Gerry Joe Weise and Cezary Skubiszewski.
CORROBOREE
1970s Jazz Fusion Band, Sydney Australia.
Corroboree: Naomi (vocals), Craig Collinge (drums), Cezary Skubiszewski (keyboards), Bassman (bass), Gerry Joe Weise (guitar), Sydney Australia 1978.
Gerry Joe Weise and Cezary Skubiszewski.
Gerry Joe Weise and Cezary Skubiszewski.
In 1978 through 1979, Gerry Joe Weise joined the fusion group Corroboree that was led by keyboardist and composer Cezary Skubiszewski. Gerry Joe also studied under Cezary's mentorship, the fundamentals of modal composition centering around the 7 Modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phyrigian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian; as well as the use of Synthetic Modes. To which Gerry Joe uses today on his many albums and singles, by the labels Blues Breaking Records USA and Contemporary ARC Australia. Ranging from songwriting with his blues trios, to jazz improvisation, to composing orchestral sinfoniettas and concertos for symphonic orchestra.
Gerry Joe Weise in the recording studio with Corroboree, Sydney Australia 1979, playing a 1976 Gibson L6S all maple wood guitar.
Cezary Skubiszewski in the recording studio with Corroboree, Sydney Australia 1979, playing a mid 1970s Moog synthesizer.
Gerry Joe Weise (guitar) and Corroboree.
Born in 1959, Sydney, Australia. Early in 1978 when Gerry Joe Weise was still 18, he left the rock group Class to join the progressive Jazz Fusion Sydney based band Corroboree (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 Cezary Skubiszewski on keyborads (ex Alexis Korner) and Craig Collinge on drums (ex Manferd Mann). 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.
Cezary Skubiszewski (keyboards) and Corroboree.
Born in 1949, Warsaw, Poland. A Polish Australian composer for film, television and orchestra (awards: AFI/AACTA, Screen Music, APRA). He studied the piano from the age of six and spent 10 years learning Classical music. Together with Alexander Bem he formed a band which in the late 1960s played the clubs under various names (e.g. ACB) in Warsaw. Cezary toured Europe with Alexis Korner in the early 1970s, after a year of living in Paris, he migrated to Australia in 1974. He formed Corroboree in 1977 to 1980, which was based in Sydney.
In Corroboree Cezary Skubiszewski's composing and arranging talents on keyboards, contributed to the musical expressions and expertise of this experimental jazz fusion band. He played a Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner electric clavinet and a Moog synthesizer. He was very influenced by Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin in the those formative years during the 1970s.
Corroboree: Bassman (bass), Naomi (vocals), Gerry Joe Weise (guitar), Craig Collinge (drums), Cezary Skubiszewski (keyboards), Sydney 1978.
Corroboree (review).
Annie Fleetfoot, Musician's Club, Sydney 1979.
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!
Corroboree: Gerry Joe Weise (guitar), Naomi (vocals), Craig Collinge (drums), Bassman (bass), Cezary Skubiszewski (keyboards), Chatswood, Sydney 1978.
(All photos by Lee.)
Naomi (vocals) was born in England, and 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 (bass) was 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 had played with The Vibrants in Melbourne. He formed a band with Rod Stone (formely with Craig Collinge in the 60s) 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.
Craig Collinge (drums) 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.