Sahara (McCoy Tyner album)

Sahara
Studio album by
McCoy Tyner
ReleasedJuly 1972[1]
RecordedJanuary 1972
StudioDecca Recording Studio, New York City
GenreJazz
Length47:55
LabelMilestone
MSP 9039
ProducerOrrin Keepnews
McCoy Tyner chronology
Extensions
(1972) 		Sahara
(1972) 		Echoes of a Friend
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[4]
Down Beat[5]

Sahara is the twelfth album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his first to be released on the Milestone label. It was recorded in January 1972 and features performances by Tyner with saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Calvin Hill, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. The music shows African and Eastern influences and features all the musicians playing multiple instruments, with Tyner himself utilizing koto, flute, and percussion in addition to his usual piano.[6]

Reception

[edit]

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick states "Tyner would go on to create several fine albums in the mid-'70s, but never again would he scale quite these heights. Sahara is an astonishingly good record and belongs in every jazz fan's collection".[2]

In addition to its critical praise, the album is also considered Tyner's commercial breakthrough; it sold over 100,000 copies and was nominated for two Grammys.[7]

Track listing

[edit]

All compositions by McCoy Tyner

  1. "Ebony Queen" — 9:00
  2. "A Prayer for My Family" — 4:48
  3. "Valley of Life" — 5:19
  4. "Rebirth" — 5:20
  5. "Sahara" — 23:27

Personnel

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Billboard July 29, 1972
  2. ^ a b Olewnick, Brian. "Sahara". Allmusic. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  3. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 194. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  4. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1426. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  5. ^ Down Beat: October 12, 1972 vol. 39, no. 16
  6. ^ "Sahara - Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  7. ^ Santosuosso, Ernie (March 15, 1984). "1984 Boston Globe Jazz Festival; McCoy Tyner". The Boston Globe. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sahara_(McCoy_Tyner_album)&oldid=1262616568"