Uncrowned Community Builders

A Daughterâ??s Reflection
At the age of 14 he was an original cast member of "Porgy and Bess". During rehearsals he played for George Gershwin, who was a major influence on his style of play. He served in the Army during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946. When he returned home the jazz scene was no longer the same. There were many musicians using drugs something my father said, "He wanted no part of".
In 1957 my father recorded with the Jive Bombers, their hit song was titled "Bad Boy". There is also a recording of solo piano music from a documentary on his life by Prof. Jim Patrick and a radio documentary by Dan Lenard. He also recorded with a local Jazz musician. His last recording was live with singer Peggy Farrell in 2000 CD titled "Al & Peg".
In 1962 he married my mother Lillie Williams, a native of Buffalo, New York where they settled in 1969. They were married for 28 years until her death in 1990. In 1999 he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Buffalo State College and was also inducted into the Smithsonian Institute. He has left to cherish his memory two daughters Angela Tinney-Leavy (Anthony) and Andrea Tinney, four grandchildren Ashlyn Leavy, Ariel Leavy, Anthony Leavy, Jr. and Allen Tinney-McKnight, other relatives loved ones, musicians and a very special friend Peggy Farrell.

Mr. Tinney is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in West Seneca, New York.

Another Reflection - Sabu Adeolya

I was privileged to be Al Tinney's bassist of choice for most of the last 27 years of his life. Although I was on the road and away from Buffalo, NY where he resided for some of that time, we would always get together when we could. He told my father, the James A. Lewis Jr., that he'd "adopted" me and that he was my "other father" and asked him if that was OK. My father assured him that it was fine with him.

From the many memories and experiences that we had together there are some that stand out in particular. Like when Al performed with my group Oasis at the reception for Bishop Tutu of South Africa when he came to the campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo. Also in that group was Joanne Lorenzo (vibraphonist); also when we performed at the Marquis at the Tralfamadore Cafe in Buffalo with the late great Benny Carter. The recent passing of drummer par excellence, Max Roach triggered memories of how, in the early nineties, Max came to Buffalo to perform a concert with his quartet. After his concert, somebody told Max that Al was playing downtown at Hemingway's. Max found his way there and sat up front at the table closest to the piano. When asked, if he was going to play, Max said, "No, I just came to listen to Al. He's still such a great player." On Al's breaks from playing, it was a great joy to watch the two of them embrace and reminisce about the "old days" when they were in the House Band at Monroeâ??s Uptown House where BeBop was "born", according to many. Al was the leader of that band and many others came under his influential way of playing music such as Charlie Christian, Jimmy Blanton, Carmen McRae and the heralded leader himself, Charlie Parker.

Max is quoted in the liner notes for Al's recorded CD "The Al Tinney Trio featuring Peggy Farrell" saying, that in the early 1940s in New York, it was, Al Tinney who set the pace for piano players (even before Bud Powell) and for musicians in general.