Live at Newport was the first live recording McCoy Tyner led...According to Willis Conover's original liner notes, Tyner was worn out from playing Montreal the night before, and he was paired with three musicians he'd never played with before (trumpeter Clark Terry, alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano, and bassist Bob Cranshaw), two of who were using borrowed instruments. Given such chaotic circumstances, it's not surprising that the quintet (also featuring drummer Mickey Roker, a former colleague of Tyner's) chose to play two standards, plus Tyner's "Monk's Blues," Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody 'n' You," and the improvised opening jam, "Newport Romp." What is a surprise is that not only does the group hold together, but they excel. They sound empathetic, as if they've played many times before, yet there are enough sparks to signal that they're still unsure of what the other will play. The results are thoroughly compelling and unpredictable, even when it's just a Tyner showcase, like "Monk's Blues." Essentially a solo showcase with support from Cranshaw and Roker, Tyner really pushes on this number, beginning it as a Monk homage and pushing it to continually inventive territory. It's the riskiest playing on the record from Tyner, but just because Live at Newport isn't as risky as his work with Coltrane during the early '60s doesn't mean it's limp or complacent...accessible but stimulating, engaging and vibrant from beginning to end.

(S. Erlewine, allmusic.com)

The fact that pianist McCoy Tyner was dead tired when he was to lead a quintet that had never performed together before at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival is not apparent for a second on this excellent live set. The show almost didn't go on; Clark Terry had left his flugelhorn in somebody's car, but, luckily, he borrowed Bill Berry's trumpet. When the men hit the stage on that July afternoon, however, all problems seemed to float away in the summer air. In short, this is a dynamic performance that offers some of Tyner's best playing in the early stage of his career.

The sleep gets rubbed out of the eyes with the burning opener "Newport Romp," as Tyner and the rhythm section burn behind Terry and saxophonist Charlie Mariano. Shifting gears, a loping reading of the classic "My Funny Valentine" offers a taste of the elegant lyrical side of Tyner's style. The trio of Tyner, Bob Cranshaw, and Mickey Roker really gels on the standard "All of You" and "Monk's Blues." In the end, the quintet reforms to close with a funky mambo/swing read of Dizzy's "Woody 'N' You" that makes us thankful that the show went on.

(cduniverse.com)