Andrew Cyrille


Andrew Charles Cyrille is an American avant-garde jazz drummer. Throughout his career, he has performed both as a leader and a sideman in the bands of Walt Dickerson and Cecil Taylor, among others. AllMusic biographer Chris Kelsey wrote: "Few free-jazz drummers play with a tenth of Cyrille's grace and authority. His energy is unflagging, his power absolute, tempered only by an ever-present sense of propriety."

Life and career

Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, into a Haitian family. He began studying science at St. John's University, but was already playing jazz in the evenings and switched his studies to the Juilliard School. His first drum teachers were fellow Brooklyn-based drummers Willie Jones and Lenny McBrowne; through them, Cyrille met Max Roach. Nonetheless, Cyrille became a disciple of Philly Joe Jones.
His first professional engagement was as an accompanist of singer Nellie Lutcher, and he had an early recording session with Coleman Hawkins. Trumpeter Ted Curson introduced him to pianist Cecil Taylor when Cyrille was 18.
He joined the Cecil Taylor unit in 1965, and worked with Taylor over a period of 15 years. He later formed a musical partnership with Milford Graves, and the two recorded a drum duet album in 1974. In addition to recording as a bandleader, he has recorded and/or performed with musicians including David Murray, Irène Schweizer, Marilyn Crispell, Carla Bley, Butch Morris and Reggie Workman. Cyrille was a member of the group Trio 3, with Oliver Lake and Reggie Workman.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With Muhal Richard Abrams
With Ahmed Abdul-Malik
With Charles Brackeen
With John Carter
  • Castles of Ghana
  • Dance of the Love Ghosts
  • Fields
  • Comin' On
  • Shadows on a Wall
With Walt Dickerson
With David Haney
With Leroy Jenkins
With Peter Kowald
  • Duos: Europa-America-Japan one track
  • Duos 2: Europa-America-Japan one track
With Oliver Lake
With Grachan Moncur III
With David Murray
With Horace Tapscott
With Cecil Taylor
With Mal Waldron
With others