In 1978 a tour was set up that would feature three of the top jazz stars of Milestone Records (tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist McCoy Tyner, and bassist Ron Carter) in a quartet with drummer Al Foster. The resulting recording has many strong moments, including Rollins' unaccompanied solo on "Continuum," his duet with Tyner on "In a Sentimental Mood," Tyner's showcases on "A Little Pianissimo" and "Alone Together" (the latter a duet with Carter), and the bassist's lengthy reworking of "Willow Weep for Me." The quartet pieces generally work well too, with these compatible but very individual stylists blending together much better than one might expect. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
01. The Cutting Edge (Sonny Rollins)
02. Alone Together (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz)
03. Continuum (Sonny Rollins)
04. Nubia (McCoy Tyner)
05. N.O. Blues (Ron Carter)
06. In A Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington/Many Kurtz/Irving Mills)
07. A Little Pianissimo (McCoy Tyner)
08. Don't Stop The Carnival (Sonny Rollins)
McCOY TYNER piano
SONNY ROLLINS tenor and soprano saxophone
RON CARTER bass
AL FOSTER drums
Recorded at concert performances during the Milestone Jazzstars Fall 1978 American Tour
Recorded September/October, 1978 at masonic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Union Theater, University Of Wisconsin, Madison, WI and Woolsey Hall, Yale University
Milestone MCD-55006-2