Jimmy Lyons
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lyons was an alto saxophone
player. He is best known for his long tenure in the Cecil Taylor
Unit.
and brought up firstly there for his first 9 years, before his mother moved the family to Harlem
and then the Bronx. He obtained his first saxophone in the mid-1940s and had lessons from Buster Bailey
.
After high school, Lyons was drafted into the United States Army
and spent 21 months on infantry duty in Korea
, before spending around a year playing in army bands. On discharge, he attended New York University. By the end of the 1950s he was supporting his interest in music with day jobs in the Postal Service.
In 1961 he followed Archie Shepp
into the saxophone role in the Cecil Taylor Unit. His post-Parker sound and strong melodic sense became a defining part of the sound of that group, from the classic 1962 Cafe Montmartre sessions onwards.
During the 1970s Lyons also ran his own group with bassoon
ist Karen Borca
and percussionist Paul Murphy
, taking performance opportunities at the loft jazz movement around Studio Rivbea
. His group and the Unit continued a parallel development through the 1970s and 1980s, often involving the same musicians, such as trumpeter Raphe Malik
, bassist William Parker
and percussionist Paul Murphy
.
Lyons died from lung cancer
in 1986. The recording legacy of his own group was relatively sparse, though that situation has been rectified by a 5 CD boxed set of archive recordings from 1972 to 1985, released on Ayler Records
.
With Eddie Gale
With Cecil Taylor
With Jazz Composer's Orchestra
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
player. He is best known for his long tenure in the Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
Unit.
Biography
He was born in Jersey City, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and brought up firstly there for his first 9 years, before his mother moved the family to Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and then the Bronx. He obtained his first saxophone in the mid-1940s and had lessons from Buster Bailey
Buster Bailey
William C. "Buster" Bailey was a jazz musician specializing in the clarinet, but also well versed on saxophone...
.
After high school, Lyons was drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and spent 21 months on infantry duty in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, before spending around a year playing in army bands. On discharge, he attended New York University. By the end of the 1950s he was supporting his interest in music with day jobs in the Postal Service.
In 1961 he followed Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...
into the saxophone role in the Cecil Taylor Unit. His post-Parker sound and strong melodic sense became a defining part of the sound of that group, from the classic 1962 Cafe Montmartre sessions onwards.
During the 1970s Lyons also ran his own group with bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
ist Karen Borca
Karen Borca
Karen Borca is an American free jazz bassoonist.Borca studied music at the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 1971. While there she met Cecil Taylor, who taught there during the 1970/71 academic year; she acted as his teaching assistant and played with him in the Cecil Taylor Unit...
and percussionist Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy (musician)
Paul Murphy is an American jazz drummer.Paul Murphy grew up in Washington, D.C.. At the age of seven he started studying drums with Gene Krupa and then with Louis Bellson...
, taking performance opportunities at the loft jazz movement around Studio Rivbea
Studio Rivbea
Studio Rivbea was a jazz performance loft run by saxophonist Sam Rivers in the 1970s.It was located on Bond Street in Lower Manhattan and was originally opened as a public performance space as part of the first New York Musicians Festival in 1970...
. His group and the Unit continued a parallel development through the 1970s and 1980s, often involving the same musicians, such as trumpeter Raphe Malik
Raphe Malik
Raphe Malik, born Laurence Mazel was an American jazz trumpeter....
, bassist William Parker
William Parker (musician)
William Parker is an American free jazz double bassist, poet and composer.-Biography:Parker was not formally trained as a classical player, though he did study with Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis, and Wilbur Ware and learned the tradition. Parker is one of few jazz bassists who regularly plays arco...
and percussionist Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy (musician)
Paul Murphy is an American jazz drummer.Paul Murphy grew up in Washington, D.C.. At the age of seven he started studying drums with Gene Krupa and then with Louis Bellson...
.
Lyons died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in 1986. The recording legacy of his own group was relatively sparse, though that situation has been rectified by a 5 CD boxed set of archive recordings from 1972 to 1985, released on Ayler Records
Ayler Records
Ayler Records is a record label which specializes in free jazz and improvised music recordings.Founded in 2000 in Sweden by Jan Ström and painter Åke Bjurhamn, it has gained recognition among free jazz fans over the years by releasing both archive and contemporary recordings from artists as diverse...
.
As leader
- 1969: Other Afternoons with Lester BowieLester BowieLester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
, Andrew Cyrille, Alan SilvaAlan SilvaAlan Silva is an American free jazz double bassist and keyboard player.-Biography:... - 1980: Riffs with Karen Borca, Jay OliverJay OliverJay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
, Paul MurphyPaul MurphyPaul Murphy may refer to:* Paul Murphy , Australian political journalist.* Paul Murphy , award-winning Australian cinematographer* Paul Murphy , American jazz drummer... - 1980: Jump Up with John LindbergJohn LindbergJohn Lindberg is an American jazz double-bassist.Lindberg studied at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and moved to New York City in 1977. There he played with the Human Arts Ensemble alongside Joseph Bowie and Bobo Shaw, and he was in ensembles with Anthony Braxton from 1978-1985...
, Sunny MurraySunny MurrayJames Marcellus Arthur "Sunny" Murray is one of the pioneers of the free jazz style of drumming.-Biography:... - 1981: Something in Return with Andrew Cyrille
- 1982: Burnt Offering with Andrew Cyrille (Black Saint)
- 1983: Wee SneezaweeWee SneezaweeWee Sneezawee is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jimmy Lyons recorded in 1983 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars.-Track listing:# "Wee Sneezawee" - 7:26# "Gossip" - 7:29...
with Karen Borca, Raphe MalikRaphe MalikRaphe Malik, born Laurence Mazel was an American jazz trumpeter....
