"New York Tendaberry" is the third album by New York City-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro. It was released in the autumn of 1969, on Columbia Records, about eighteen months after her previous album Eli and the Thirteenth Confession. The album was self-produced by Nyro with the assistance of producer and engineer Roy Halee. The cover photograph was taken by David Gahr.
New York Tendaberry is often considered the second in a trilogy of classic Nyro albums, with Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and Christmas and the Beads of Sweat framing the trio. These albums are seen as musically and thematically linked, though New York Tendaberry is regarded as the most intense and stark of the three.
In 1969, Nyro was already a highly regarded pop songwriter, with a string of hits by other artists including the 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. Following the strong word-of-mouth reputation of her previous works, New York Tendaberry became her most commercially successful album, reaching #32 on the Billboard 200 (formerly the Pop Albums chart). The 5th Dimension scored a hit with their version of "Save the Country," which reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100, and artists like Barbra Streisand recorded her songs such as "Time and Love."
New York Tendaberry draws heavily from Nyro's New York City roots and is lyrically darker than her previous album. The tone of the album reflects her experiences with love and romance but with more somber and introspective reflections. Musically, the album is more intimate than her earlier works, with less multi-layered instrumentation. While strings and classical elements are still present, many of the songs are centered around Nyro's voice and piano. The album also includes some unique sound effects, such as the gunshot on "Mercy on Broadway" and the twinkling sky in "New York Tendaberry."
Nyro had a unique approach to guiding her co-producer and engineer Roy Halee, using color metaphors to express her musical ideas, as she could not read musical notation. The album features a mix of jazz, rock, and orchestral elements, but these are used more sparingly compared to her previous albums.
The album was recorded during a year of night-time sessions, which contributed to its nocturnal, intimate feel. Most critics consider it to be Nyro's artistic high point.
The album was reissued in remastered and expanded formats in 2002 by the Legacy imprint of Columbia Records, along with Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and Gonna Take a Miracle. The reissue included the previously unreleased song "In the Country Way," recorded by Nyro in 1971, as well as the mono single version of "Save the Country," recorded in 1968 in an attempt to give Nyro her first chart hit. This attempt was unsuccessful, and she ultimately stuck to her signature solo piano style for the New York Tendaberry album.
The reissue's accompanying booklet features photographs, lyrics, and recording details, along with new liner notes by David Fricke and a back-cover reminiscence from singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. The remastered version was also included in Uncut magazine's Best Albums of 2002.
In 2008, Pure Pleasure Records added New York Tendaberry to their catalog with a new vinyl reissue. The remastering was done by Ray Staff using the original analog tapes, and the release features the original artwork in a gatefold cover, with an audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl pressing.
