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 on November 10, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York 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, who in some performances such as used Cyrille's drum kit.
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 1964, and stayed for about 10 years, eventually performing drum duos with Milford Graves. In addition to recording as a bandleader, he has recorded and/or performed with musicians such as David Murray, Irène Schweizer, Marilyn Crispell, Carla Bley, Butch Morris and Reggie Workman among others. Cyrille is currently a member of the group, Trio 3, with Oliver Lake and Reggie Workman.

Discography

As leader

With Muhal Richard Abrams
With Geri Allen
With Ahmed Abdul-Malik
With Billy Bang
With Bill Barron
With Carla Bley
With Jean-Paul Bourelly
With Charles Brackeen
With Anthony Braxton
With Marion Brown
  • Afternoon of a Georgia Faun
With Dave Burrell
  • Daybreak
With Kenny Burrell and Coleman Hawkins
  • Moonglow
With John Carter
  • Castles of Ghana
  • Dance of the Love Ghosts
  • Fields
  • Comin' On
  • Shadows on a Wall
With Kenny Clarke, Milford Graves, and Famoudou Don Moye
  • Pieces of Time
With Walt Dickerson
With Dave Douglas
  • Metamorphosis
With Dave Douglas and Uri Caine
  • Devotion
With Marty Ehrlich
  • Side By Side
With Charlie Haden
  • Liberation Music Orchestra
With David Haney
  • Clandestine
  • Conspiracy A Go Go
  • Siege of Misrata
With Coleman Hawkins
  • The Hawk Relaxes
With Jazz Composer's Orchestra
  • The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
With Leroy Jenkins
With Oliver Lake
  • Otherside
  • Edge-ing
With Jimmy Lyons
  • Other Afternoons
With Bill McHenry
  • La peur du vide
  • Proximity
With Grachan Moncur III
  • New Africa )
  • Exploration
With David Murray
  • 3D Family
  • David Murray/James Newton Quintet
  • Shakill's Warrior
  • Jazzosaurus Rex
  • Acoustic Octfunk
  • Saxmen
  • For Aunt Louise
  • Sacred Ground
  • Like a Kiss that Never Ends
With Ivo Perelman
  • Children of Ibeji
With Lonnie Liston Smith
  • Cosmic Funk
With Horace Tapscott
  • The Dark Tree
  • Aiee! The Phantom
With Cecil Taylor
  • Unit Structures
  • Conquistador!
  • Student Studies
  • The Great Concert of Cecil Taylor
  • Cecil Taylor Quartet in Europe
  • Live in Stuttgart
  • Akisakila
  • Spring of Two Blue J's
  • Incarnation
With John Tchicai and Reggie Workman
  • Witch's Scream
With Bob Thiele Collective
  • Sunrise Sunset
With Mal Waldron
With Reggie Workman'