Andrew Cyrille

Andrew Cyrille is among the pre-eminent free jazz percussionists to emerge from the 1960s. Initially, he anchored bands led by vibraphonist Walt Dickerson, and during the '70s, pianist Cecil Taylor. Few vanguard drummers can play with his grace, authority, unflagging energy, and power tempered by a trademark sense of propriety. Cyrille's 1969 debut What About? and 1974's Dialogue of the Drums offer ample proof of his musical strengths: he has released more than 80 albums. His association with Italian labels Soul Note and Black Saint began on 1979's Nuba with Jeanne Lee and Jim...