Tyner, McCoy – Extensions

Description

New Vinyl Record – Tyner, McCoy – Extensions (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)

McCoy Tynerlooked towards Africa on his stunning 1970 albumExtensions, a far-reaching exploration of Black identity that marked the masterful pianists fifth recording for Blue Note Records. After leavingJohn Coltranes band Tyner had moved from Impulse to Blue Note and made his enduring post-bop classicThe Real McCoyin 1967. In the following years Tyner steadily expanded his musical scope: writing for a 9-piece ensemble onTender Moments, exploring the textures of a piano-vibes led quartet withBobby HutchersononTime for Tyner, and pushing at the boundaries of mainstream jazz onExpansions.Extensionsis perhaps most notable for being the only recorded collaboration between Tyner andAlice Coltranewho plays harp on three of the albums four pieces (all composed by Tyner) along withGary Bartzon alto saxophone,WayneShorteron soprano and tenor saxophone,Ron Carteron bass, andElvin Joneson drums. The expansive opener Message from the Nile is the centerpiece of the album with its earthy groove, washes of harp, and journeying improvisations. The Wanderer begins in a loping rhythm before transitioning into a galloping swing for the freewheeling solos. Side 2 opens with Survival Blues, another extended performance that offers each soloist a wide-open expanse before the album concludes with the impressionistic closing piece His Blessings.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced byJoe Harley, mastered byKevin Gray(Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.

A1: Message From The Nile
A2: The Wanderer
B1: Survival Blues
B2: His Blessings