Requisites
Today and Tomorrow is the fourth album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. It was produced by Bob Thiele and recorded for the Impulse! label in 1963 and 1964.
Tracks | 38:44 ~ All compositions by McCoy Tyner except where noted
- Contemporary Focus ~ 8:28
- A Night in Tunisia (Gillespie) ~ 5:07
- T ‘N A Blues (Jones) ~ 4:05
- Autumn Leaves (Kosma) ~ 6:10
- Three Flowers ~ 10:12
- When Sunny Gets Blue (Marvin Fisher, Segal) ~ 4:42
- McCoy Tyner ~ piano
- Jimmy Garrison ~ bass (4-9)
- Albert Heath ~ drums (4-9)
- John Gilmore ~ tenor saxophone (1-3)
- Thad Jones ~ trumpet (1-3)
- Frank Strozier ~ alto saxophone (1-3)
- Butch Warren ~ bass (1-3)
- Elvin Jones ~ drums (1-3)
I was in the mood to hear some piano jazz a few nights ago when I came across a title I’d not listen to for a while. I’ve never heard anything by pianist McCoy Tyner that I didn’t like and the album up for discussion before learning of his passing on March 7, 2020, is no exception. I placed the record on my Dual 1246 turntable, dropped the stylus and became immersed in the music of this gifted musician. Today and Tomorrow (Impulse! A-63) was recorded and released in 1964 while McCoy (only twenty-five years old at the time) was still a member of The John Coltrane Quartet. Here, he’s featured in three sextet and trio settings each leading an all-star group of Thad Jones on trumpet; Frank Strozier on alto sax; John Gilmore on tenor sax; Butch Warren on bass; Elvin Jones on drums (tracks: A1, A3, B2); Jimmy Garrison on bass; Tootie Heath on drums (tracks: A2, B1, B3). My copy used in this report is the 1972 Stereo reissue (Impulse!-ABC Records AS-63), the fourth US pressing.
Contemporary Focus, the first of three tunes by McCoy opens this six-song journey with a rousing collective midtempo theme treatment led by Thad who wails strongly on the lead solo. John and Frank demonstrate their strengths with vibrant enthusiasm for the next two readings. McCoy follows with a briskly swinging interpretation, then Butch and Elvin make the most of two brief juicy opportunities ahead of the closing chorus and fadeout.
A Night In Tunisia by Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Paparelli is a jazz standard from 1942 with many notable vocal and instrumental recordings to its credit. Jimmy Garrison and Tootie Heath provide the musical backing for this uptempo trio rendition beginning with an exhilarating theme treatment in unison. The pianist begins the opening statement at a very high temperature of molten intensity, then Tootie responds with a riveting performance that has lots of fireworks ahead of the pianist’s exuberant finale.
T’N A Blues, also by Tyner strolls in next to end the first side at midtempo with a relaxed attitude by the sextet on the opening chorus. Gilmore and Tyner are the featured soloists and John goes to work first with an infectiously happy groove. McCoy provides the summation on a leisurely paced performance that’s very danceable leading to the ensemble reassembling for the coda.
Side Two opens with the 1945 popular jazz standard Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert who wrote the French lyrics for the song’s original title, Les Feuilles Mortes (The Dead Leaves), and Johnny Mercer who created the English lyrics. The trio exhibits their infectious chemistry on a lively intro that evolves into the sprightly opening chorus. McCoy kicks off the solos with a dazzling display of finger dexterity with a spirited performance of effortless spontaneity. Jimmy steps in next, walking his bass with bristling vitality and tastefulness, then Tyner communicates a few final choruses of brisk dialogue preceding the effervescent reprise and climax.
