Larry Coryell was born 2 April, 1943 in Galveston, Texas. As a child he studied and played piano, switching to guitar (acoustic, and then electric) in his teens. After studying journalism at the University of Washington, he moved to New York City in 1965, where he played behind guitarist Gabor Szabo in drummer Chico Hamilton’s jazz quintet. However, by 1966, he had replaced Szabo and later that same year went on to record his vinyl debut with Hamilton’s band. Also in 1966 he co-founded an early jazz-rock band, the Free Spirits, with whom he recorded one album, 1966’s rare, Free Spirit: Out Of Sight And Sound. Soon after his stint with the Free Spirits he joined vibra-harpist Gary Burton’s band, recording with him three seminal albums, all of which are now long out of print. In 1969 he recorded Memphis Underground with flautist Herbie Mann whose band, at that time, included Roy Ayers and the influential free-jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock. Also in 1969, before recording his first solo LP, he toured Europe and the U.S. with ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce, ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, as well as keyboardist and future Coryell side-man Mike Mandel.
His music during the late-1960s and early-1970s combined the influences of rock, jazz and eastern music. He formed his own group, The Eleventh House, in 1973. Following the break-up of this band, Coryell played mainly acoustic guitar, but returned to electric guitar later in the 1980s. In 1979, Coryell formed "The Guitar Trio" with jazz fusion guitarist John McLaughlin and flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia. The group toured Europe briefly, eventually releasing a video recorded at Royal Albert Hall in London entitled "Meeting of Spirits". In early-1980, Coryell was replaced by Al Di Meola, due to drug addiction
Throughout the seventies he released album after album, often playing alongside the very best jazz had to offer. Some of the heavy-weights include: guitarists John McLaughlin, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Paco De Lucia, Pat Metheny, Al Di Meola, John Abercrombie, Larry Carlton, John Scofield, Kazumi Watanabe, Ralph Towner, and Steve Kahn; drummers Billy Cobham, Elvin Jones, Steve Gadd, Lenny White, Mitch Mitchell and Tony Williams; alto sax player David Sanborn, tenor sax players Pharoah Sanders and Michael Brecker; soprano sax players Sonny Rollins and Steve Lacy, cornet player Don Cherry, trumpet players Maynard Ferguson and Randy Brecker; violinist Stephane Grappelli, keyboardists Chick Corea, Larry Young, David Sancious and Lyle Mays; and bassists Charles Mingus, Miroslav Vitous, Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, Jack Bruce, Jimmy Garrison, Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow and Tony Levin.
In 1979 and 1980 he toured Europe with Paco De Lucia and John McLaughlin as part of a guitar super-trio, eventually releasing a video recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, London, which commemorated this “meeting of the spirits”. This trio was short lived however, and he was replaced by Al Di Meola in early 1980.
Throughout the 80's, although playing almost exclusively acoustic guitar, Larry Coryell continued to break new ground. And if his ambitious avant-garde interpretations of Stravinsky and Ravel are any indication, it seems clear that there is much more to this guitar-slinging virtuoso from Texas than jazz/rock fusion.
Complicated? Perhaps, but his newest album, Sketches of Coryell, should simplify things. To quote Coryell himself, "The idea of this album was to 'Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar' in the immortal words of the dearly missed Frank Zappa. But I chose not to indulge in a lot of fast stuff. Instead we just concentrated on melody and whatever the composition called for."
But whatever genre, whatever approach, with sixty recordings under his belt, Coryell can be considered a true "Guitar Legend". Case in point: he recently took part in a concert in Spain, spotlighting 32 of the world's finest guitarists, including B.B. King, Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan, and Les Paul. And guess what? He felt right at home.
Mr. Coryell now lives in Duchess County, New York, but continues to teach guitar part-time, and tours regularly.
Larry Coryell is one of the world's acknowledged guitar masters. He has recorded more than 75 albums over the past 40 years as a bandleader, soloist and 'featured accompanist'. Hailed by his legion of fans as one of "the guitar gods" in the late 1970s and as a "truly Renaissance musician who excels at all styles of playing", he has also been christened as "a true pioneer of rock-jazz fusion" by the New York Times, and dubbed "the Godfather of Fusion" by Dan Ouellette of Down Beat Magazine.
Born in Galveston, Texas, Larry tried his hand at a number of instruments before settling on the guitar. He credits Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry and (later on) Wes Montgomery, as his prime influences.Larry arrived in New York City via Seattle in 1965, and began honing his formidable instrumental skill as the basis for his musical expression. To master every aspect of the guitar, Larry also studied classical guitar with Leonid Bolotine. After developing the first incarnation of his virtuoso technique Larry played his "first big time job" with Killer Joe Piro. National recognition then came during his tenure with the Gary Burton Quartet in 1967.
