First on stage, in the warm summer night of July 6, 1998 with The Latin All-Stars, McCoy Tyner was probably the most anticipated jazz musician in all three days of 1. Jazz Festival in Split, Croatia. After all, he is the one that played with legendary John Coltrane.

Born in West Philadelphia on December 11, 1938 McCoy was lucky his mother early noticed his interest in music. As a child he was singing in the choir at Sulzberger Junior High in West Philadelphia. At the age of thirteen his mother let him decide between piano and voice lessons.

Once he decided on piano, he took practice lessons at the Philadelphia Music Center and later some theory lessons at the Granoff school of Music. That altogether took about three years.

Beatrice Tyner, his mother, was his main support at the beginning. She bought him Spinet piano at his age of 14, after saving from her earnings for a whole year.

On 1991 recording for Chesky label (JD51) “New York Reunion” McCoy dedicated composition “Miss Bea” to his mother. By the way, on this record McCoy plays with great Joe Henderson (tenor sax) for the first time after 20+ years. They are accompanied by Ron Carter (bass) and Al Foster (drums).

“It was what people called her in the neighborhood, Miss Bea. This is the first song I have dedicated to her. She was responsible for me getting interest in the piano. She played a bit herself and encouraged me greatly. I want this composition to keep her memory alive” McCoy Tyner.

"McCoy has an exceptionally well developed sense of form, both as a soloist and accompanist....He also gets a very personal sound from his instrument; and because of the clusters he uses and the way he voices them, that sound is brighter than what would normally be expected from most of the chord patterns he plays."

John Coltrane