Andrew Cyrille

American avant-garde jazz drummer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andrew Charles Cyrille (born November 10, 1939)[1] 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."[2]

Born
Andrew Charles Cyrille

(1939-11-10) November 10, 1939 (age 86)
OriginBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
OccupationsMusician, bandleader
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Andrew Cyrille
photo by Shawn Brackbill
photo by Shawn Brackbill
Background information
Born
Andrew Charles Cyrille

(1939-11-10) November 10, 1939 (age 86)
OriginBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, avant-garde jazz, post-bop
OccupationsMusician, bandleader
InstrumentDrums
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Andrew Cyrille

Life and career

Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States,[3] into a Haitian family.[4][5] 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.[6] His first drum teachers were fellow Brooklyn-based drummers Willie Jones and Lenny McBrowne;[7] through them, Cyrille met Max Roach.[7] Nonetheless, Cyrille became a disciple of Philly Joe Jones.[4][7]

His first professional engagement was as an accompanist of singer Nellie Lutcher,[3] and he had an early recording session with Coleman Hawkins.[8] Trumpeter Ted Curson introduced him to pianist Cecil Taylor when Cyrille was 18.[8]

He joined the Cecil Taylor unit in 1965, and worked with Taylor over a period of 15 years.[3] He later formed a musical partnership with Milford Graves, and the two recorded a drum duet album in 1974.[9] 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.[10][11] Cyrille was a member of the group Trio 3, with Oliver Lake and Reggie Workman.[12]

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With Trio 3

As sideman

References

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