Sonny Terry Sonny s Story

A remarkable phenomenon in the history of the blues was the vast contribution made by blind musicians, whose legacy left a lasting impact on American music to this day. From ‘The Father Of The Texas Blues’ Blind Lemon Jefferson to slide guitar evangelist Blind Willie Johnson, this Rough Guide highlights the blind blues pioneers who, against all the odds and in the face of incredible adversity, were responsible for a musical revolution.

Mercury Records produced a smattering of big band, dixieland and modern jazz from its inception in 1945 until 1953. Then producer Bob Shad was given a free rein to sign artists and the label began to carve a niche as a major player in the jazz world.

McCoy Tyner proved early on he was one of the most versatile pianists in jazz. His star, of course, rose with his boss John Coltrane's, yet Tyner held a separate identity in the music. His volume on the Impulse Story series is a fine picture of his creativity, discipline, and wide-ranging ability to play inside and outside the tradition. There are 11 cuts collected here. The set opens with Tyner's arrangement of "Greensleeves" used on Coltrane's Ballads album. There are two – "Speak Low" and "Effendi" – from his own label debut, Inception (with drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Art Davis); and another pair of cuts – "Groove Waltz" and "Star Eyes" – off Nights of Ballads and Blues.