, Paul Murphy, William Parker (Black Saint) - 1985: Give It UpGive It Up (Jimmy Lyons album)Give It Up is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jimmy Lyons recorded in 1985 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars stating "the ensemble work is frequently exciting; and the front line boasts three distinctive and rather...
with Karen Borca, Paul Murphy, Jay Oliver, Enrico RavaEnrico RavaEnrico Rava , is a prolific jazz trumpeter and arguably one of the best known Italian jazz musicians. He originally played trombone, changing to the trumpet after hearing Miles Davis. His first commercial work was as a member of Gato Barbieri's Italian quintet in the mid-1960s; in the late 1960s...
(Black Saint)
As sideman
With Andrew CyrilleAndrew Cyrille
Andrew Charles Cyrille is an avant-garde jazz drummer.Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York into a family with a mother from Haiti. He began studying science at St...
- NubaNuba (album)Nuba is an album by American jazz drummer Andrew Cyrille, vocalist Jeanne Lee, and saxophonist Jimmy Lyons recorded in 1979 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:...
(Black Saint, 1979)
With Eddie Gale
Eddie Gale
Eddie Gale is an American trumpeter known for his work in free jazz, especially with the Sun Ra Arkestra.-Biography:Early in life, he studied trumpet with Kenny Dorham...
- Black Rhythm HappeningBlack Rhythm HappeningBlack Rhythm Happening is the second album by American trumpeter Eddie Gale recorded in 1969 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1969)
With Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
- Into the Hot
- MixedMixed (album)Mixed is a compilation album of two avant-garde jazz sessions featuring performances by the Cecil Taylor Unit and the Roswell Rudd Sextet...
- Student StudiesStudent StudiesStudent Studies is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded in November 1966 and released on the Japanese BYG label as an untitled 2LP set in 1973. It features a performance by Taylor with Jimmy Lyons, Alan Silva and Andrew Cyrille...
- AkisakilaAkisakilaAkisakila is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at Koseinenkin Dai-Hall, in Tokyo in May 1973 and originally released on the Japanese Trio label as a double LP. It features a performance by Taylor with Jimmy Lyons and Andrew Cyrille...
- Spring of Two Blue J'sSpring of Two Blue J'sSpring of Two Blue J's is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at The Town Hall in New York City in November 1974 and originally released on Taylor's Unit Core label and rereleased on the Jazz View label...
- Dark to ThemselvesDark to ThemselvesDark to Themselves is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, Yugoslavia on June 18, 1976 and released on the Enja label. The album features one continuous performance by Taylor with Raphe Malik, Jimmy Lyons, David S...
- Cecil Taylor UnitCecil Taylor UnitCecil Taylor Unit is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded in April 1978 and released on the New World label. The album features three performances by Taylor with Raphe Malik, Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Sirone and Ronald Shannon Jackson. The album was recorded during the same sessions that produced 3...
- 3 Phasis3 Phasis3 Phasis is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded in April 1978 and released on the New World label. The album features three performances by Taylor with Raphe Malik, Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Sirone and Ronald Shannon Jackson...
- Live in the Black ForestLive in the Black ForestLive in the Black Forest is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded in June 1978 and released on the MPS label. The album features two performances by Taylor with Raphe Malik, Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Sirone and Ronald Shannon Jackson....
- One Too Many Salty Swift and Not GoodbyeOne Too Many Salty Swift and Not GoodbyeOne Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded in Stuttgart, Germany on June 14, 1978 and released on the Hat Hut label. The album features performances by Taylor with Raphe Malik, Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Sirone and Ronald Shannon Jackson...
- It Is in the Brewing LuminousIt is in the Brewing LuminousIt is in the Brewing Luminous is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at Fat Tuesdays, NYC, on February 8 & 9, 1980 and released on the Hat Hut label. The album features performances by Taylor with Jimmy Lyons, Ramsey Ameen, Alan Silva, Jerome Cooper and Sunny Murray...
- The EighthThe EighthThe Eighth is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded at 2nd Freiburger Jazztage in Freiburg, Germany on November 8, 1981 and released on the Hat Hut label. The album features performances by Taylor with Jimmy Lyons, William Parker and Rashid Bakr...
- Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants)Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants)Winged Serpent is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded in Milan, Italy on October 22–24, 1984 and released on the Soul Note label...
- The Great Concert of Cecil TaylorThe Great Concert of Cecil TaylorThe Great Concert of Cecil Taylor is a live album by Cecil Taylor recorded in St. Paul de Vence, Nice, on July 29, 1969, and released on the Prestige label in 1977 as a 3-LP set...
- Conquistador!Conquistador!Conquistador! is a 1966 album by Cecil Taylor released on the Blue Note label. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states "During the two lengthy pieces, Lyons' passionate solos contrast with Dixon's quieter ruminations while the music in general is unremittingly intense...
- Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come
With Jazz Composer's Orchestra
Jazz Composer's Orchestra
Jazz Composer's Orchestra was an American jazz group founded in 1965, to further avant-garde jazz in New York. Carla Bley and Michael Mantler were important in its organization and style....
- CommunicationCommunication (Jazz Composer's Orchestra album)Communication is the debut album by the Jazz Composer's Orchestra featuring compositions by Michael Mantler and Carla Bley performed by Paul Bley, Steve Lacy, Jimmy Lyons, Roswell Rudd, Archie Shepp, John Tchicai, Fred Pirtle, Willie Ruff, Ken McIntyre, Robin Kenyatta, Bob Carducci, Kent Carter,...
- Escalator over the HillEscalator over the HillEscalator over the Hill is mostly referred to as a jazz opera, but it was released as a "chronotransduction" with "words by Paul Haines, adaptation and music by Carla Bley, production and coordination by Michael Mantler", performed by the Jazz Composer's Orchestra.-History:Escalator over the Hill...