McCoy Tyner

McCoy Tyner is considered one of the most influential pianist of the past 30 years. A native of the West Philadelphia, Tyner began studing piano at 13 and shortly thereafter took theory lessons at the Granoff School of Music. He cites Richie and Bud Powell, Art Tatum and Thelonious Monk as early influences. Tyner began playing professionally at 15, And upon high school graduation was hired by fellow Philadelphian saxophonist Benny Golson. This early professional development allowed McCoy Tyner to make his first major move to New York prior to joining the Jazzet, a group co-led by Art Farmer and Golson. Meet the Jazzet(Argo) featuring Tyner was a commercial and critical success featuring the classic Golson original "Killer Joe."

Tyner first received international acclaim as a member of the John Coltrane Quartet along with drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Jimmy Garrison from 1960 to 1965. During this time he also made many solo recordings, first as a leader for Impulse! And after leaving the quartet, Alfred Lion signed him to the Blue Notes records. Tyner continued to record in various contexts with artists such as Gary Bartz, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne Shorter and Alice Coltrane, among others for the label until 1970. As the new decade began, Tyner entered a lean period and played rhythm and blues sessions with Ike & Tina Turner and briefly drove a taxi. Never one to abandon jazz, he also led his own groups.

In 1972 he signed with Milestone Records and his career was revitalized with a series of seminal recordings evoking the spirit of John Coltrane. He recorded with Sonny Fortune on his label debut, Sahara, and later formed a working quartet featuring Azar Lawrence, Aphonze Mouzon and Juni Booth. The band was definitively captured in the award winning album Enlightenment: Live at Montreux. Throughout the '70s Tyner often featured Philadelphia based artists in his bands: bassist, Charles Fambrough; violinist John Blake; altoist Sonny Fortune and drummer Eric Gravatt. Tyner also took part in a concept album titled, The Milestone Jazz Stars featuring Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter and Al Foster, an early jazz marketing example of a record label road show.

In the 1980's Tyner became more reliant in developing his trio concept augmented by his big band that debuted at Fat Tuesday's (NYC) in 1984. He also recorded for the first time with a singer, Phylis Hyman, while under contract at Columbia. The pianist also returned to the revitalized Blue Note label in 1985, performing at the historic Town Hall "One Night with Blue Note" concert with Jackie McLean which led to a reunion recording. Tyner recorded for numerous other labels: Concord, Verve, Denon, Quicksilver, Elektra, Enja, Sweet Basil, Timeless and Red Baron which reunited him with producer Bob Thiele. Additionaly, Tyner and Theile collaborated on the 1989 Grammy award-winning Impulse! Album, A Tribute to John Coltrane. He won two Grammys for his work with a big bang for The Turning Point (1992) and The Journey (1994).

In 1995 Tyner returned to Impulse! And documented Infinity with Cheltenham (PA) native, Michael Brecker. A fitting moment as Tyner was the first artist chosen to re-launch Impulse!, in similar fashion to Brecker, who nearly 10 years previous, recorded his first self-titled solo album. Ironically both artists captured two Grammy awards each for their respective efforts.

His forthcoming album, to be released by Impulse! In July (1997), covers new territoty by celebrating the music of Burt Bacharach with a symphony orchestra.

Source: All-Music Guide