The Distinctive Jazz Piano Styles of McCoy Tyner

Alfred McCoy Tyrner, better known by the last twoalso has a solo career on with a number of piano trio
words of his full name - McCoy Tyner, was both onreleases under the same label - the first of which was
the 11th of December, 1938. His mother pushed himthe 1962 release Inception. He was sideman on quite a
towards his love for the piano, by sending him forfew albums under the Blue Note Records. After
piano classes when he was 13 years old. The pianoleaving the John Coltrane Quartet, he had a three year
classes got him hooked to the instrument in a couplestint with Blue Note Records for whom he recorded a
of years by the time he turned 15. His early inspirationnumber of post bop albums - The Real McCoy,
came from the playing of Bud Powell with whom heTender Moments, Expansions and Extensions - during
was neighbors. His playing was distinguished from thethe four years (67' - 70') that he was with Blue Note.
other sounds that people have drawn out of the piano.His next label was Milestone Records with whom he
He had a very distinctive way of playing the bassrecorded a number of albums that he recorded with
notes with his left hand, which he positioned higher thanflute player Hubert Laws and Billy Colham on the
the normal posture of piano playing allowed him to sodrums. Some of their albums that this period of
that he could lay heavy emphasis on the notes that herecording produced were Sahara, Enlightenment and
played with that hand. His right hand's style of playingFly With The Wind. The shift in music that he made
too had a similar catch -the staccatos and arpeggioswas a very obvious to the ear move to include music
that he played with his right hand contributed to thisinfluenced by African and Asian forms of music in his
unique sound of playing. These two factors and hiscompositions. This warranted for a wider variety of
method of chord voicing, which has a heavy usage ofinstruments that McCoy used and which he played
fourth notes, set him apart from many jazz pianistshimself - the koto (a 13th Japanese string instrument),
during his career of 46 and running years.the flute and percussion.
He got his first steady gig with Jazztet in 1960 in whichThis was one of the first movements in jazz music to
he played with Benny Golson. He left that group themove towards a new freer form. This was not
same year and joined John Coltrane's group. But thiscategorized as free jazz or fusion jazz. It was
was not the first time that he was associated withsomething else in the making. One of McCoy's 1975
Coltrane. He and Coltrane both played together earlierreleases had him play two other instruments that were
on McCoys's original composition - The Believer. Heused very rarely in jazz music to date - the
was a part of the group's release - My Favoriteharpsichord and the celeste. The 80's and the 90's
Things.saw him touring and recording extensively with bass
The following four years, he toured with the Johnplayer Avery Sharpe and Aaron Scott who played
Coltrane Quartet which featured Coltrane himself onthe drums.
tenor saxophone, Jimmy Garrison on bass and ElvinHe had an extended run with Blue Note Records for
Jones on the drums in addition to McCoy himself inwhich he recorded more albums for in the late 80's
piano. The band had a lot of success and has aand early 90's. McCoy is still active recording and
number of releases which did very well includingtouring with different musicians recording for Telarc
Ballads, Life at The Village Vanguard, Crescent, TheRecords.
Jon Coltrane Quartet Plays, and Live at Birdland whichHe was made a Jazz Master by the National
they recorded for Impulse! Records.Endowment for the Arts in 2002. He has had two
Apart from playing for the John Coltrane Quartet, hereleases in 2007 - Quarter and Afro Blue.