Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » McCoy Tyner: Fly With The Wind

McCoy Tyner: Fly With The Wind

By Graham L. Flanagan
May 18, 2009
View read count

McCoy Tyner may be best-known for his legendary tenure with

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's quartet in the early '60s, as well as his recordings as a leader for Blue Note, but budding fans should investigate his formidable output from the subsequent decade.

In 1972, Tyner defected to Orrin Keepnews' Milestone label, where he remained through the early '80s. While at Milestone the pianist recorded no less than 20 albums. Recently released as part of the Keepnews Collection is the 1976 date Fly With The Wind, featuring the rhythm section of

Ron Carter

bass
b.1937

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Carter (bass) and

Billy Cobham

drums
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Cobham (drums), as well as flutist

Hubert Laws

woodwinds
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Hubert Laws and harpist Linda Wood.

The highlight of the ensemble, however, and the building block that makes this record so unique is the full string section, which allowed Tyner to stretch out as a composer and arranger. Those looking for a straight-ahead, romantic jazz-plus-strings album should check out Oscar Peterson's In a Sentimental Mood. Tyner's date can definitely be categorized as far out. The thumping title track, along with the lengthy "Salvadore de Samba," create the image of hanging out in the tropical bar aboard a sort of modal Love Boat.

The string arrangements will no doubt sound somewhat dated to some, but they are highly effective on many levels, especially upon repeated listening. Keepnews' liner notes state that the recordings weren't overdubbed via multiple sessions. Instead, he says that the dozen-plus musicians were jammed into one small recording studio for the date. That's as impressive as it is hard to believe when experiencing the sheer scope of the instrumentation on each track.

Along with the aforementioned Tyner-penned numbers, Fly With The Wind contains two more originals from the leader, as well as a highly unconventional reading of the standard "You Stepped Out of a Dream." The only bonuses offered by the reissue are outtakes of two of the Tyner songs: the meditative "Beyond the Sun" and the funky "Rolem."

If you can open your mind to the combination of strings with Tyner's modal sound, Fly With The Wind will no doubt take you on an exciting sonic journey. It's unlike any jazz-plus-strings record you've ever heard and will definitely encourage further investigation of Tyner's bountiful years with the Milestone label.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Fly With The Wind; Salvadore De Samba; Beyond The Sun; You Stepped Out Of A Dream; Rolem; Beyond The Sun [Alternate Take]; Rolem [Alternate Take].

Personnel

McCoy Tyner

piano

Hubert Laws

woodwinds

Billy Cobham

drums

Ron Carter

bass

Album information

Title: Fly With The Wind | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Concord Music Group

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Blending Times
< Previous

Flashbacks
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.