Andrew Cyrille (American jazz drummer)

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." 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. 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) 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 with Vijay Iyer (Intakt, 2014) Visiting Texture (Intakt, 2017) Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (1999). "Cyrille, Andrew Charles". The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 161. Kelsey, Chris. "Andrew Cyrille: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2020. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. Patmos, Michael (February 1, 2014). "Andrew Cyrille: Drum Dialogue" (PDF). Modern Drummer: 54–59. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015. Chinen, Nate (October 17, 2016). "Andrew Cyrille's Late-Career Renaissance". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2022. Bob Young and Al Stankus (1992). Jazz Cooks. Stewart Tabori and Chang. pp. 92–93. ISBN 1-55670-192-6. Fragman, Dominic (April 26, 2019). "Andrew Cyrille: Art Science, Part 1". Jazz Times. Retrieved March 10, 2022. Case, Brian (October 4, 1975), "Make like a chimp (or choose your own alternative)", NME, pp. 28–29 Olewnick, Brian. "Andrew Cyrille / Milford Graves: Dialogue of the Drums". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2022. "Andrew Cyrille: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2022. "Andrew Cyrille". All About Jazz. Retrieved March 10, 2022. "Encounter - Trio 3 | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2021. "Drop Your Plans, by Bambi Pang Pang (featuring Andrew Cyrille)". Elnegocito.bandcamp.com. Retrieved October 14, 2025. 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