Alfred "McCoy" Tyner, born December 11, 1938 in Philadelphia, is one of the most influential jazz pianists of the post-bop era. He made his first recordings as a leader at Impulse, which were rather conventional in contrast to his work there with John Coltrane. By the time Tyner signed with Blue Note in 1967, he had developed considerably as a composer and incorporated his unique piano style into a sound that, while an outgrowth of his work with Coltrane, was clearly his own. Tyner made several recordings for Blue Note before moving to Milestone Records in 1971, and returned to Blue Note in 1988 to do a series of four albums that differ from others in his discography in that they are solo and duo sessions that reveal a rich, lyrical maturity.

Tyner has appeared on a number of Blue Note sessions, both as a leader and a sideman. His sideman dates include legendary sessions with Freddie Hubbard (Open (Page One, In 'N Out, Inner Urge), Wayne Shorter (Night Dreamer) and Grant Green (Solid) to name but a few. His Blue Note debut in 1967, The Real McCoy, featured Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Ron Carter on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. He continued to make great recordings for Blue Note until his departure to Milestone (Tender Moments, Time for Tyner, Expansions).

His February 9, 1970 recording, Extensions, features a truly all-star cast. In addition to Tyner's distinct piano, musicians include harpist Alice Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, tenor and soprano saxophone, Gary Bartz, alto saxophone, Ron Carter on acoustic bass and drummer Elvin Jones. Four extended Tyner originals provide an adroit showcase for these remarkable improvisers. As usual, Tyner's inventive, expansive sound and his thunderous right-hand chords serve to both anchor and propel the music. After Tyner left the classic John Coltrane Quartet in late 1966 (which also included drummer Jones), there was a lull in his popularity but he rebounded rather quickly with recordings such as Extensions, and his own group, which for a few months, included Gary Bartz. Tyner has long since maintained his status as a major player on the international scene. What makes this recording even more noteworthy is the presence of Alice Coltrane on harp.

Upon his return to Blue Note, Tyner made several solo recordings (Revelations, Soliloquy) and Things Ain't What They Used to Be (with special guests George Adams and John Scofield), It's About Time (with Jackie McLean, Jon Faddis and Al Foster.