McCoy Tyner will be missed. He was one of those players you felt could do anything. He didn’t play chords and melodies so much as he played colors and feelings. A few personal favorites:
A Love Supreme. If this isn’t a religious experience, I don’t know what is.
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. All aspects of love are covered here. A whole other dimension to his comping technique.
The Real McCoy. The man as a band leader. The whole skill set is on display here. Here’s “Passion Dance.”
There’s so much more. It’s been good to revisit the catalogue this weekend. One to go out on, and probably a good starting place for anyone who is wholly unfamiliar. What he does underneath the melody, to make you experience the melody in a whole new way, is part of why he was so special. Here’s “My Favorite Things.”
Matt’s Modern Interweblog 