SYDNEY JAZZ-ROCK GROUP.
Photo left to right: Naomi - vocals, Craig Collinge - drums, Cezary Skubiszewski - keyboards, Phil Parli - bass, Gerry Joe Weise - guitar.
Gerry Joe Weise and Corroboree.
Early in 1978 when Gerry Joe Weise was still 18, he left rock group The Class to join the progressive-rock (or what some people were starting to call it back then, jazz-rock) Sydney based band Corroboree (The Class and Corroboree both had the same manager, Redhead Management, so that was the connection between those two bands). Gerry Joe Weise replaced the original guitarist (one of Australia's best studio guitarists) who declined being a member after being angry when his Mesa Boogie amplifier fell out of the back of the drummer's Ford Escort station wagon. Gerry Joe Weise was only too happy to have a chance to cut-it with such dignitary musicians as Craig Collinge on drums (ex Manferd Mann) and Cezary Skubiszewski on keyborads (ex Alexis Korner).
Later on after Corroboree's first studio recordings, when Craig Collinge was in England in a recording studio, Billy Joel listened to the Corroboree tape, and commented that he liked very much the guitar-work of Gerry Joe Weise. Joel was not the only major artist to appreciate Gerry's guitar playing though. !.................
ARTICLE
"Five talented, creative, energetic and vibrant musicians project their whole personalities onto producing sounds both wondrous and brain straining in Corroboree. Imaginative, unique and free-ranging, their original music covers a broad spectrum with many influences ranging from 76 Trombones to New Wave. Their material shows a good contrast, from the flowing synthetic, through to hard driving powerhouse rock, onto soft sweet thoughtful ballads. These musicians and their music really shine, with their unlimited capacity for producing new alive mind blasting sounds !"
Annie Fleetfoot, Musician's Club Sydney concert, 1979.
.................PROFILES
Cezary Skubiszewski: Born in Poland, Cezary Skubiszewski spent 10 years learning classical piano. He played in various Warsaw bands and formed a Blues group which appeared in the movie "Pageant". In 1971, Cezary worked with Alexis Korner touring Europe, he was also selected to record a radio special with the Fifth Dimension. A n°1 chart success followed in Poland with the group Bemibem who also charted in and toured Germany. During these former years Cezary was moving towards to progressive / free jazz. It wasn't until after gigging with the soul band Enigmatic in Paris, that Cezary finaly moved to Australia. These different music forms were necessary for the diverse keyboard manner developed by Cezary. His songwriting and arranging talents, contributed to the musical expressions and expertise of Corroboree. While with Corroboree, Cezary played a Fender Rhodes electric piano, a Hohner electric clavinet and a Moog synthesizer. He was very influenced by Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin in the those years. Later in 1991, Cezary composed, performed and produced his album "SOUNDeSCAPE" for group and ensemble, commissioned by Art-Ed, the Victorian Arts Centre. He then became a prominent Australian film soundtrack composer/arranger, most notably for the films "Two Hands" and "A Clap In The Hand".
Craig Collinge: Craig Collinge was born in Sydney. With the band Procession, they had the honours of being the first Australian band to release a stereo LP. In 1968 Craig left Australia with Procession to record in England. Craig later joined the famed Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg to form the Chapter Three Band, who recorded 3 albums and toured the United States. Since then, Craig has been the replacement drummer in the Shadows, he has toured with Jim McCartey of The Yardbirds and he has played with Paul McCartney. When Craig returned to Australia, he joined Marcia Hines and later Flinders (with original Corroboree bassist Mike Dickinson). Craig has participated in many Drum Clinics, and appeared at the Expo 77 (with fellow bassist Dickinson) at the Sydney Show Grounds for a jazz-rock Drums and Band Clinic, Gerry Joe Weise was in the audience and enjoyed their Billy Cobham tribute. The rhythm section at the Expo 77, later became the base for the future Corroboree. Craig Collinge's drum style at that time, could be best described as a mix between Billy Cobham, Jack De Johnette and Tony Williams Lifetime
Gerry Joe Weise's original Corroboree 1978 profile: Born in Sydney, Gerry is the youngest member (aged 18) of Corroboree. He has had a strong background of good Sydney rock bands, playing with Skid Row, Siren and The Class. Although standardising his natural abilities to an extent in the past groups, Gerry's ambitions have always been to discover great musicians, both interested and capable of producing the kind of free musical sophistication on which he based his ideals. This ambition has been realised with Corroboree. In which Gerry's unique talents on lead guitar have completed the five-part combination that allows Corroboree to perform with strength and confidence. Since the 1978 profile: Gerry Joe Weise has toured many different countries with his own blues-rock trio. He has released the albums 1994 "Live In Paris", 1996 "A Letter To Jimi", 1999 "Bushman Boogie Deluxe", 2005 "Sydney Paris Blues", 2009 "Blues Down Under", 2011 "Live World Tour 2010". While performing at important concerts and festivals, he has played with B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Noel Redding and Eric Clapton. He has also guest supported Ray Charles, John McLaughlin, The Yardbirds, Pat Metheny, The Scorpions, Buddy Guy, Iggy Pop, Jimmie Vaughan, Canned Heat, Joe Louis Walker, the Chicago Blues Festival Tour and the San Francisco Blues Festival Tour.
Naomi: Born in England, Naomi has had a varied musical existence, which included recording with avant-garde band Rainbow Generator, an Australian Theatre performance with songwriter Ralph Tirrell, and working solo with songwriter Ralph Sneider. Naomi as vocalist, had found in Corroboree an originality of music as stimulating as the material she loves to give her special interpretations, by projecting an intense, aggressive artistic power - which captured the very soul of Corroboree's style and fine instrumentation arrangement.
Phil Parli: Born in New Zealand, Phil Parli moved to Australia in 1967 where he took up playing bass guitar in 1970. He replaced the original bass player - Mike Dickinson: who played with Craig Collinge in Marcia Hines, Flinders and the Expo 77. After Corroboree's early studio recording sessions, Mike Dickinson left the band, due to his heavy scheduled work with computers. Phil Parli: Phil had played with The Vibrants in Melbourne. He formed a band with Rod Stone (formely with Craig Collinge in the 60's) and called it Corroboree ! He had a two year stint playing soft-jazz at the Melbourne West Point Casino, he then came to Sydney in 1977 to join the disco band Karma. He played in the legendary Johnny O'Keefe band, right up until Johnny O'Keefe passed away. Phil then replaced Mike Dickinson on bass in Corroboree, and was the bass player at Corroborre's second studio recording sessions.
Gerry Joe Weise and his all maple 1976 L6S. Corroboree's second studio recording sessions.
