McCoy Tyner: The Real McCoy (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series) [BLUE NOTE]

Why you'll love it

This 180g stereo pressing was the first title in the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series. The Penguin Guide to Jazz put the album in its Core Collection, and pianist Ethan Iverson calls it one of the greatest jazz LPs in history.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series
• Stereo

About the album

In 1967 McCoy Tyner was seriously considering a day job driving a cab. Two years out of the John Coltrane Quartet, he went into the studio for Alfred Lion on April 21 instead, with Joe Henderson on tenor, Ron Carter on bass and his old Coltrane bandmate Elvin Jones on drums. Lion called it a pure jazz session with no concession to commercialism, and the band plays like it has something to prove.

Tyner wrote all five tunes and named most of them afterwards. "Passion Dance" is a churning, trance-like modal workout with Jones in full storm, "Contemplation" is the sound of a man alone with his thoughts, and "Search for Peace" is one of his loveliest ballads. "Four by Five" plays games with time, and "Blues on the Corner" closes things with a grin, a portrait of the kids hanging out on street corners in his Philadelphia childhood. Four of these have become among his most covered pieces.

JazzTimes called it the record that put to rest any notion that he was merely Coltrane's pianist. Taxi passengers of 1967 had a narrow escape; the rest of us got this.

Also at Kops: more McCoy Tyner on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Blue Note (cat# 0743884), a reissue of the 1967 album.