Research Catalog

Oral history interview with McCoy Tyner

Title
Oral history interview with McCoy Tyner / Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project ; interview conducted by Billy Taylor.
Author
Tyner, McCoy
Publication
New York : Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 1995.

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Disc 1Moving imageBy appointment only Sc Visual DVD-1074 Disc 1Schomburg Center - Moving Image & Recorded Sound
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Disc 2Moving imageBy appointment only Sc Visual DVD-1074 Disc 2Schomburg Center - Moving Image & Recorded Sound

Details

Additional Authors
  • Tyner, McCoy.
  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.
Description
2 videodiscs (88 min.) : sound, color; 4 3/4 in.
Summary
The oral history interview with McCoy Tyner documents his childhood in Philadelphia, his musical orientation and development, and his career as a jazz pianist and composer. Tyner's father sang in a church quartet, his beautician mother adored piano; local jazz musicians held jam sessions in her beauty salon. At 13, Tyner began piano lessons, at 14 he got his first piano followed by theory classes at Granoff Music School. In junior high school he formed an R & B band, played his first gig at 15. Tyner describes the music scene in Philadelphia at that period: Bud Powell, Max Roach, Lee Morgan, et al, and how inspiring and supportive these musicians were to him. At 17 while playing with Cal Massey, Tyner met John Coltrane, was invited to work with Max Roach in NYC, but remained in Philly. He later joined a jazztet with Benny Golson, played in Philadelphia and briefly in San Francisco where he met Wes Montgomery. This jazztet along with Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald were early influences. Recalls seeing Duke Ellington , meeting Count Basie, Sonny Rollins and almost meeting Billie Holiday. Tyner later worked closely with Coltrane; he describes how they developed their repertoire and free style together. Tyner elaborates on the music scene in Philadelphia in his younger years and how it fostered musical growth without binding younger musicians to recording contracts. This thriving music scene offered the experience of playing with numerous musicians which Tyner found to be very enriching and educational. Tyner expresses his feelings on performing solo and playing his open style (which he demonstrates by playing Home), and on his desire to write more compositions to include lyrics. Tyner tells about his travels to Japan and describes the Japanese' appreciation of music, his travels to Africa, particularly Senegal, and the similarities between African and African-American music.
Subjects
Genre/Form
  • Nonfiction films.
  • Interviews.
  • Oral histories.
Note
  • Tyner performs his composition Home on piano.
Credits (note)
  • Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.
Terms of Use (note)
  • Permission required to site, quote and reproduce; contact repository for information.
Biography (note)
  • McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Tyner was born in Philadelphia, began playing piano as a teen and studied at the Granoff Music School. He began playing in his own group in high school, with Cal Massey at age 17, later with Billy Goldstein, Max Roach, and John Coltrane. Tyner is known for his open style and currently performs solo, with his trio and occasionally with a big band.
Linking Entry (note)
  • Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.
Call Number
Sc Visual VRA-192
OCLC
892926275
Author
Tyner, McCoy, intervieiwee.
Title
Oral history interview with McCoy Tyner / Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project ; interview conducted by Billy Taylor.
Production
New York : Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 1995.
Country of Producing Entity
United States.
Type of Content
two-dimensional moving image
Type of Medium
video
Type of Carrier
videodisc
Digital File Characteristics
video file DVD
Credits
Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.
Performer
Interviewer, Billy Taylor.
Event
Recorded April 24, 1995 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Terms Of Use
Permission required to site, quote and reproduce; contact repository for information.
Biography
McCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Tyner was born in Philadelphia, began playing piano as a teen and studied at the Granoff Music School. He began playing in his own group in high school, with Cal Massey at age 17, later with Billy Goldstein, Max Roach, and John Coltrane. Tyner is known for his open style and currently performs solo, with his trio and occasionally with a big band.
Linking Entry
Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.
Connect to:
Request Access to Schomburg Moving Images and Recorded Sound
Added Author
Tyner, McCoy. Home.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.
Research Call Number
Sc Visual DVD-1074
Sc Visual VRA-192 Service copy.
Sc Visual VRC-15 Original of: VRA-192.
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