Artist: McCoy Tyner

Alfred McCoy Tyner was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the  John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. 

Tyner began piano lessons at age 13 at the Granoff School of Music in Philadelphia, where he had also studied music theory and  harmony, and music became the focal point of his life within two years.

In 1960, Tyner joined The Jazztet led by Benny Golson and Art Farmer. Six months later, he joined the quartet of John Coltrane that included drummer Elvin Jones and bassist  Steven Davis (later replaced by Art Davis, Reggie Workman and Jimmy Garrison). He worked with the band during its extended run at the Jazz Gallery, replacing Steve Kuhn.

He recorded the pianist's composition "The Believer" on January 10, 1958, which became the title track of Prestige Records' 1964 issued album under Coltrane’s name.  He played on Coltrane's My Favorite Things (1961) for Atlantic Records. The band toured almost non-stop between 1961 and 1965, recording many albums widely considered jazz classics, including Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard (1962),  Ballads (1963),  John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963), Live at Birdland  (1964),  Crescent (1964), A Love Supreme (1964), and The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (1965), all for Impulse! Records. 

In1962 and 1963, Tyner was asked by producer Bob Thiele to record as a leader. These albums included  Reaching Fourth  (1963), Today and Tomorrow  (1964), and McCoy Tyner Plays Ellington (1965). Tyner also appeared as a sideman on many Blue Note Records albums of the 1960s.

In 1966, Tyner rehearsed with a new trio and embarked on a career as a bandleader.  Tyner produced a series of post-bop albums released by Blue Note from 1967 to 1970. These included The Real McCoy (1967), Tender Moments (1967), Time for Tyner (1968),  Expansions (1968) and Extensions (1970).