McCoy Tyner — R.I.P.

[jtx]

Another great has passed today...

McCoy Tyner
December 11, 1938—March 6, 2020



Excerpt from article on Variety.com:

If there was anything that could ‘define’ the Tyner sound beyond that of the thunderous, it was a wondrously cool sense of distingue melody, a lustrously rich tone, a sensuous but serious lyricism when it came to improvisation, and a knack for athletic, yet odd rhythmic punctuation. He was steady without being stodgy, modest and minimalistic while remaining adventurous, and always driven by the theatricality of a left-hand that cut into the first beat of the bar as if he was slicing rice paper with an axe. Along with all of that, Tyner allowed for the music’s organic space and rests to be a guiding force in his playing. On more than one occasion, Tyner was known for saying that what he didn’t play was as crucial to his song’s story as what he did play.

[rlfun]

I remember Ron Thorne telling me that the opening theme to his jazz radio program was Tyner's Blues On the Corner from The Real McCoy. I think of him every time I hear it.

One of my faves was Fly With the Wind.

[jtx]

That's right. And the name of his show on KJZZ-FM Anchorage was On the Corner.

[rlfun]

Thanks Justin. I forgot that his show was called that, too. What a cool cat.

[BeBop]

Thanks for a reason to think of Ron. RIP Mr. Tyner.