Three Keys to Powerful Playing

A bit less than four decades in age separated these three pianists, each influential in his own way. At 73, Peterson, recovered from a stroke that incapacitated his left side in the early ‘90s, is back in action, his powerful right hand disguising any diminution of effectiveness that remains in his left. The trademark sense of rhythmic drive that may be Peterson’s most significant legacy to younger pianists is as vigorous and powerful as ever.

Tyner’s association with John Coltrane in the ‘60s, important though it may have been, has tended to cloud his numerous accomplishments since then. Now 60 and one of jazz’s most versatile and enterprising artists, he constantly tries different settings, moving effectively from a trio to soloing with orchestra, playing everything from ballads and bop specialties to Latin music (as he does here) and--in a recent album--such unexpected repertoire as the music of Burt Bacharach.

Petrucciani, who died in January at age 36, was a solid player with a growing talent. Traces of Bill Evans, Bud Powell and others occasionally coursed through his improvisations but, like Peterson, he had an ineffable sense of swing that was very much his own.

The Peterson album, recorded at a concert in Munich in July 1998, is a beautiful mixture of material, all of it original except for a lighthearted romp through Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll.” The slower tunes--”Evening Song,” “Love Ballade” and the instantly memorable “When Summer Comes”--are particularly touching, each one a tribute to Peterson’s capacity to write a compelling melody. On the hard-grooving “Backyard Blues” and the gospel-tinged “Hymn to Freedom,” his familiar irresistible drive is functioning in high gear. The album benefits, in addition, from the presence of Peterson’s fine group, with the svelte guitar work of Ulf Wakenius, the crisp drumming of Martin Drew and, above all, the stunning bass work (via ensemble passages and solos) of Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen.

Tyner is surrounded by a stellar lineup on his Telarc album, with the participants including trumpeter Claudio Roditi, trombonist Steve Turre, flutist Dave Valentin and saxophonist Gary Bartz. And the mood is celebratory in a program ranging from the standard “Poinciana” to Kenny Dorham’s “Blue Bossa,” Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue” and Tyner’s own “La Habana Sol.”

Tyner’s principal role, in this kind of setting, is to hold everything together, give it a sense of form and provide the voltage to keep it moving forward. And he does it superbly, with particularly vigorous soloing from Valentin and yet another display of Turre’s ability to generate jazz choruses from a set of conch shells. Bartz is a bit more uneven, with a particularly out-of-tune entry to his saxophone solo on “Afro Blue.” But there’s no denying the compelling quality of the rhythm section (drummers Johnny Almendra, Ignacio Berroa and Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Avery Sharpe) or of Tyner’s capacity to fit into their swinging surge.

Petrucciani’s solo outing, recorded live in Frankfurt in February 1997, is a bit uneven, in part because so much time is devoted to his own not always compelling compositions. In fact, it is one of the rare standards--”Besame Mucho”--that generates one of the most effective improvisations on the CD. And “Caravan,” in a 10-minute version, is an off-the-wall pianistic tour de force. But Petrucciani’s remarkable talents otherwise surface in bits and pieces: a bit of roiling stride here, some crisp bebop and some astoundingly high-speed playing there. At its best, it’s a remarkable example of solo piano playing; at other times, Petrucciani simply slips into too many repetitious patterns.

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