Muriel Grossmann Plays the Music of McCoy Tyner and the Grateful Dead

Muriel Grossmann’s new album Plays the Music of McCoy Tyner and the Grateful Dead, released today on Dreamland Records, presents a rare exploration of two musical worlds that rarely meet. On the surface, McCoy Tyner and the Grateful Dead seem to inhabit entirely different spheres. Tyner’s towering presence in post-Coltrane jazz is built on harmonic complexity, powerful left-hand voicings, and modal exploration. The Grateful Dead’s legacy, meanwhile, lies in open-ended improvisation, rhythmic elasticity, and a communal approach to performance. Yet Grossmann’s interpretation shows that both traditions share a common drive.

The album opens with Tyner’s Walk Spirit Talk Spirit. From the first notes, the listener encounters a sense of rolling motion and layered harmonic texture that feels both grounded and expansive. Grossmann’s alto and soprano saxophones act as a guiding voice rather than a dominating one. Her lines unfold gradually, weaving around the ensemble’s established pulse. Radomir Milojkovic on guitar provides a textured harmonic foundation without overpowering the saxophone, while Abel Boquera’s Hammond B3 organ adds warmth and depth, filling spaces between the rhythmic and melodic gestures. Uros Stamenkovic’s drumming keeps the momentum alive with a sense of elasticity, allowing the music to breathe and expand without forcing resolution.

The second track, Contemplation, demonstrates the quartet’s mastery of space and dynamics. Grossmann’s phrasing is deliberate and thoughtful, allowing the harmonic structure of Tyner’s composition to emerge naturally. The ensemble listens closely to each other, responding in subtle ways that emphasize interaction over soloistic display. This track embodies the spiritual essence of Tyner’s music while maintaining a contemporary voice that is unmistakably Grossmann’s own.

The Grateful Dead selections, The Music Never Stopped and The Other One, are treated with the same careful attention. Grossmann said of the project, “We played this music using a sort of filter, so it sounds like when I compose, record, and perform our own music. It’s somebody else’s music, but it sounds like our music.” Her statement captures the approach of the album precisely. The Grateful Dead material is not a reinterpretation meant to replicate the originals or to make them jazz-friendly. Instead, the compositions serve as frameworks for exploration, allowing the quartet to discover new rhythms, textures, and improvisational pathways while retaining the essence of the source material.

The Music Never Stopped emerges as a study in rhythmic continuity. Milojkovic’s guitar figures provide propulsion while Boquera’s organ adds a layer of harmonic color that reinforces the song’s cyclical momentum. Stamenkovic’s drumming balances energy with restraint, keeping the groove alive without overwhelming the ensemble. Grossmann’s saxophone lines navigate these layers with precision, articulating the music’s narrative while leaving space for the other instruments to shape the conversation.

The Other One closes the album and exemplifies the project’s philosophy. Known historically as a vehicle for improvisation, this performance emphasizes collective exploration rather than individual display. Themes appear, dissolve, and reappear, creating a sense of motion that mirrors both Tyner’s modal landscapes and the Dead’s improvisational ethos. The track leaves the listener with a sense of ongoing journey rather than finality, highlighting the album’s overarching concept of continuity between musical worlds.

Recorded at Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza over two days in November 2024, the album demonstrates the quartet’s cohesion and mutual understanding. Each musician contributes to the overall texture without calling attention to individual virtuosity. The result is an album that rewards repeated listening, revealing subtle interactions, harmonic detail, and rhythmic nuance with each spin.

Plays the Music of McCoy Tyner and the Grateful Dead succeeds because it treats both jazz and rock as living, improvisational languages rather than historical artifacts. Muriel Grossmann does not attempt to force a conceptual connection. Instead, she listens, translates, and participates in a musical dialogue that spans decades and genres. The album is a reflection of her artistry, her understanding of improvisation, and her ability to honor the lineage of her influences while making it entirely her own.