Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

TYLER, Charles

(b Charles Lacy Tyler, 20 July 1941, Cadiz KY; d 27 June 1992, Toulon, France) Alto and baritone saxophones, composer, leader. He grew up in Indianapolis, played clarinet as a child, alto sax in early teens, baritone in US Army late '50s. He first met Albert Ayler in Indiana; moved to Cleveland, Ohio after army service and met Ayler again; they commuted to NYC, jammed with Ornette Coleman, Sunny Murray and others. Tyler played on Ayler's Bells and Spirits Rejoice on ESP; played C-melody sax on a bootleg album unique for including Ayler and Coleman on trumpet. He also gigged in R&B groups, remained his own man and soon emerged as a unique composer.

His own first LP on ESP was followed by study on scholarship at Indiana U. '66-8, then Eastern Man Alone on ESP with Dave Baker on cello and two bassists. To U. of California at Berkeley; he played on a Stanley Crouch LP '73 including Tyler's tune 'Youngster's Eyes'; played with Arthur Blythe, David Murray, Bobby Bradford etc; returned to NYC and organized a group with Earl Cross on trumpet, Ronnie Boykins or John Ore on bass, Steve Reid on drums, occasionally Blythe; Voyage From Jericho was issued on Tyler's Ak-Ba label; a tour with Boykins, Reid and Mel Smith on guitar yielded Live In Europe '75 on Ak-Ba.

Saga Of The Outlaws '76 on Nessa was a tone poem in contemporary idiom inspired by western movies, like all his music also informed by studies of Western music going back to the 16th century: with Tyler on alto, Boykins and Ore on basses, Cross and Reid, the 'polyphonic sonic tale of the old and new West' was made at the Wildflowers Festival (see Jazz). Sixty Minute Man '79 on Adelphi was solo Tyler; Folk And Mystery Stories '80 on Sonet was made in NYC with Tyler on alto and baritone, with Reid, Baker on cello, Richard Dunbar on French horn, Ore and Wilbur Morris on basses; Definites Vol. 1 '81 on Storyville live in Stockholm has Cross, Reid, bassist Kevin Ross.  Autumn In Paris on Silkheart was made in Europe. He also played on Reid's Rhythmatism and Odyssey Of The Oblong Square on Reid's Mustevic label in the '70s, guested on Hal Russell's Generation '82 on Chief/Nessa, and was heard on other albums with John Fisher, Billy Bang, Steve Lacy. Voyage From Jericho was reissued on a Bleu Regard CD, which label also issued Tyler sets called Folly Fun/Music Magic and Mid Western Drifter. His discography should have been larger, and he left us too soon.

[Trombonist, Cellist, composer, educator David Nathaniel Baker, b 21 December 1931, Indianapolis; played trombone with George Russell until an injury forced him to change instruments; he started the Jazz Studies program at Indiana University and inspired countless young musicians; d 26 March 2016, Bloomington.]