CORYELL AND CATHERINE: A PERFECT COUPLE

Everyone who knows "Twin House", the first LP of Larry Coryell/Philip Catherine's duo, knows that the world of jazz has rarely attended such a "perfect artistic marriage". And, if the popular statement "the opposites attract themselves" is also valid for the artistic marriages, there's the explanation for the brilliant work that those two guitarists guys have developed recently.

Larry Coryell is Texan but he always lived in New York. Philip Catherine is English, of Belgian family and education. Larry is a typical representative of the urban jazz of the east coast of the USA. Philip is influenced by the European vanguard jazz, lately with great influence of the German experimentalists. Larry is observer, attentive and he makes the superstar style. Philip is contemplative, bon vivant and makes the diplomat style.

These two antagonistic characters have been considered one of the most vigorous duos of the current jazz since their meeting on the festival of Montreux in 1975. So big was the success of Twin House - and the satisfaction that it brought to Coryell and Catherine was so great - that the couple soon continued to work through two new LPs. The first, called "Splendid", was recorded in studio and represented a natural continuation of the work started with "Twin House". The new second LP was recorded live in Germany, in a concert already considered "classic" for the duo's fans. According to Larry Coryell's declarations, it was the best presentation they both have ever done, and it was hopefully entirely recorded.

In the back stages of the Jazz Festival of S�o Paulo, Coryell explained to the reporters the reasons of the success of its artistic marriage: " I and Philip understood the music in a completely different way. Our visions and interpretations are always opposite. For that reason, I think, we are always teaching something to each other. Philip collaborates with all that cerebral complication of the European jazz, and I show to him how is the blues of the great American cities. Thus, after fighting a lot, always armed with guitars and acoustic guitars, we ended up creating good music. And the public, that is not foolish, ends up understanding our work. I admit that neither Eleventh House nor Miles Davis' group brought me so much personal and professional satisfaction as those three LPs with Philip Catherine. If it was love at the first sight? Well, I rather prefer to say that it was a fulminating passion at the first chord..."

Article extract from the "POP Magazine", n� 73, 1978 - Brazil

FIRST JAZZ FESTIVAL OF S�O PAULO
Date: September, among 11 to 18, 1978
Local: Anhembi Conventions' Palace - S�o Paulo - Brazil
Spectators: more than 60.000 people.
Artists: John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Larry Coryell & Philip Catherine, Dizzy Gillespie, Taj Mahal, Patrick Moraz, Hermeto Paschoal, Egberto Gismonti, Chick Corea, Joel Farrel, Stan Getz, Al Jarreau, Milton Nascimento, Nivaldo Ornellas, Benny Carter, Raul de Souza, Djalma Correa, George Duke, Etta James, Ray Brown, among others.

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