Andrew Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, November 10, 1939. He studied with Philly Joe Jones, and then spent the first half of 1960s in New York studying at Juilliard and Hartnett School of Music. He was also performing with jazz musicians such as Mary Lou Williams, Coleman Hawkins and Illinois Jacquet, Walt Dickerson and Freddie Hubbard. He worked with dancers and played with Babtunde Olatunji, a Nigerian drummer. He formed a 11-year partnership with Cecil Taylor in 1964. This gig brought him new recognition and placed him at the forefront of jazz drumming. Cyrille began playing in percussion groups in 1969 with prominent drummers like Milford Graves and Don Moye. Cyrille founded his Maono (“feelings”) group in 1975. Its fluid membership was determined by Cyrille’s compositions and not vice versa. He has worked with Taylor’s peers, including David Murray, Muhal Richard Absrams, Mal Waldron and James Newton. Oliver Lake was also a drummer on Billy Bang’s A Tribute to Stuffsmith (Soul Note 1221216), which is notable for its last studio session by Sun Ra. From 1971 to 1973 Cyrille was an artist-in residence and teacher at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He is also a current faculty member at New School for Social Research in New York City. He has received numerous awards and grants for his sterling work, most notably from Meet the Composer. Alchemy Pictures also has a video that teaches him about the subject. Source: blacksaint.com
