Oct. 30, 2006 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master McCoy Tyner will bring his blues-based piano style to Reichhold Center for the Arts at 8 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 10.
Known as one of the best living composers of the genre, Tyner received the prestigious Jazz Master Award from the NEA in 2002. In the early years of his career, he played with the legendary saxophonist John Coltrane. Since then he has become a legend in his own right and has released 80 albums.
Born in Philadelphia in 1938, he started playing piano at 13 and then trained at West Philadelphia Music Center and Granoff Music School. The music prodigy added to his jazz repertoire by studying the European classics such as Bach and Beethoven.The future jazz legend became a part of the thriving Philadelphia jazz scene of the 1950s. During the 1980s, Tyner recorded and performed with the McCoy Tyner Trio. Tyner He now tours with the McCoy Tyner Septet. As a composer, he won acclaims for collaborations with Ailey II Dance Company and tap dancer Savion Glover.
After playing on some of Coltrane's most influential works such as "Giant Steps" and "My Favorite Things," Tyner left the quartet. In 1965 he released his first solo album, "The Real McCoy."
The master pianist won his first Grammy Award in 1988 for the "Blues for Coltrane-A Tribute to John Coltrane" album. He won four more Grammy Awards for his albums "Infinity," "Journey," "The Turning Point" and "Illuminations."
McCoy Tyner's appearance at Reichhold Center is sponsored by First Bank, First Insurance, Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Resort, Tropical Shipping, and the Virgin Islands Council for the Arts.
Jazz Masters on Tour is an initiative of the NEA sponsored by Verizon in partnership with Arts Midwest. Additional support is provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation through a grant to Chamber Music America.
Tickets are available at Modern Music, Parrot Fish, UVI Bookstore, V.I. Bridal & Tuxedo and the Reichhold Center box office at 693-1559.
