McCoy Tyner's health...

[brownie]

There is an interesting interview of Sonny Rollins in today's edition of the Paris newspaper Liberation (for people reading French only, sorry!) prior to his concert at the Antibes/Juan les Pins festival this evening

Liberation Rollins

The interview mentions that McCoy Tyner had to cancel his appearance at the festival this week after he was hospitalized. Rollins sounds very upset! Could not find anything else about McCoy's health. Hope he will back on his feet very soon!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I made a few calls. McCoy has been feeling a bit "under the weather" for the last few weeks and apparently checked into a hospital in Turino for exhaustion. Hopefully the cause for the exhaustion is nothing serious.

Later,

Kevin

[brownie]

Thanks for checking, Kevin. Could not find anything fresh from here. It seems that Tyner had a pretty heavy schedule these past few weeks.

[Hardbopjazz]

All the best McCoy. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Rollins sounds kind of depressed in the article. especially when he talks about not going out or playing golf or listening to music in the city now that his wife has past.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Hardbopjazz

[bertrand]

It's up to us to help Sonny get his spirits back up!

Bertrand.

[P.L.M]

Not shure that the "illness" of McCoy is so benign.

If I remember well, his concert at the EUROPA FESTIVAL from LE MANS, two months and half ago, was cancelled because he was "seriously ill".

I read that on the french site CITIZEN JAZZ.

Don't know more about but...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

The person I talked to said he called Joe Lovano, who was apparently touring Europe on the bill with McCoy. Joe said McCoy has been looking pretty sick but as far as he knows, he checked into the hospital because he's exhausted, nothing more. However, even being so exhausted that you need hospitalization is serious. I hope he's OK and back on his feet again.

Kevin

[Chalupa]

I saw McCoy play back in February. I arrived late to the show and ran up two flights of stairs to get to the auditorium. After I walked in I was met by an older gentleman who asked me if I knew where he could find the mens's room. It being my first time at this particular venue I shook my head and said,"I'm sorry I don't know where it is." Just then one of the ushers came over and showed the old man where to go. As he shuffled off I noticed that he was having a little trouble walking as if he had a hip or knee problem. It wasn't until I sat down at my seat that I realized that that old man I had been talking to was McCoy Tyner. He did seem a little frail now that I think about it. However once he got on stage he seemed to be fine. Very energetic and he played his ass off. When he came out to do his encore a little old lady came up to the stage. McCoy recognized her immediately and gave her a big hug. It turned out that the old woman was his first music teacher from elementary school. He told the audience that he had been had inspired by her playing to take up piano. She then told him that she wanted to play a song for him. She then sat down and played some out of this world stride piano. When she finished she stood up, grabbed the mic, and said,"Not bad for a 98 year old woman"!! The place went wild. I'll cherish the memory of that night forever.

Be well McCoy.

[Soul Stream]

I saw McCoy play several months ago, got to meet him an talk with him in his dressing room. He seemed in good health for someone his age and in good spirits. He did play his ass off. If health was that bad, playing certainly would diminish as well. I bet he's just tired. How these guys keep up that travel schedule at their age is always a mystery to me. They HAVE to be exhausted at some point.

[JSngry]

The guy's 66. He's not that old!

[Soul Stream]

The guy's 66. He's not that old!

←

Yeah...but hell...I'M pretty tired and I'm no world traveler!

[robviti]

i saw mccoy in may. he most certainly did not "shuffle off" like an "old man."

[sidewinder]

Up for this thread. I had the very great pleasure of seeing McCoy and his trio (with Reginald Veal, Eric Harland) on Monday night. Over the years I've maybe seen him play about half a dozen times and the performance on Monday was as good as I've ever heard him - simple as that. A magnificent, stately and rivetting performance, and for my money this is the best trio he has ever led.

He has aged quite a bit facially since I last saw him in LA about 6 years ago but his playing seemed very much rejuvinated and full of the 'great drive' of old, nobody like him gets that incredible big sound out of the keys. The only performance from him I've seen which compares was a 1981/82 gig with Joe Ford and John Blake at Ronnie Scotts and that one was incendiary.

For anyone who gets the chance to see McCoy and trio in the near future - don't pass ! This particular gig in the UK looks to have been one of just a few performances (Manchester and London also on the itinery I think) - I'm sad to say - was not well attended. Those present gave him a huge, appreciative ovation at the end though.

Edited November 2, 2005 by sidewinder

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I just bought tickets to see McCoy at the Regattabar in Febraury and I got to thinking about this thread. Here we are 7 years later and McCoy is still out there touring. I am glad that he got over his health problems.

[marcello]

I believe it was more of a problem with his medications than anything else.

[BillF]

The guy's 66. He's not that old!

McCoy Tyner, who was playing with the Jazztet in 1960, is now 74.

[JSngry]

8 years'll do that to ya'!

[CJ Shearn]

Listening to disc 1 of the Select right now coincedentally.

[BFrank]

In 2 weeks he's going to be an integral part of the SFJazz Center's opening week.

Check it out: Grand Opening Week 1