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Saw Larry Coryell last night

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Norm K

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Sep 21, 2007, 10:49:53 PM9/21/07
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I went to see Larry Coryell perform with drums and acoustic bass at an
auditorium here in Richland, WA (southeast corner of the state). I
hadn't seen him since he gigged at my college in the late 70s where he
played intense - and loud - fusion. Last night was a mix of bebop and
some things that were a little more out there. I was really impressed
- he can play like crazy and really seems to enjoy every minute,
including savoring the licks of his band when they're trading fours.

A pretty cool thing happened toward the end of the concert. Larry
grew up in Richland and took lessons from John LaChappelle, a jazz
legend in town who still teaches despite advanced age and frail health
(John's been a member of the musician's union for over 60 years!).
John was in the front row and told Larry that he had a young student
that Larry should invite to join him on stage. So Greg Belisle, this
scrawny 17-year-old who looks like he just got out of bed, comes up
with his ES-135 apparently thinking that he's going to play a little
while Coryell takes the spotlight but Larry had other plans. Belisle
called a tune, but Larry says "I don't know that one - go on and play"
and then walks to the side of the stage. The guy sitting next to me
grumbles that "this is going to be bad," but I'd seen Belisle before
and told the guy to buckle his seatbelt. Greg, looking like he's
about to faint, sits on the stage and counts down Beautiful Love (like
Coryell wouldn't know THAT one!) at a pretty brisk tempo. He fumbles
through the head a little and then absolutely burns it down soloing
over the changes. You could hear oohs and ahhs from the surprised
crowd and Coryell's jaw dropped. Fun to watch. Coryell finished the
night and made it clear that this young buck is good but is a long way
from a seasoned pro.

Gearwise, Larry played a Parker archtop (single floating humbucker)
through a SF Twin and it sounded really nice. The guitar is 175-ish
but has a single cat's eye "f" hole and is non-traditionally shaped --
it looks almost lute-like. I'm a pretty traditional guy but I liked
the look of it.

Norm

tomb...@jhu.edu

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Sep 22, 2007, 12:12:17 AM9/22/07
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Thanks for the review. I also heard Larry with his fusion band back in
the 70s (including Phillip Catherine, Alphonse Mouzon, etc). I heard
him with a great pickup trio from SF around ten or fifteen years ago.
He killed both times.


jimbol51

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Sep 22, 2007, 12:50:04 AM9/22/07
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Norm,

What was the size of the audience? I never knew that Larry grew up in
Richland. jimbo

"Norm K" <theka...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1190429393.0...@n39g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...

RussLetson

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Sep 22, 2007, 4:49:55 AM9/22/07
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On Sep 21, 9:50 pm, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:
> Norm,
>
> What was the size of the audience? I never knew that Larry grew up in
> Richland. jimbo
>
> "Norm K" <thekari...@verizon.net> wrote in message
>
> news:1190429393.0...@n39g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>
>
Oh yeah. I was "stationed" in the Tri-cities back in the '80's,
playing in a few cover bands, ("Trespasser"? "Top Secret" anyone?) I
can remember hitting a sort of intellectual brick-wall one day having
to do with harmony and I called John LaChappelle at some un-godly
hour. He was very nice and told me to listen to more jazz!

Norm K

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Sep 22, 2007, 10:48:59 AM9/22/07
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On Sep 21, 9:50 pm, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:
> Norm,
>
> What was the size of the audience? I never knew that Larry grew up in
> Richland. jimbo
>
> "Norm K" <thekari...@verizon.net> wrote in message
>

The auditorium seats around 300 people and it was overflowing. Larry
did a solo gig in the same auditorium the night before but I couldn't
make that. Seats were $15. Jazz is doing quite well in this area.
The local jazz society has a tentative contract with Howard Alden for
a November gig that I really hope happens.

Larry said he graduated from the local high school in '61, then bolted
for Seattle and beyond shortly thereafter.

Norm

jimmyb

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Sep 22, 2007, 11:33:53 AM9/22/07
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I'd play there in aheartbeat because I can drive it-no airlines

Norm K

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Sep 22, 2007, 11:38:40 AM9/22/07
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On Sep 22, 8:33 am, jimmyb <ji...@jimmybruno.com> wrote:
> I'd play there in aheartbeat because I can drive it-no airlines
>

Jimmy, I thought you were still in the Philly area? That's a long
drive from Washington State. ;-]

Norm


to.vi...@gmail.com

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Sep 22, 2007, 12:01:07 PM9/22/07
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On Sep 22, 8:33 am, jimmyb <ji...@jimmybruno.com> wrote:
> > Norm- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Jimmy,
Please come and play in Spokane! We had Jack Wilkins here a few
months ago.
Thanks,
Vic

Barbeque John

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Sep 22, 2007, 12:32:49 PM9/22/07
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Jimmy, while you are in Washington, come play in Yakima, at The Seasons, a
beautiful old church building with wonderful acoustics and management this
is quite jazz friendly. Seats about 400.

--
Barbeque John

Reality is that which refuses to go away, when I stop believing in it.
Phillip K. Dick


<to.vi...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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Max Leggett

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Sep 22, 2007, 12:47:27 PM9/22/07
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On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:32:49 -0700, "Barbeque John"
<bbq...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Jimmy, while you are in Washington, come play in Yakima, at The Seasons, a
>beautiful old church building with wonderful acoustics and management this
>is quite jazz friendly. Seats about 400.

And drive north to Vancouver while you're at it.


sg...@hotmail.com

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Sep 22, 2007, 7:43:55 PM9/22/07
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Was that the new archtop by Ken Parker called the Olive Branch?
That fuckin' guitar costs $30,000!
Did he ever play it acoustically?
I always wondered how Larry got to be such a great player at such an
early age.
He was playing with the Free Spirits, The Count's Rock Band, Gary
Burton, Chico Hamilton, and others at a pretty young age.
That guy LaChappelle must be a great teacher/player.

Norm K

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Sep 22, 2007, 8:44:55 PM9/22/07
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On Sep 22, 4:43 pm, sg...@hotmail.com wrote:
> Was that the new archtop by Ken Parker called the Olive Branch?
> That fuckin' guitar costs $30,000!
> Did he ever play it acoustically?

It was this one -- http://www.parkerguitars.com/code/models/models_jazzpj14_intro.asp.
Don't know the price. He only played it plugged in.

Norm

sg...@hotmail.com

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Sep 22, 2007, 11:34:59 PM9/22/07
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On Sep 22, 8:44 pm, Norm K <thekari...@verizon.net> wrote:
> On Sep 22, 4:43 pm, sg...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> > Was that the new archtop by Ken Parker called the Olive Branch?
> > That fuckin' guitar costs $30,000!
> > Did he ever play it acoustically?
>
> It was this one --http://www.parkerguitars.com/code/models/models_jazzpj14_intro.asp.

> Don't know the price. He only played it plugged in.
>
> Norm

No, that's not the Olive Branch.
I don't think Ken Parker was still around when they started making
these guitars.
It's one of their recent jazz models, with an egnator pickup.
I think they're "only" $2,000. Definitely not the $30,000 Olive
Branch.
Still, if you say it sounded good, that's all that matters.
If you like easy necks to play, precision, good intonation and few
dead spots, Parkers are the guitars for you.
I don't think they can get the warm sound of a Tele, Strat, or Gibson,
though.
Probably no piezo on this model.

pmfan57

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Sep 23, 2007, 12:26:56 AM9/23/07
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He's playing the Cort on this one, I think, which is way less than
$30K!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5EGGx1nOes

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