This 1987 live date from a Fort Lauderdale club is worth seeking. It kicks off with the thunderous contemporary Latin-flavored tribute "Senor Carlos" (dedicated to
Santana), with
Avery Sharpe's funky electric basslines and
Louis Hayes' sparkling percussion. A long, sensitive reworking of "Loverman" mellows things considerably. The highlight of this CD is
Tyner's gorgeous ballad "You Taught My Heart to Sing," which later had a lyric added by the great
Sammy Cahn; this song has since become a regular feature of the pianist's live appearances and has the potential to become a standard. Also fresh is
Tyner's dramatic approach to the often-recorded "What's New?" Several other originals by
Tyner round out this enjoyable release, though there is a caveat: some copies of this CD are missing the closing track "Hip Toe," even though it is listed on the back cover. ~ Ken Dryden