Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939) 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
- What About? (BYG Actuel, 1969)
- Dialogue of the Drums (IPS, 1974) with Milford Graves
- Celebration (IPS, 1975) - with Alphonse Cimber, Ted Daniel, Romulus Franceschini, Stafford James, Jeanne Lee, Elouise Loftin, Donald Smith, David S. Ware
- Junction (Whynot, 1976) with Ted Daniel, David S. Ware, Lisle Atkinson
- The Loop (Ictus, 1978)
- Metamusicians' Stomp (Black Saint, 1978) with Ted Daniel, David S. Ware, Nick DiGeronimo
- Nuba (Black Saint, 1979) with Jeanne Lee, Jimmy Lyons
- Special People (Soul Note, 1980) with Ted Daniel, David S. Ware, Nick DiGeronimo
- The Navigator (Soul Note, 1982) with Ted Daniel, Sonelius Smith, Nick DiGeronimo
- Andrew Cyrille Meets Brötzmann in Berlin (FMP, 1983)
- Something in Return (Black Saint, 1988) with Jimmy Lyons
- Irène Schweizer & Andrew Cyrille (Intakt, 1989)
- Burnt Offering (Black Saint, 1991) with Jimmy Lyons
- Galaxies (Music & Arts, 1991) with Vladimir Tarasov
- My Friend Louis (DIW/Columbia, 1992) with Adegoke Steve Colson, Oliver Lake, Hannibal Lokumbe, Reggie Workman
- X Man (Soul Note, 1993) with James Newton, Anthony Cox
- Ode to the Living Tree (Venus, 1995) with Adegoke Steve Colson, Fred Hopkins, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Mor Thiam
- Good to Go, with a Tribute to Bu (Soul Note, 1997) with James Newton, Lisle Atkinson
- Double Clutch (Silkheart, 1997) with Richard Teitelbaum
- Duo Palindrome 2002 Vols. 1 and 2 (Intakt, 2004) with Anthony Braxton
- Low Blue Flame (TUM, 2006) with Greg Osby
- Opus de Life (Porter, 2009) with Paul Dunmall and Henry Grimes
- Route de Frères (TUM, 2011) with Haitian Fascination (Lisle Atkinson, Frisner Augustin, Hamiet Bluiett, Alix Pascal)
- The Declaration of Musical Independence (ECM, 2016) with Bill Frisell, Ben Street, Richard Teitelbaum
- Proximity (Sunnyside, 2016) with Bill McHenry
- Lebroba (ECM, 2018) with Bill Frisell, Wadada Leo Smith
- The News (ECM, 2021) with Bill Frisell, Ben Street, David Virelles
- 2 Blues for Cecil (Tum Records, 2022) with William Parker and Enrico Rava
- Evocation with Elliott Sharp and Richard Teitelbaum (Infrequent Seams, 2022)
- Music Delivery/Percussion (Intakt, 2023)
With Trio 3
- Live in Willisau (Dizim, 1997)
- Encounter (Passin' Thru, 2000)
- Open Ideas (Palmetto, 2002)
- Time Being (Intakt, 2006)
- Wha's Nine: Live at the Sunset (Marge, 2008)
- Berne Concert with Irene Schweizer (Intakt, 2009)
- At This Time with Geri Allen (Intakt, 2009)
- Celebrating Mary Lou Williams–Live at Birdland New York with Geri Allen (Intakt, 2011)
- Refraction – Breakin' Glass with Jason Moran (Intakt, 2013)
- Wiring (album) with Vijay Iyer (Intakt, 2014)
- Visiting Texture (Intakt, 2017)
As sideman
References
External links
- Bill McHenry Quartet: Live At The Village Vanguard, Recent concert
- Andrew Cyrille at Answers.Com
- Audio Recordings of WCUW Jazz Festivals – Jazz History Database
- The FMP releases
- Portrait of Andrew Cyrille by Dominik Huber / dominikphoto.com
- Video with Stefan Roloff
