JAZZ REVIEWS : TYNER’S HARMONIC THUNDERSTORM

There’s no doubt that pianist McCoy Tyner does what he does very well indeed. As one of the founding fathers of the rhythm section sound that energized the music of John Coltrane in the 1960s, Tyner has been a much admired and easily identified player for nearly three decades.

His appearance Wednesday night at the Vine St. Bar & Grill, however, raised a few questions about the efficacy of the pianist’s style when it functions without the counterbalance of a strong solo instrument.

Accompanied by his regular rhythm duo of Avery Sharpe on bass and Louis Hayes on drums, the hard-working Tyner spent most of his set doggedly building one relentless mass of percussive sound after another. The thunderstorm of harmonic textures was undeniably fascinating, and Tyner made it amply clear that his ability to snap out finger-jarring keyboard runs rivals that of almost any of today’s jazz pianists.

But, lacking a Coltrane-like voice to parry and counter, to bring a melodic song to this continuing dreamscape of rhythmic harmonies, the music soon began to lose its focus.

The source of the improvisations seemed to be irrelevant. “How Deep Is the Ocean” was treated as energetically as Tyner’s original “Latino Suite.”

Melodic phrases, when they appeared, were used as bridges--connectives between explosive bursts of dense sound--rather than carriers of musical communication.

The only real variations in the stormy onslaught were provided, on occasion, by Sharpe’s well-articulated bass solos and--especially--by Tyner’s surprisingly lyrical, solo piano version of “You Taught My Heart to Sing.”

A 6/4 version of “Summertime” called up warm recollections of the Coltrane/Tyner alliance--in part because of its rolling modal repetitions--but a quick run through the now-obligatory “ ‘Round Midnight” appeared to stimulate little more than mild creative interest in Tyner.

The McCoy Tyner Trio continues at the Vine St. Bar & Grill through Sunday night, with performances at 9:30 and 11:30 p.m.