening jam, "Newport Romp." What is a surprise is that not only does the group hold together, but they excel. They sound empathetic, as if they've played many times before, yet there are enough sparks to signal that they're still unsure of what the other will play. The results are thoroughly compelling and unpredictable, even when it's just a
Tyner showcase, like "Monk's Blues." Essentially a solo showcase with support from
Cranshaw and
Roker,
Tyner really pushes on this number, beginning it as a
Monk homage and pushing it to continually inventive territory. It's the riskiest playing on the record from
Tyner, but just because
Live at Newport isn't as risky as his work with
Coltrane during the early '60s doesn't mean it's limp or complacent. It's straight-ahead hard bop in the best possible sense -- accessible but stimulating, engaging and vibrant from beginning to end.