Larry Coryell

Larry Coryell
Larry Coryell 2009, at "Jazz im Palmengarten", Frankfurt am Main.
Background information
Birth name	Larry Coryell
Born	(1943-04-02) April 2, 1943 Galveston, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, jazz rock, post-bop, free jazz
Instruments	Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Labels	Vanguard, Arista, Atlantic Novus Records
Associated acts	The Free Spirits, The Eleventh House
Website	larrycoryell.net

Larry Coryell (born April 2, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist.

Biography

Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from Richland High School, in Richland, Washington,^{[citation needed]} where he played in local bands The Jailers, The Rumblers, The Royals, and The Flames. He also played with The Checkers from nearby Yakima, Washington. He then moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington.^{[citation needed]} He played in a number of popular Northwest bands, including The Dynamics, while living in Seattle.

In 1965, Coryell moved to New York City where he became part of Chico Hamilton's quintet, replacing Gabor Szabo. In 1967 and 1968, he recorded with Gary Burton. Also during the mid-1960s he played with The Free Spirits. 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. The album sold well in college towns and the ensemble toured widely to support that. 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's drug addiction led to him being replaced by Al Di Meola.

In 2007, Coryell published an autobiography titled Improvising: My Life in Music. Larry's two sons, Julian Coryell and Murali Coryell are also actively involved in the music business.

Said about

David Miller, a Jazz critique from Allaboutjazz in his review of Coryell concert at the Iridium said:

• "This was jazz at its finest—complex and virtuosic yet easily accessible, at times intense, at others fun-filled, and always with the feeling of the unknown that comes with truly spontaneous and inspired improvisation. While the music was steeped in the bop tradition, the musicians continually found new ways to utilize the idiom. Few locations other than New York could host a powerhouse gathering of musical heavyweights of this order, and one can only hope that the shows have been recorded for a future release."

When NPR radio host Billy Taylor, on one of the editions of Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center, introduced Coryell, he said:

• Versatile virtuoso guitarist Larry Coryell proves to be more than an outstanding musician; he’s also a particularly enlightening and affable conversationalist.

Discography

As leader

• Lady Coryell (1969)
• Coryell (1969)
• Barefoot Boy (1971)
• Fairyland (1971) rec. live at Montreux Jazz Festival
• Larry Coryell at the Village Gate (1971) with Melvyn Bronson (bass), Harry Wilkinson (drums)
• Offering (1972) with Harry Wilkinson (composer of title track), Melvyn Bronson, Steve Marcus, Mike Mandel
• The Real Great Escape (1973)
• Spaces (1974) with John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Miroslav Vitous, Chick Corea
• The Restful Mind (1975) with Ralph Towner, Glen Moore, Collin Walcott
• Planet End (1975)
• Larry Coryell/Philip Catherine - Twin House (1976)
• The Lion and the Ram (1977)
• Two For The Road (1977) with Steve Khan
• Back Together Again (1977) with Alphonse Mouzon
• Difference (1978)
• Splendid (1978) with Philip Catherine
• Standing Ovation (1978)
• Tributaries (1978)
• European Impressions (1978)
• Young Django (1979) with Stephane Grappelli
• Boléro (1981)
• Round Midnight (1983) with Fumio Karashima
• The Enormous Radio (1984) with Simon Bard Group, Paul Wertico
• Together (1985) with Emily Remler
• Sketches of Coryell (1996)
• Spaces Revisited (1997)
• Cause and Effect (1998) with Steve Smith, Tom Coster, Victor Wooten
• Private Concert (Live) (1999)
• Monk, Trane, Miles & Me (1999) with John Hicks, Willie Williams, Santi Debriano, Yoron Israel
• Gypsy Blood and Voodoo Crossing (2002) - Jimi Hendrix tributes with Paul Santa Maria
• Count's Jam Band Reunion (2002) with Steve Marcus
• Three Guitars (2003) with Badi Assad, John Abercrombie
• Tricycles (2004)
• Electric (2005) with Lenny White, Victor Bailey
• Traffic (2006) with Lenny White, Victor Bailey
• Larry Coryell with the Wide Hive Players (2011)
• Montgomery (2011) Patuxent Records with John Colianni piano and James Cammack bass
• Duality (2011) Random Acts Records duet with Kenny Drew Jr. on piano

With The Eleventh House

• Introducing Eleventh House with Larry Coryell (1974)
• Larry Coryell and the Eleventh House at Montreux (1974)
• Level One (1974)
• Aspects (1976)

As sideman

With Gary Burton

• Duster (RCA, 1967)
• Lofty Fake Anagram (RCA, 1967)
• A Genuine Tong Funeral (RCA, 1968)
• Gary Burton Quartet in Concert (RCA, 1968)

With Wolfgang Dauner

• Knirsch (1972)

With The Free Spirits

• Out of Sight and Sound (1967)

With Chico Hamilton

• The Dealer (Impulse!, 1966)

With Arnie Lawrence

• Look Toward a Dream (1969)

With Herbie Mann

• Memphis Underground (1968)

With Steve Marcus

• Count's Rock Band (1968)
• The Lord's Prayer (1968)

With Charles Mingus

• Three or Four Shades of Blues (Atlantic, 1977)

With Bob Moses

• Love Animal (1967–68)

With Chico O'Farrill

• Nine Flags (Impulse!, 1966)

Filmography

• Meeting of the Spirits (1980) - live performance in London with Coryell, John McLaughlin, and Paco de Lucia.
• 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.

External links

• Larry Coryell Official Website
• Larry Coryell at Allmusic
• Larry Coryell video interview at allaboutjazz.com