McCoy Tyner was born in Philadelphia on this date (December 11) in 1938. His remarkable ability first came to the attention of John Coltrane when Tyner was still a teenager and played a couple of times with Coltrane. In the first half of the 1960s Tyner was further associated with John Coltrane as a member of his quartet. During that stint working with Coltrane, Tyner firmly established himself as an accomplished accompanist and a sensational soloist.
Now, more than a half century since he initially began his career, McCoy Tyner continues to tour at the age of seventy, appearing this weekend at the Blue Note in New York City. In his book, The History of Jazz, Ted Gioia eloquently explains Tyner’s musical expertise seen evolving during his years as a member of Coltrane’s quartet:
Therefore, the above video of McCoy Tyner’s amazing solo performance of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” seems appropriate in providing a sample of his playing that blends his past with his present.
As my last class of the semester met yesterday, and I am now reading a final few student reports on past poetry collections by significant poets, I will take this opportunity to recognize Tyner’s 70th birthday by listening to his music during the process and by remembering Tyner’s encouraging attitude toward artists embracing the past in order to pursue new directions in the future.
Occasionally, my students, particularly some in poetry or fiction writing, question the need to write term papers about previous works and wonder about the benefit in reviewing writings by past authors. Continually, I emphasize to my creative writing students the value of analyzing those writers whose works have laid the groundwork for today’s literature to be written by them and others in the present.
I similarly will remind myself once again on this day of the importance for all artists, including contemporary poets, to have knowledge of previous practitioners in their fields by repeating the following words of wise advice once offered by McCoy Tyner: “I think it is good to use the past as a base; it’s good for anyone to have foundations to use as a starting point, because the stronger and deeper the foundations are, the further one can progress.”
Now, more than a half century since he initially began his career, McCoy Tyner continues to tour at the age of seventy, appearing this weekend at the Blue Note in New York City. In his book, The History of Jazz, Ted Gioia eloquently explains Tyner’s musical expertise seen evolving during his years as a member of Coltrane’s quartet:
Tyner delighted in ambiguous voicings, liberally spiced with suspended fourths that rarely resolved, often played with a thunderous two-handed attack that seemed destined to leave permanent finger marks in the keys. Tyner’s solos were, if anything, even more energetic. Single note lines, leavened with wide, often unpredictable interval leaps, jostled with sweeping arpeggios, cascading runs, reverberating tremelos. His touch at the piano, which originally possessed brittle sharpness, took on volume and depth, eventually emerging as one of the fullest and most easily identifiable keyboard sounds in jazz.
Therefore, the above video of McCoy Tyner’s amazing solo performance of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” seems appropriate in providing a sample of his playing that blends his past with his present.
As my last class of the semester met yesterday, and I am now reading a final few student reports on past poetry collections by significant poets, I will take this opportunity to recognize Tyner’s 70th birthday by listening to his music during the process and by remembering Tyner’s encouraging attitude toward artists embracing the past in order to pursue new directions in the future.
Occasionally, my students, particularly some in poetry or fiction writing, question the need to write term papers about previous works and wonder about the benefit in reviewing writings by past authors. Continually, I emphasize to my creative writing students the value of analyzing those writers whose works have laid the groundwork for today’s literature to be written by them and others in the present.
I similarly will remind myself once again on this day of the importance for all artists, including contemporary poets, to have knowledge of previous practitioners in their fields by repeating the following words of wise advice once offered by McCoy Tyner: “I think it is good to use the past as a base; it’s good for anyone to have foundations to use as a starting point, because the stronger and deeper the foundations are, the further one can progress.”
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