We can hear Tristano's elongated melodic ideas and endless phrases over his steady walking left hand. The sometimes double time passages are always interesting and unique with a surprising turn of notes. Though this may seem academic in practice the result is often very intriguing and beautiful, though sometimes heavy. However he is a jazz pianist and we can also hear many fine treatments of jazz standards using his individual approach. Along with the strident melodic abilities we also find in Tristano's playing a complex harmonic sense.
Arrangements often contain several dissonant block chords resolving beautifully into each other.
His experiments in collective improvisation also pointed the way to the free jazz movement. Though recordings maybe hard to find, they are essential in understanding the part that Lennie Tristano played in the development of modern jazz and are worthy of the search. One can only appreciate the experience that this thoughtful experimentalist and educator renders.