Iridium is carrying on the Monday Night Les Paul Thing by having guest guitarists each week.
On August 31, I saw another amazing performance by my teacher & friend, jazz-rock legend, living-breathing-talking encyclopedia of music, Larry Coryell.
It was January, 1999, in Merrick, Long Island, when I saw Larry for the first time. I’d been studying jazz guitar on & off for a few years. As Larry came off the stage that night, I was waiting in the wings. I approached him for lessons, and a few days later, he was in my TriBeCa apartment. A lesson I’ll never forget.
Ever since then, he’s dropped by for a lesson whenever he’s in NYC, which is about once a year. Since that first lesson in 1999, we’ve evolved a friendship based on a love of jazz, good food, and the occasional Jackie Mason impression.
In addition to being a ‘living legend,’ Larry’s a great guy (he even called to make sure I was ok after the 9/11 attacks, because I live 7 blocks away).
Larry cares deeply about perpetuating jazz music. Check him out live if you ever get the chance; or online here. Buy his stuff here.
Larry crashed at my apartment a few times; here, we’re having breakfast after he played The Blue Note, around 1999:
From 1999 – 2001, I played drums in a jazz band called Don’t Make Me Come Over There. Larry graciously agreed to sit in one day. The recording he let me make that day is a treasure trove of jazz guitar. His playing, while always inspiring, was super human on this day, and still drops my jaw. I’ll never forget how he harmonized the out-chorus of ‘All The Things You Are’ in major seconds!
Ok, that’s what I’m gonna call Larry from now on: The Jaw Dropper.
In a future post, I’ll tell how I was allowed to hang at a recording session with Larry, Lenny White & Victor Bailey, in a church on 20th St; and how I saved the day by getting new brushes for Lenny White when his old ones exploded, just before the last song of the session.
It is the second entry I read tonight. And I am on my third. Got to think which one is next. Thank you.
Try the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival one, if you haven’t already.
Come back in a few week to read how I met Paul McCartney (for real)!