goju ryu
Grandmaster George E. Mattson, Uechi-Ryu Karate Legend
I hoped you enjoyed my previous post on Goju-Ryu Grandmaster Anthony Mirakian.
Today’s post features another great martial artist who looks back on more than 50 (fifty!) years of training and teaching Uechi-ryu karate.
Uechi-ryu Grandmaster George E. Mattson is rightfully considered a martial arts pioneer and I am sure you will agree with me after reading today’s post.
Uechi-ryu karate is a powerful, hard style, which even though it is considered Okinawan, originated in China. It was brought to Okinawa in the very early 1900s by Kanbun Uechi. It offers a lot of similarities with Goju Ryu karate. Uechi-ryu is characterized by upright stances, circular blocks, grabs, open hand and one knuckle techniques plus low kicking, often using the big toe.
As a 19-year-old stationed with the U.S. miltary on the island of Okinawa in 1956, Sensei Mattson was the first American to be taught Uechi-ryu karate and consequently the first American to be given a Black Belt Certificate.
Just several years later, in 1964, he was caught on film as a member of a distinguished group of other martial arts legends during Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Championships.
Most of these martial arts greats have been featured or at least mentioned here before.
Check this out:
How many do you recognize?
Front Row Left To Right: J. Pat Burleson, Bruce Lee, Anthony Mirakian, Jhoon Rhee.
Back Row Left to Right: Allen Steen, George Mattson, Ed Parker Sr., Tsutomu Ohshima, Robert Trias.
For a true martial arts enthusiast, this is a truly epic photo.
I just think of how many millions of people, young and old, have been positively affected by these masters’ teachings. Nothing short of amazing!
But back to 9th Dan, George E. Mattson:
Master Kanei Uechi, the son of the style’s founder Kanbun Uechi, asked him in 1958 to introduce and spread Uechi-ryu Karate in America. Sensei Mattson complied and over-delivered. He proceeded in opening a Dojo (school) in Boston and published the very first textbook on Uechi-ryu Karate “The Way of Karate” in 1963.
Since this time Sensei Mattson, who has led the North American Chapter of the international Uechi-Ryu community, has continued to teach countless students from all corners of the world. Many have gone on to become accomplished masters in their own right.
Turning the backs on the cold winters of New England, Sensei Mattson and his wife retired in sunny Central Florida.
Retired?
Not really, because in Mount Dora, not too far from Orlando, you can still watch this Uechi-ryu karate legend teaching at his Shubukan (“House of Warrior Training”).
Jean Frenette, Performing Goju-Ryu Karate Kata And Beyond
Lately, I have been following a number of my fellow martial arts bloggers publish rather intriguing and very insightful posts on the intricacies of kata.
And I must say, while reading these posts I have been learning or better re-learning after many years of not practicing or even performing Shotokan karate katas, which I happen to have thoroughly enjoyed in a former life.
During those kata-filled years there was a Franco-Canadian Goju-Ryu karateka, by the name of Jean Frenette, who really infused the love and excitement for kata in me like no one I had ever experienced before.
He exuded incredible energy and unmatched esthetics all while somehow masterfully combining slow and fast portions of each kata that he displayed.
His superb skills helped him win a stunning five World Championship titles.
Here is a real classic demo reel of Jean Frenette performing with music and I know it’s probably more artistic than martial for some people’s taste, but technically it’s way up there.
And great performers like Jean Frenette most certainly have inspired quite a large number of people to start and even continue their martial arts/karate practice. That’s definitely a good thing.
What I also found interesting about Jean Frenette was that after a very successful karate career he moved on to the movie industry.
One of his earlier roles was in Police Academy 4, in which he played a karate instructor.
During the years he has been a stunt performer in many, many movie productions.
As of late, he was the stunt coordinator in movies such as ‘Eye of The Beholder’ starring Ashley Judd as well as ‘The Aviator’ directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leo DiCaprio, Kate Beckinsdale, Jude Law and many more well-known names in Tinseltown.
His extensive karate training continues to come in pretty handy for Jean Frenette as a stunt performer and now as a stunt coordinator.
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