For those unaware, McCoy Tyner (1938-2020) and Bobby Hutcherson (1941-2016), two of the greatest jazz figures from the 1960s onwards, officially shared the spotlight only twice, but their collaboration, which began in 1966, ran like a karst river through both their careers.

The two had met, albeit in passing, in the early 1960s: in recent times, Tyner recalled seeing Hutcherson play in the L.A. based Gerald Wilson’s big band, while Hutcherson - during his New York period - was a constant presence at John Coltrane’s gigs at Birdland.

Three tracks composed by Tyner, one by Hutcherson and three great standards make up the program of this never-before-released live recording.

In this concert in Perugia, the vigor of both is still intact and can be felt: supported by the powerful rhythm of Avery Sharpe and Aaron Scott - charter members of Tyner’s trio at the time - the pianist and vibraphonist offer us a memorable evening that this writer, who was present at the concert, has continued to remember with enormous pleasure over the years, well before this recording was released by Red, making it available to the whole world.

We are sure that those who hear it for the first time will appreciate it just as much as we did. (Luca Conti, Musica Jazz director, from liner notes).

1. I WANNA STAND OVER THERE
2. I SHOULD CARE
3. REFLECTIONS
4. HOME
5. THE SEEKER
6. PERESINA
7. HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN
8. BLUES STRIDE

This exciting concert at the 1993 Umbria Jazz Festival with two giants opens on the frenetically charged, free flowing majesties of I WANNA STAND OVER THERE, the pure grandeur of I SHOULD CARE and the impassioned REFLECTIONS, and then we are gifted the melodiously rhythmic HOME, the effervescently sculpted THE SEEKER, before the all-encompassing beauty of PERESINA, the music rounding out on the emotively cultured joyfulness of HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN, coming to a close on the most perfect of showcases for the left-handed superstar at the piano on BLUES STRIDE.

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