Biography
It is to McCoy Tyner’s great credit that his career after John Coltrane has been far from anti-climatic. Along with Bill Evans, Tyner has been the most influential pianist in jazz of the past 50 years, with his chord voicings being adopted and utilized by virtually every younger pianist. A powerful virtuoso and a true original (compare his playing in the early ’60s with anyone else from the time), Tyner (like Thelonious Monk) has not altered his style all that much from his early days but he has continued to grow and become even stronger.
Tyner grew up in Philadelphia, where Bud Powell and Richie Powell were neighbors. As a teenager he gigged locally and met John Coltrane. He made his recording debut with the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet, but after six months left the group to join Coltrane in what (with bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones) would become the classic quartet. Few other pianists of the period had both the power and the complementary open-minded style to inspire Coltrane, but Tyner was never overshadowed by the innovative saxophonist. During the Coltrane years (1960-1965), the pianist also led his own record dates for Impulse.
After leaving Coltrane, Tyner struggled for a period, working as a sideman (with Ike and Tina Turner, amazingly) and leading his own small groups; his recordings were consistently stimulating even during the lean years. After he signed with Milestone in 1972, Tyner began to finally be recognized as one of the greats, and he has never been short of work since. Although there have been occasional departures (such as a 1978 all-star quartet tour with Sonny Rollins and duo recordings with Stephane Grappelli), Tyner has mostly played with his own groups since the ’70s, which have ranged from a quartet with Azar Lawrence and a big band to his trio. In the ’80s and ’90s, Tyner did the rounds of labels (his old homes Blue Note and Impulse! as well as Verve, Enja, and Milestone) before settling in with Telarc in the late ’90s and releasing a fine series of albums including 2000’s Jazz Roots: McCoy Tyner Honors Jazz Piano Legends of the 20th Century and 2004’s Illuminations. In 2007, Tyner returned with the studio album McCoy Tyner Quartet featuring saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. ~ Scott Yanow
Releases
Manhattan Moods - McCoy Tyner - Bobby Hutcherson
Soliloquy - McCoy Tyner
Things Ain’t What They Used To Be - McCoy Tyner
Revelations - McCoy Tyner
It’s About Time - McCoy Tyner - Jackie McLean
One Night With Blue Note Preserved, Vol. 2 - McCoy Tyner - Jackie McLean - Cecil Taylor - Bennie Wallace - Woody Shaw
Asante - McCoy Tyner
Extensions - McCoy Tyner
Cosmos - McCoy Tyner
Expansions - McCoy Tyner
Time For Tyner - McCoy Tyner
Tender Moments - McCoy Tyner
The Real McCoy - McCoy Tyner
Videos
The Real McCoy: Don Was & Nduduzo Makhathini On A McCoy Tyner Classic
Blue Note At 75, The Concert: McCoy Tyner & Bobby Hutcherson
SPOTLIGHT
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THE REAL McCOY
When someone uses the word “idyllic” to describe a scene, we think of Monet’s Water Lilies or another classic of impressionism – a work in summery shades that pretty much demands a daydream. But there are different kinds of idylls – as “Search For Peace,” one of five McCoy Tyner originals on The Real McCoy, suggests. The tempo is slow, stately, deliberate. The harmony, outlined... read more
News
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TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2023 LINE-UP
Blue Note Records has announced the upcoming 2023 line-up for the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series. The acclaimed series is produced by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley and features all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio. Tone... read more
BLUE NOTE & UMG AFRICA ANNOUNCE NEW IMPRINT BLUE NOTE AFRICA
Blue Note Records and Universal Music Group Africa have announced the creation of Blue Note Africa, an exciting new imprint dedicated to signing Jazz artists from across the African continent, bringing them to a global audience, and promoting a cultural exchange of ideas that transcends borders. Blue Note Africa will... read more
TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2021-2022 LINE-UP
Blue Note Records has announced the upcoming 2021-2022 line-up for the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series, which will kick off March 12 with Charles Lloyd & The Marvels’ new album Tone Poem, the first-ever new release to be included in the series. Fittingly, it was Lloyd who first dubbed Harley... read more
PRESENTING THE BLUE NOTE CLASSIC VINYL REISSUE SERIES
We're proud to present the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, a continuation of our acclaimed Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series which was launched in celebration of our 80th anniversary in 2019. The Classic Series will once again feature all-analog 180g vinyl pressings in standard packaging that are mastered by... read more
REVISED 2020 RELEASE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR THE TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES
Blue Note Records has announced a revised 2020 release scheduled for the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series. Pandemic-related closures temporarily put production on hold, but the series will resume again on August 28 with the release of three titles: a first-time vinyl release of vibraphonist Bobby... read more
McCoy Tyner (1938-2020)
The world has lost a titan with the passing of the legendary jazz pianist and composer McCoy Tyner. The Tyner family announced his death earlier today. He was 81 years old. “It’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude of McCoy Tyner’s innovative contributions to music,” said Blue Note President Don Was.... read more
TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES CONTINUES IN 2020
Blue Note Records has announced the continuation of the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series in 2020. Launched in 2019 in honor of the label’s 80th Anniversary, the Tone Poet series is produced by Joe Harley and features all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original... read more
