In the liner notes, Tyner talks nigh the pieces selected for this album. The titles for "Passion Dance" as well as "Contemplation" came to the pianist only afterwards he'd written the pieces. Whilst the one-time sounds similar "a sort of American Indian dance, evoking trance-like states", the latter has "the audio of a human alone. H5N1 human reflecting on what religious belief way to him, reflecting on the pregnant of life." Tyner titled the 4th slice "Search for Peace" because of its tranquil feeling; it "has to create amongst a man's submission to God" as well as the "giving over of the self to the universe". The album closes amongst an upbeat, merry slice called "Blues on the Corner", a reminiscent musical portrait of Tyner's childhood: "When I was growing upwardly inwards Philadelphia, around of the kids I knew liked to hang out on the corner [...] youngsters talking, kidding around, jiving.
Two as well as a one-half years afterwards his terminal recording as a leader for Impulse, pianist McCoy Tyner emerged to start a menstruum on Blue Note that would final result inwards vii albums. Having left John Coltrane's Quartet inwards belatedly 1965, Tyner was entering a menstruum of struggle, although artistically his playing grew quite a combat inwards the belatedly '60s. For this release, the pianist is teamed amongst tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Ron Carter, as well as drummer Elvin Jones for v of his originals. Highlights of the easily recommended album include "Passion Dance," "Four yesteryear Five," as well as "Blues on the Corner."
When soul uses the give-and-take “idyllic” to clitoris a scene, nosotros think of Monet’s Water Lillies or around other classic of impressionism – a piece of job inwards summery shades that pretty much demands a daydream. But at that spot are dissimilar kinds of idylls – as “Search For Peace,” i of v McCoy Tyner originals here, suggests. The tempo is slow, stately, deliberate. The harmony, outlined get-go yesteryear pianoforte trills as well as broken chords, has operate behind it: The championship implies an ongoing as well as maybe unattainable quest, non around easily abandoned momentary pursuit. The theme, when it arrives, enhances this sense – it’s straight off solemn similar a hymn, as well as contemplative, as well as also floatingly free. It puts forth an idealistic vision of what “peace” mightiness experience like, as well as inwards the same breath holds the total awareness of possible (likely) futility. Crucially, it’s non the jingoistic sloganeering of a peace rally; it’s a meditation on the potentiality of peace, as well as what it way to pursue it.
Of class “peace” as a concept meant something dissimilar on Apr 22, 1967 than it does today. When Tyner as well as his grouping gathered at Rudy Van Gelder’s house to tape this landmark, nation of war was raging inwards Vietnam as well as the social upheavals over civil rights, race as well as the fast-emerging hippie civilization were simmering throughout America. The jazz community responded to this heady fourth dimension inwards all kinds of ways – vocal titles became commentary, as well as inevitably the “heat” of the cultural 2nd informed recordings as well as performances. Tyner, who departed from the Coltrane grouping inwards 1965, manifestly felt that at that spot was a take for music that looked inward as well as invited reflection. In Nat Hentoff’s master liner notes, the pianist explains that when he wrote the piece, he perceived it as outlining a spiritual mission, “the giving over of the self to the universe.”
The Real McCoy is Tyner’s Blue Note debut, as well as though it starts inwards a frenzied mood amongst “Passion Dance,” much of it finds the pianist as well as composer creating zones of reflection, offering musical refuge from the tumult of the times. Tyner has said that he left the Coltrane grouping because of its increasingly chaotic dissonance; his compositions hither utilize the opened upwardly block-chord harmonies Coltrane loved, channeled into tightly focused rhapsodies. There is a vibe of silence inwards the writing, non only inwards the ascending topic of “Search for Peace,” but also the gentle, affirmative modal journeying entitled “Contemplation” – this album contains v tunes, as well as 2 of them are riveting downtempo ballads. The other 3 are every bit poised as well as thoughtful, as well as each is defined yesteryear its ain internal logic. “Passion Dance” is an seek inwards rhythmic upheaval: Tyner’s spikes as well as Elvin Jones’ jabs flora an obstruction course, as well as the challenge for tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson is to navigate the shifting patterns spell creating a cogent ad-libbed testimony. (Of the many Blue Note sessions featuring strong piece of job yesteryear Henderson, this mightiness survive his shining hour, inwards business office because of his patient impossible-to-notate inventions on “Passion Dance” as well as “Contemplation.”) “Four By Five” offers polyrhythmic daring inwards a dissimilar hue, spell the entrancingly settled “Blues on the Corner,” the session’s lone blues, suggests that fifty-fifty this formidable grouping understood the importance of kicking dorsum i time inwards a while.
The peak tilt of Tyner’s solo career, The Real McCoy is also i of a handful of recordings that define difficult bop. Lots of records from this genre convey interesting tunes as well as blazing solo performances, but few accomplish such an interconnected synergy. Listening to these these rich, beautifully realized atmospheres, as well as how they inspire deep, passionate, strikingly collective improvisations, you lot realize nosotros are far removed from the anxieties – as well as the idealistic quests for peace – that governed 1967. That’s a mixed blessing.
Tyner get-go appeared on the scene inwards 1960 amongst the Golson/ Farmer Jazztet, moving to the John Coltrane Quartet for most of the early on sixties upwardly to 1965, when Coltrane was becoming to a greater extent than atonal as well as free. Tyner is said to convey been unhappy nigh that alter inwards direction: “I didn’t come across myself making whatever contribution to that music… All I could take heed was a lot of noise. I didn’t convey whatever feeling for the music, as well as when I don’t convey feelings, I don’t play.” (So, I approximate that is him as well as me both)
Tyner released vi of his ain titles whilst nether contract to Impulse upwardly to 1964 , as well as afterwards leaving Coltrane, recorded for Blue Note amongst many bop greats inwards their 2nd wind, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, Lou Donaldson as well as Bobby Hutcherson. In 1967, he recorded this, his get-go championship for Liberty/ Blue Note, The Real McCoy, followed yesteryear a string of albums: Tender Moments, Time for Tyner, Expansions, Extensions, and Cosmos, you lot tin tell yesteryear the meditative album titles where this was heading: Enlightenment.
Track listing:
"Passion Dance" – 8:47
"Contemplation" – 9:12
"Four yesteryear Five" – 6:37
"Search for Peace" – 6:32
"Blues on the Corner" – 5:58
Personnel:
McCoy Tyner - piano
Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
Ron Carter - bass
Elvin Jones - drums
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