McCoy Tyner: Inception

McCoy Tyner would eventually become one of the most powerful voices in piano jazz, but in 1962 there was no such pressure and certainly no such expectation. He was merely Coltranes pianist leading his own date. Tyners playing is typically meaty and dense on the burning title track of Inception. Art Davis walks the bass speedily, and powerhouse drummer Elvin Jones gins up a storm of skins and cymbals. After his thick fingers traverse the expanse of keys, Tyner settles into the tune at the 2:20 mark, pounding out some fat chords that lead to a few drum breaks that culminate in a series of ascending chords and finally back to the series of descending chords around which the piece is constructed. Hard to believe all this happens in four minutes.