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Jazz Articles about McCoy Tyner
Joe Henderson: Inner Urge
by Norman Weinstein
This brilliant remastering of saxophonist Joe Henderson's most emotionally urgent album also raises the possibity that it is the ultimate showcase of his distinguished career. The deference to Coltrane is obvious: pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones are on board on every selection, although shifting their styles to mesh with Henderson. The deference to Getz is more subtle, coming clear on Henderson's stingingly lyric ballad feature, “You Know I Care," and his melodic recasting of Cole Porter's “Night and ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner: Nothing ventured, nothing gained
by AAJ Staff
For the better part of nearly five decades McCoy Tyner has remained the most pervasively influential, highly acclaimed, widely imitated jazz pianist in the world ' universally acknowledged for the invention of a style that continues to be uniquely personal, powerfully passionate and consummately creative. From his early association with the great John Coltrane, through his most recent work with the venerable vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, Tyner has determinedly delivered to adoring audiences music that is both consistently challenging and spiritually ...
Continue ReadingA Fireside Chat with McCoy Tyner
by AAJ Staff
As the pianist for the legendary John Coltrane Quartet (my favorite band), McCoy Tyner has been an enigma to me. He is a legend. No one can take that away. And yet, his recent endeavors have been a lightning rod for criticism and the criticism has come, fast and furiously. I wondered if such faultfinding would hinder the man, who is arguably the most influential pianist of the last forty years. So I asked him, as well of his time ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner: Land of Giants
by Franz A. Matzner
Aptly named, McCoy Tyner’s Land of Giants transports listeners into a sound world of varied and stunning topography. Featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Eric Harland on drums, and Charnett Moffett on bass, this recording stands as a monument to Tyner’s stature as bandleader, player, and composer. Always commanding, Tyner’s strength permeates each piece without ever dominating. As accompanist, he creates a fertile grounding for his soloists, and as soloist, he explores new vistas without violating the overall ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner: Land of Giants
by Joel Roberts
One of the three most influential pianists of his generation (along with Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea), McCoy Tyner is a true jazz giant. And more than 40 years after gaining widespread acclaim as the pianist in the classic John Coltrane Quartet, the 65-year-old Tyner shows no signs of slowing down. Like fellow Coltrane alum Elvin Jones, Tyner remains a vital force in modern jazz, leading a series of consistently excellent small groups and big bands, including the fiery new ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner: Land Of Giants
by C. Michael Bailey
Duke Ellington once said that there were only two types of music: good and bad. A very good friend of mine once altered this sentiment by saying that the only types of music were good and better. I vote for the latter summation. In the past several years of music writing, the vast majority of jazz recordings I've encountered have been very good. And these are the majority of releases. When a truly exceptional recording crosses my laser, it is ...
Continue ReadingMcCoy Tyner: 13th House
by Steven Robinson
Piano master McCoy Tyner's latest release, 13th House, is a truly unusual recording that deserves particular attention. Mr. Tyner's scintillating, rapid fire eighth notes in the right hand, the subterranean rumbles from the piano's lower register, and of course, the thundering chords that have made his sound instantly recognizable to generations of admirers are all here in abundance. That's enough to warrant interest all by itself. But 13th House places Mr. Tyner in a large ensemble setting, playing modal compositions ...
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