On March 2, 2023, Wayne Shorter died aged 89. He was musician (saxophone) and composer. He was member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet, and then co-founded the band Weather Report. Many of the Shorter’s compositions have become jazz standards and his work earned critical praise worldwide. In 1970, he won “Down Beat’s” annual poll-winner, winning the critics’ poll for 10 consecutive years and the readers’ poll for 18 consecutive years. Shorter recorded and performed with Donald Byrd, Billy Childs, Pino Daniele, Lou Donaldson, Benny Golson, Gil Evans, Toninho Horta, Norah Jones, J. J. Johnson, Don Henley, Wynton Kelly, Michael Landau, Lionel Loueke, Grachan Moncur III, Milton Nascimento, Michel Petrucciani, The Rolling Stones, Masahiko Satoh, John Scofield, Esperanza Spalding, Steely Dan, Bobby Timmons, Kazumi Watanabe, Buster Williams, Herbie Hacock, Tony Williams, Joe Zawinul, Freddie Hubbard, Joni Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Jaco Pastorius, Carlos Santana and McCoy Tyner. In 2008, “The New York Times” described Shorter as “probably jazz’s greatest living small-group composer and a contender for greatest living improviser”. In 2017, he was awarded the “Polar Music Prize”. As leader, Shorter released 28 albums.
Tag Archives: McCoy Tyner
Joe Henderson: Inner Urge
In March 1966, “Blue Note” label released “Inner Urge”, the fourth Joe Henderson album. It was recorded in November 1964, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Bob Cranshaw – bass
- Elvin Jones – drums
- Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
- Reid Miles – design
- Francis Wolff – photography
- Nat Hentoff – liner notes
Track listing:
All tracks by Joe Henderson, except where noted.
- Inner Urge
- Isotope
- El Barrio
- You Know I Care – Duke Pearson
- Night and Day – Cole Porter
Stanley Turrentine: Easy Walker
In February 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Easy Walker”, the 17th Stanley Turrentine album. It was recorded in July 1966 and July 1967, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Francis Wolff and Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano, electric piano
- Bob Cranshaw – bass
- Gene Taylor – bass
- Mickey Roker – drums
- Ray Lucas – drums
- Billy Cobham – drums
Track listing:
- Meat Wave – Hank Johnson
- They All Say I’m the Biggest Fool – Buddy Johnson
- Yours Is My Heart Alone – Franz Lehár
- Easy Walker – Billy Taylor
- What the World Needs Now – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
- Alone Together – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
Art Blakey Quartet: A Jazz Message
In February 1964, “Impulse!” label released “A Jazz Message”, the sixth Art Blakey album (credited as Art Blakey’s Quartet). It was recorded in July 1963, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Thiele.
Personnel:
- Art Blakey – drums
- Sonny Stitt – alto and tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Art Davis – bass
- Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
- Joe Lebow – design
- Dan Morgenstern – liner notes
- Bob Ghiraldini – photography
Track listing:
- Café – Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt
- Just Knock on My Door – Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt
- Summertime – George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
- Blues Back – McCoy Tyner
- Sunday – Chester Conn, Nick Drake, Benny Krueger, Ned Miller, Jule Styne
- The Song Is You – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
Pharoah Sanders
On September 24, 2022, Farrell Sanders aka Pharoah Sanders died aged 81, He was musician (tenor saxophone), played a important role in the development of free jazz and spiritual jazz through his work as a member of John Coltrane’s groups in the mid-1960s, and later through his solo work. He recorded and performed with Leon Thomas, Alice Coltrane, Don Cherry, Kenny Garrett, Norman Connors, Tisziji Munoz, McCoy Tyner, Randy Weston, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Michael Mantler, Fary Bartz, Larry Young, Ed Kelly, Hilton Ruiz, Idris Muhammad, Benny Golson, Art Davis, Sonny Sharrock, New York Unite, Franklin Kiermyer, Bheki Mseleku, Jah Wobble, Wallace Roney, Terry Callier, Alex Blake, Kahil El’Zabar, David Murray, Will Clhoun and Joey DeFrancesco. As leader Sanders released 37 albums.
Wayne Shorter: JuJu
In July 1965, “Blue Note” label released “JuJu”, the fifth Wayne Shorter album. It was recorded in August 1964, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, in New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Reggie Workman – bass
- Elvin Jones – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Wayne Shorter.
- JuJu
- Deluge
- House of Jade
- Mahjong
- Yes or No
- Twelve More Bars to Go
McCoy Tyner: Expansions
In June 1970, “Blue Note” label released “Expansions”, the tenth McCoy Tyner album. It was recorded in August 1968, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Duke Pearson.
Personnel:
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Woody Shaw – trumpet
- Gary Bartz – alto saxophone, wooden flute
- Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone, clarinet
- Ron Carter – cello
- Herbie Lewis – bass
- Freddie Waits – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by McCoy Tyner, except where noted.
- Vision
- Song of Happiness
- Smitty’s Place
- Peresina
- I Thought I’d Let You Know – Cal Massey
McCoy Tyner: Extensions
In January 1973, “Blue Note” label released “Extensions”, the twelve McCoy Tyner album. It was recorded in February 1970, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Duke Pearson.
Personnel:
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Gary Bartz – alto saxophone
- Wayne Shorter – soprano and tenor saxophone
- Alice Coltrane – harp
- Ron Carter – bass
- Elvin Jones – drums
- Rudy Van Gelder – recording
- André Perry – liner notes
- Clifford Janoff – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by McCoy Tyner.
- Message from the Nile
- The Wanderer
- Survival Blues
- His Blessings
John Coltrane: First Meditations
In December 1977, “Impulse!” label released “First Meditations”, posthumously released John Coltrane album. It was recorded in September 1965, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Bob Thiele.
Personnel:
- John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Jimmy Garrison – double bass
- Elvin Jones – drums
- Rudy Van Gelder – recording
- Philip Chiang – design
- Mamoru Shikomochi – illustration
Track listing:
All tracks by John Coltrane.
- Love
- Compassion
- Joy
- Consequences
- Serenity
Blue Mitchell: Heads Up!
In December 1968, “Blue Note” label released “Heads Up!”, the 14th Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in November 1967, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Blue Mitchell – trumpet
- Burt Collins – trumpet
- Jerry Dodgion – flute, alto saxophone
- Junior Cook – tenor saxophone
- Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
- Julian Priester – trombone
- McCoy Tyner – piano
- Gene Taylor – bass
- Al Foster – drums
- Jimmy Heath, Melba Liston, Duke Pearson, Don Pickett – arrangements
Track listing:
- Heads Up! Feet Down! – Jimmy Heath
- Togetherness – Jimmy Heath
- The Folks Who Live on the Hill – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
- Good Humour Man – Don Pickett
- Len Sirrah – Melba Liston
- The People in Nassau – Blue Mitchell
