buy it, enjoy it, the real surprises here are Fleck and Trucks
4
By arroyo
...and, don't get me wrong, Marc Ribot is my favorite guitarist, but Bela Fleck (Banjo!) and Derek Trucks are just a revelation here. I wouldn't have thought to bring them to a session that puts Scofield or Frisell with Tyner, yet they do much more than meet expectations, they get past playing it safe and by the numbers, they play with feeling. Fleck is completely in the mode on Trade Winds and My Favorite Things. Think about THAT for a moment - John Coltrane made that tune his, the Quartet owned it, and yet Tyner and Fleck are on it, Fleck could hardly have interpreted it better. Derek Trucks is also right with Tyner on Greensleeves, and keep in mind again, Coltrane and Tyner made that tune theirs too.
Scofield and Frisell are their usual professional selves, they know how to play with Carter, DeJohnette and Tyner, but to me, they don't rise above the way Fleck and Trucks did. Ribot is fine on Passion Dance, yet it is almost as if he's too much of wildcard to be completely comfortable in this format.
A great album? I don't know, however I found a lot to appreciate here. Tyner just keeps on giving us good music, and I like the fact that he brought in some younger guys to work out a couple of the Coltrane classic- it worked.
