In this paper, I explore the early musical language of McCoy Tyner. Today, Tyner is recognized mostly for his use of quartal harmony and pentatonic scales despite having made recordings in his early career that reflect a more mainstream approach. In an effort to expand how Tyner is represented, I argue that Tyner's early style was characterized by a graceful balance of tradition and innovation, a masterful blend of bebop syntax with pentatonic melodies and quartal harmonies. The recordings that I analyze and discuss are: "Effendi," "Cousin Mary," and "Newport Romp." I transcribed and analyzed selected portions of these recordings in order to better understand his early musical language as a soloist from 1962 to 1963. A portion of this paper is focused on the early reception of Tyner, which acknowledged him as an accomplished mainstream player with a firm grasp of the jazz tradition. Ultimately, my analysis shows that Tyner's early style was a balance of tradition and innovation, incorporating bebop syntax, pentatonic melodies, and quartal harmonies.

Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976) was a jazz pianist who achieved tremendous financial and commercial success in the 1960s with his popular recordings and his work for the Peanuts animated shorts. He cultivated a musical style that drew from several identifiable sources: boogie-woogie, bebop, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban jazz, and rock ‘n' roll. The result was a distinct approach to jazz which, although it may not have been as influential as that of some of his contemporaries, nevertheless constituted a unique and personal voice—what several commentators have referred to as the "Guaraldi sound." This dissertation considers the entire range of Guaraldi's recorded output in order to define and catalog many elements that contributed to Guaraldi's musical style. Using an analytical framework drawn from the work of Leonard Meyer and Benjamin Givan, this study describes both Guaraldi's improvisational style—the licks, patterns, and phrases that he plays while soloing—and common elements of his compositions—the chord progressions, grooves, and other features that are particularly idiomatic. Also discussed are Guaraldi's status within the established jazz canon and the disparity between his widespread popularity and his lukewarm critical reputation. The discussion and analyses provide useful insights for fans of Guaraldi, fans of Peanuts music, jazz musicologists, and any seeking to emulate the Guaraldi sound.