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Scott Yanow, writing for
Allmusic, notes that "this is one of the great McCoy Tyner recordings. The powerful, percussive, and highly influential pianist sounds quite inspired throughout his appearance at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival".
Richard Cook and
Brian Morton, authors of
The Penguin Guide to Jazz, opine that
Enlightenment and the 1974 live album
Atlantis are "two huge, sprawling concert recordings which will drain most listeners: Tyner's piano outpourings seem unstoppable, and Lawrence comes on as an even fierier spirit than Sonny Fortune|[Sonny] Fortune, even if both are in thrall to
Coltrane. The
Enlightenment set, cut at Montreux, is marginally superior, if only for the pile-driving 'Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit." Steve Metaliz, writing for
Down Beat, noted that: "since the death of Coltrane, it's been the pianists who've been on the cutting edge of the music's development....
Enlightenment testifies to the brilliant sound of [Tyner's] endeavors. Tyner's
inside the instrument, as Coltrane was with the sax, drawing from it colors, textures, and intensities unprecedented in jazz. No wonder the
sidemen tend to get lost in the shuffle a bit. Tenor saxophonist Azar Lawrence in particular sometimes seems overwhelmed by the energy emanating from the keyboard; but on the whole he acquits himself well in a role in which it was understandably difficult to retain a distinctive voice. Drummer Al Mouzon deserves special note; his crisp drumming is a good foil for Tyner's shattering
polyphony.
Enlightenment is a celebration of the epoch of the pianists and also of a musician who has never ceased to grow." ==Track listing==