Roseanna Mccoy (1949)

SING A SONG OF BIRD is a collaboration of four New York jazz vocalists who are passionate about Charlie Parker’s music and have rendered new lyrics to six of his compositions. This is the 15th recording for Grammy-nominated vocalist ROSEANNA VITRO, who conceived and guided this project but chose not to sing on every tune. Instead, she hands the microphone to her mentors, bebop jazz legends BOB DOROUGH, SHEILA JORDAN and MARION COWINGS, each of whom take solo turns with their own unique and soulful interpretations on several compositions by Bird.

Born in Philadelphia on 11th December 1938, as a youth McCoy Tyner was encouraged to study piano by his mother and began lessons at age 13. Within two years music had become the focal point in his life and Tyner was playing on his neighbor's instrument, but his family soon invested in one of his own for the budding musician, following which he began hosting jam sessions at home. Among his friends were a number of other young musicians who would go on to make their mark in the field of jazz, including Lee Morgan, Archie Shepp, Bobby Timmons, Reggie Workman, and most notably, fellow pianist Bud Powell and his brother Richie. McCoy later said, Bud and Richie Powell moved into my neighborhood. Bud was a major influence on me during my early teens. He was very dynamic. Tyner later attended the West Philadelphia Music School and the Granoff School Of Music.

In the Altonaer Fabrik in 1986, the master trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was a guest in the trio of one of the most important pianists of contemporary jazz: McCoy Tyner, whose extremely powerful attack always added percussive power of the most energetic kind to his virtuoso playing. McCoy Tyner died in March 2020, the recording from 1986 (he was 58 years old at the time) show him at the height of the unmistakable jazz expression that defined him. His piano and the enormous radiance of the Hubbard trumpet (born in the same year as Tyner in 1938, but died in 2008) are the outstanding protagonists. But the recording also features bassist Avery Sharpe, born in 1954 and with excellent acoustic and electrical credentials, as well as Louis Hayes, still today the most indestructible of all modern drummers at well over 80 years of age. Together they refine the nine titles of this two-hour concert on this truly remarkable evening of music!

One of the better McCoy Tyner records on Milestone, this live set from San Francisco features the masterful pianist playing solo on "Naima" and leading a strong sextet (with George Adams on tenor, flute, and soprano; Joe Ford on alto and flute; bassist Charles Fambrough; drummer Woody "Sonship" Theus; and percussionist Guilherme Franco) on four of his originals. There are remakes (quite different from the originals) of "Fly with the Wind" and "The Greeting" and two newer pieces, including the atmospheric "Hand in Hand." An excellent example of McCoy Tyner's playing in the 1970s.

The debut recording from McCoy Tyner's big band features the pianist's all-star 15-piece unit romping through five of his originals (including "Blues for Basie") plus Steve Turre's "Lotus Flower." With such fine soloists as tenors Junior Cook and Ricky Ford, trumpeter Kamau Adilifu, trombonist Turre, and the leader, the ensemble (which includes John Clark's French horn and the tuba of Howard Johnson) had quickly gained its own sound and the results are quite memorable and frequently exciting. Recommended.

Famed Hanoi Rocks guitarist/vocalist Andy McCoy taps into the rich musical history that inspired him on this highly addictive covers album! Features an eclectic mix of songs originally by reggae legend Toots & The Maytals, David Bowie, ‘80s hitmakers Squeeze, rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson and more!

A collection of some of McCoy Tyner’s best Montreux Jazz Festival live performances! The audio has Expertly restored and remastered in superlative HD audio; The Montreux Years is released on superior audiophile heavy weight vinyl, MQA quality CD and in HD digital.