Three Flowers is the leader’s longest composition on the album, a mid-tempo waltz offering substantial solo space to himself, Thad, Frank, and John. The sextet opens with a delightfully charming melody and Tyner starts the soloing with an engaging reading possessing incredible beauty and enchantment. Thad follows with a beautifully phrased, vivaciously soulful presentation that’s lyrically pleasant. Frank keeps the ingredients stirring on the next solo with inherent high spirits, and buoyant lyricism. John takes the last spot with an exquisite solo that swings with a swagger into the melody reprise and coda.
The 1956 jazz standard, When Sunny Gets Blue by Marvin Fisher and Jack Segal brings the album to a close with a thoughtfully tranquil theme treatment led by Tyner. McCoy has the solo showcase to himself and gives an enchanting reading of elegant tenderness bringing the listener home with a gentle closing chorus and culmination.
The recording by Rudy Van Gelder is splendid with an excellent soundstage throughout the treble, midrange, and bass spectrum. Each instrument emerges from your speakers to your listening chair as if you’re in the studio with the musicians as they’re recording, producing a gorgeous sound reminiscent of his Blue Note recordings of the period. I had the pleasure of seeing McCoy Tyner three times live, twice here in Atlanta where I got to meet him and once at The Village Vanguard in New York City. He was an incredible musician and wonderful man who was never too busy to meet and chat with his fans, yours truly among them. If you’re a fan of piano jazz or are looking for a terrific album of Modal Jazz and Post-Bop that’s subdued, subtle, and also energetic, I offer for your consideration, Today and Tomorrow by McCoy Tyner. An extremely skilled musician who whether in performance or on record always brought out the absolute best in each of his bandmates.
Autumn Leaves, Night In Tunisia – Source: JazzStandards.com When Sunny Gets Blue – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2020 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Johnny Williams, Jr. was born on March 13, 1908 in Memphis, Tennessee he learned to play the violin as a child, switched to tuba as a teenager, playing both tuba and the stand-up bass while playing in regional territory bands in the southern states.
A move to New York City in 1936, had him working with jazz luminaries such as Red Allen, Buster Bailey, Sidney Bechet, Benny Carter, J.C. Higginbotham, Billie Holiday, Harry James, James P. Johnson, the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Frankie Newton, and Teddy Wilson.
In the early 1940s he also played in the bands of Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong before joining Teddy Wilson’s band once again. He and Edmond Hall recorded together in 1944 and worked together until 1947. Following this collaboration, Williams played with Tab Smith and then with Johnny Hodges in the mid-1950s.
From the 1960s onward, Williams was less active, though he worked occasionally with musicians such as Buddy Tate in 1968, Red Richards in the Seventies, and Bob Greene from 1978 to 1982. Tubist and double-bassist Johnny Wiliams Jr. performed with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band from 1978 to1998 until he had a stroke and passed away later that year on October 23, 1998 in New York City.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Ofer Assaf was born in Israel on March 10, 1976 and started learning to play the saxophone as a youth. He attended the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts dividing his time between his two passions ~ music and dance the latter actually training as a professional ballet dancer at the age of eight before switching over to a full-time jazz career. As a member of the Air Force and IDF Orchestras of the Israeli Army, he performed for former President Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, for Jerusalem’s 3,000th-anniversary celebration. During the Nineties, he was a member of the Tel Aviv Big Band as well as performing on a diverse array of national TV and radio shows.
After moving to New York City, he entered The New School University’s jazz program and studied with tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, bassist Reggie Workman, pianist Richie Beirach, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, percussionists Bobby Sanabria and Jamey Haddad. In 2002 upon graduation he performed with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock at Carnegie Hall as part of the JVC Jazz Festival.
In 1991 he won the Israeli National Competition in Jazz and Contemporary Music for young musicians, received scholarships and awards from the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute from 1999 to 2001, and was pre-nominated for the Grammy Awards in the “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” category in 2009 for his debut album Tangible Reality on Summit Records. He was joined by trumpeter Jim Rotondi, Don Pate and Essiet Essiet on the bass and drummer Bruce Cox. With the Bernie Worrell Orchestra, he was awarded “Best Funk/Fusion/Jam Song of the Year” at the 12th annual Independent Music Awards in 2013. Tenor saxophonist, composer and educator Ofer Assaf continues to perform and record.
