Philip Catherine (born 27 October 1942) is a Belgian jazz guitarist known for his work in jazz‑rock and contemporary jazz styles. Born in London to an English mother and a Belgian father, he was raised in Brussels, Belgium. His grandfather performed as a violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Catherine began playing guitar in his teens and started performing professionally by age seventeen. He released his debut album, Stream, in 1972 and subsequently studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, as well as privately with guitarist Mick Goodrick and composer George Russell. In 1976 he formed an acoustic duo with fellow guitarist Larry Coryell, and later that year joined the Dutch progressive‑rock band Focus, replacing Jan Akkerman.
Throughout his career Catherine has collaborated with a wide range of prominent jazz musicians, including Charles Mingus—who nicknamed him “Young Django”—Chet Baker, Didier Lockwood, Christian Escoudé, Benny Goodman, Tom Harrell, and Stéphane Grappelli. He has also performed with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and appeared at major festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Catherine’s discography encompasses over thirty recordings as a leader or co‑leader, notable examples being Guitars (1975), Twin‑House with Larry Coryell (1977), Catherine/Escoudé/Lockwood: Trio (1983), Moods volumes I and II (1992), and more recent releases such as Pourquoi (2022) and 75 Live at Flagey (2022). He has recorded for labels including Atlantic, Criss Cross, Dreyfus, ACT, and Enja.
In addition to his recording output, Catherine remains an active performer, touring internationally and contributing to the European jazz scene from the 1960s to the present. His playing is characterized by a lyrical approach, blending bebop vocabulary with elements of folk, rock, and classical music, earning him recognition as one of Europe’s leading jazz guitarists.