“McCoy Tyner, one of the most revered jazz pianists of the past half-century, is joined by a group of equally formidable players on Illuminations, Saxophonist Gary Bartz, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash join Tyner in a diverse collection of ten tracks that mix some of Tyner’s original compositions with contributions from three of his four bandmates.

The disc opens with three in a row from the McCoy Tyner pen—the lively title track that jumps out of the gate with clean solo work from Blanchard and straightforward drumming from Nash; followed immediately by the Latin-flavored “Angelina” and the bluesy and rollicking “New Orleans Stomp.”

After an easygoing rendition of Harold Arlen’s classic “Come Rain Or Come Shine,” featuring an abundance of Tyner fingerwork from the very first bars, Tyner opens the program to contributions from his bandmates. Bartz’s “Soulstice” and Blanchard’s “Blessings” are both energetic compositions propelled by extensive sax and trumpet work, while McBride’s “West Philly Tone Poem” is a quiet and atmospheric piece that merges bowed bass lines with Tyner’s lyrical piano lines.” Concord Music

McCoy Tyner,  piano

Terence Blanchard,  trumpet

Gary Bartz, alto saxophone

Christian McBride, bass

Lewis Nash, drums

Illuminations,  6:12

Angelina,  8:50

New Orleans Stomp,  5:58

Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen), 5:35

Soulstice (Bartz),  5:24

Blessings (Blanchard), 4:52

If I Should Lose You (Rainger, Robin),  6:27

The Chase, 3:17

West Philly Tone Poem (McBride), 4:01

Alone Together (Schwartz), 7:10