[04
MAY 00] COVENTRY
AND WARWICKSHIRE PROMOTIONS NEWS
Real McCoy To Play Jazz Festival
Piano
legend McCoy Tyner is to top the bill at this year's Coventry Jazz
Festival.
Philadelphia-born
Tyner, aged 61, played piano for the great John Coltrane in the 1960s
and is regarded as one of the living legends of jazz.
He
brings his trio, long-time collaborators Avery Sharpe on bass and
drummer Aaron Scott, to the Belgrade Theatre on the evening of Sunday,
27 August.
The
son of a beauty parlour owner, McCoy Tyner took up the piano seriously
at the age of 13 and two years later was playing professionally.
In
1960 at the age of just 22 he joined a new group being put together by
his friend John Coltrane - widely regarded as the greatest quartet in
jazz history.
Tyner's
distinctive, suspense-filled playing helped define the sound that has
continued to inspire not just jazz musicians right down to today,
but also some of the great rock bands of the day, like The Byrds and
the Grateful Dead.
In
1965 Tyner left to go solo. He's recorded steadily ever since,
experimenting with different areas of popular music, including a Latin
album and even a Burt Bacharach tribute.
He's
the second major artist to be confirmed for the five-day Coventry
Festival, which runs from 24-28 August.
British
star Andy Sheppard has been lined up to play the Belgrade on Saturday,
August 26.
Bob
Marriott, who chairs the festival organising committee, said,
"We're really excited about signing up McCoy Tyner for the
festival.
"He's
one of the world's leading jazz musicians. Normally you have to
travel to London to see a musician of his stature."
For
the second year the festival is being co-ordinated by Coventry and
Warwickshire Promotions, working with local jazz promoters. Highlights
of the 1999 festival included Georgie Fame and the legendary Jimmy
Smith.
For
ticket and booking information contact the Coventry Tourist
Information Centre at Bayley Lane, Coventry Tel
024 7683 2303 / 2304.
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