The late 60s thru early 70s saw Larry as one of the most in-demand guitarists in Rock, Jazz and all musical genres. During that time Larry was part of Rock's experimentation, and toured with Jack Bruce, and was featured in sessions with Jimmy Webb, the 5th Dimension, Charles Mingus, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea and John McLaughlin. Through the albums produced during this period, Larry Coryell emerged as a profound music prophet who merged Rock, Jazz, Eastern modes and scales and free-form improv flashing Classical riffs.
In 1974 Larry formed The 11th House , the most popular and successful Fusion band of its time, which included his friend and colleague Randy Brecker. After The 11th House disbanded, Larry was signed by Clive Davis for Arista Records, where he made a series of solo albums, followed by a direct-to-disc recording with the Brecker Brothers.
Larry Coryell's recordings and live concert performances have run the gamut from clubs large and small, and concert venues large and small from the 1980s thru today. A regular headliner at the Blue Note and Iridium in New York City, Catalina's in L.A., Blues Alley in Washington DC and Ronnie Scott’s in London to Porgie & Bess’ in Vienna. Larry is also no stranger to the huge open-air music festivals in the FarEast, Europe, Brazil, even sell-out appearances at London's Barbican.
In 2007 The Hal Leonard Corporation released Larry’s Autobiography “Improvising, My Life In Music” and a retrospective print folio of Larry's own compositions, with works representing the full span of his 40 years-and-counting as a professional musician, composer and innovator. Going back to his former alma mater , the University of Washington, Larry has brought his knowledge and professional technique to top-level music students in recent years, adding to his stature as "one who can DO, as well as teach" already established by his 2 hard-cover books on the subject published by Miller- Freeman.
Larry has designed and is spokesman for his own professional line of guitars made by Cort. He also endorses Parker Guitars, Sibelius Music Software, DR Strings and the Henriksen “Jazz Amp”.
With over 60 recordings under his belt, Larry continues to be a groundbreaking force in the guitar world.[citation needed] He currently lives near Orlando, Florida, and still continues to perform and write music. Larry's two sons, Julian Coryell and Murali Coryell are also actively involved in the music business.
Among others, he has performed with: Eric Clapton, Chick Corea, Albert Dailey, Jimi Hendrix, Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Al Di Meola, Biréli Lagrène, Emily Remler, Pat Metheny, Kazuhito Yamashita, Brian Q. Torff, The Head Shop, Sharon Isbin, Laurindo Almeida, and Larry Gray.
The most recent recordings Larry has done are available on Chesky Records (“Impressions”, “Traffic“ & “Electric“), Rhombus Records (“Laid Back & Blues” ), HighNote ("Cedars Of Avalon"), and Favored Nations("Tricycles") .
Selected discography
Bob Moses - Love Animal (1967-68)Herbie Mann - Memphis Underground (1968) - with Sonny Sharrock
Barefoot Boy (1969)
"Lady Coryell" (1970)
Larry Coryell at the Village Gate (1971)
The Real Great Escape (1973)
Introducing Eleventh House with Larry Coryell (1974)
Spaces (1974)
The Restful Mind (1975) - with Ralph Towner, Glen Moore, Collin Walcott
The Eleventh House - Aspects (1976)
Philip Catherine/Coryell - Twin House (1976)
Two For The Roas (1977) - with Steve Khan
Charles Mingus - Three or Four Shades of Blue (1977)
The Eleventh House at Montreux (1978)
Young Django (1979) - with Stephane Grappelli
"The Enormous Radio" (1984) - with Simon Bard Group, Paul Wertico
Together (1985) - with Emily Remler
Spaces Revisited (1997)
Cause and Effect (1998) - with Steve Smith, Tom Coster, Victor Wooten
Private Concert (Live) (1999)
Gypsy Blood and Voodoo Crossing (2002) - Jimi Hendrix tributes with Paul Santa Maria
Tricycles (2004)
Traffic (2006) - with Lenny White and Victor Bailey
Filmography
L. Subramaniam: Violin From the Heart (1999) - directed by Jean Henri Meunier. (Includes a scene of Coryell performing with L. Subramaniam.)
Three Guitars: Paris Concert (2004) - live performance featuring Coryell, Badi Assad, and John Abercrombie.
Super Guitar Trio and Friends in Concert (2005) - live performance featuring Coryell, Al Di Meola, and Biréli Lagrène.
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