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McCoy Tyner | Essential albums and listening guide
Explore McCoy Tyner through The Real McCoy. Discover what to listen for and follow related styles to your next record.
McCoy Tyner
Meet the artist
A pianist in John Coltrane's quartet whose powerful left hand and use of fourth-based harmonies helped develop the piano language of modal jazz. Thick harmonies and sweeping right-hand lines create tremendous momentum.
The rhythmic outline stays clear even as the texture grows dense, giving the piano a percussive presence. Exploring a short melody or scale can open a broad harmonic space. His own recordings reveal a composer beyond the Coltrane association, balancing lyrical feeling with an energy that actively propels his musical partners.
Where to start listening
Move your attention between the weight of the left hand and the motion of the right-hand lines. Listen for resonance spreading through the band as well as the piano's power.
1967The Real McCoy
McCoy Tyner
After leaving the Coltrane Quartet, McCoy Tyner established his own musical style. This is one of his early masterpieces, characterized by dynamic harmonies and powerful dynamics.
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1972Sahara
McCoy Tyner
An ambitious album placing McCoy Tyner’s African musical interests in the foreground. He also plays koto and percussion, expanding his approach to spiritual jazz.
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Years follow the Atlas catalogue. Recording dates, original release dates and digital reissue dates may differ.