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Roy Brooks was born on March 9, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan and drummed since childhood, his earliest experiences of music coming through his mother, who sang in church. He was an outstanding varsity basketball player as a teenager and was offered a scholarship to the Detroit Institute of Technology; he attended the school for three semesters and then dropped out to tour with Yusef Lateef.
After time with Lateef and Barry Harris, he played with Beans Bowles and with the Four Tops in Las Vegas. He played with Horace Silver from 1959 to 1964, including on the album Song for My Father; in 1963 he released his first album as a leader. Following this he freelanced in New York City through the 1960s and early 1970s, playing three years with Lateef again in 1967, Sonny Stitt, Lee Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker, Junior Cook, Blue Mitchell, Charles McPherson, Pharoah Sanders in 1970, Wes Montgomery, Dollar Brand, Jackie McLean, James Moody from 1970 to 1972, Charles Mingus in 1972 and ‘73, and Milt Jackson.
His 1970 album The Free Slave featured Cecil McBee and Woody Shaw. Later in 1970, he joined Max Roach’s ensemble M’Boom, and in 1972 put together the ensemble The Artistic Truth. Brooks’s performances often included unusual instruments such as the musical saw and drums with vacuum tubes set up so as to regulate the pitch.
Suffering mental disorders he began to acquire a reputation for bizarre behavior on and off stage, and by 1975 he left New York City for Detroit where he took lithium to help regulate his behavior. By the 1980s he returned to The Artistic Truth and gigged regularly in Detroit with Kenny Cox, Harold McKinney, and Wendell Harrison. With those three he co-founded M.U.S.I.C. (Musicians United to Save Indigenous Culture) and later founded the Aboriginal Percussion Choir, an ensemble devoted to the use of non-Western percussion instruments. He used his basement as a practice and learning space, working with children as well as accomplished musicians.
The 1990s saw Detroit’s jazz scene wane and Roy stopped taking his medication, began breaking down at gigs, and in 1994 was institutionalized for three weeks. A couple of violently threatening incidents with neighbors landed him in Marquette Prison from 1997 to 2004, followed by placement in a nursing home. Drummer Roy Brooks passed away on November 15, 2005.
He recorded nearly four-dozen albums as a sideman and seven albums as a leader, his last being Roy Brooks & the Improvisational Sphere, recorded by Charles Jazzrenegade Wood on September 3, 1999, Live at Lelli’s, a well known Italian restaurant in Detroit. This is the solely available recording of the three-day performance released posthumously in 2011 by Italian label Sagittarius A-Star. The Improvisational Sphere was Roy Brooks: Drums, Marimba, Steel Drum, Keyboard; Amina Claudine Myers: Hammond B-3 Organ and Vocals; Ray Mantilla: Congas, Bells, Percussion; Jerry LeDuff: Tabla, Cuica, Shekere, Berimbau, Percussion; and Rodney Rich: Guitar.
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Herb Bushler was born March 7, 1939 in New York City and played piano and tuba in his youth before picking up double bass. Classically trained in bass he has performed with symphony orchestras in this capacity. In 1966 he began a longtime association with ballet and film composer Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.
He worked extensively in jazz idioms in the 1960s and 1970s, including David Amram, Ted Curson, Blossom Dearie, Tony Williams, and Paul Winter. He first played with Gil Evans in 1967, an association that would continue on and off until 1981.
Other work during the 1970s included sessions with Enrico Rava, Joe Farrell, Ryo Kawasaki, David Sanborn, and Harold Vick. He played with The Fifth Dimension in the 1960s and has also worked with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Harper, Les McCann, Joe Chambers, and Howard Johnson. Bassist Herb Bushler, never recording as a leader, continues to perform and record utilizing both double bass and electric bass.
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