Paradox - 1996 "Paradox"

Drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Bill Bickford, and bassist Wolfgang Schmid form a creative fusion trio on Paradox. The result is a powerhouse addition to Cobham's discography. The music ranges from the roiling heavy metal sludge of Bickford's "Four More Years," to the full-on funk of Schmid's "Fonkey Donkey," to Cobham's calmly lyrical "Walking in Five." Schmid is the principal writer, followed by Bickford, then Cobham. The best way to set the scene is with Paradox's version of "Quadrant 4." The original was the defining track on Cobham's 1973 debut release, Spectrum. Coming on the heels of Cobham's work with John McLaughlin's original Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spectrum is one of the essential documents of fusion's classic era. The original "Quadrant 4" was a showcase for the late Tommy Bolin -- a bona fide rock star of James Gang fame. The melding of Bolin's speed-freak boogie with Cobham's pummeling whirlwind got the attention of jazz and rock fans alike, achieving almost "hit single" status in both camps. For their version almost a quarter-century later, Cobham and company notch the pace back a bit, getting more heft and torque without losing any of the original's guitar god flash (Schmid almost steals the show with his own axe-slinging).

While Paradox is a tripartite accomplishment, it is also a personal return to form for Cobham, who, after the promise of his early solo career, became involved in many forgettable projects (does anybody remember Bobby & the Midnites?). Paradox doesn't match the howling, apocalyptic thunder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it is the equal of Cobham's own triumphant first release.

Paradox was one fine power fusion trio. Bassist Schmid is a known quantity in Germany. His first marks were made in Klaus Doldinger's group Passport. He has won many German music awards. New York guitarist Bill Bickford spent a decade in the band DeFunkt. Billy Cobham is Billy Cobham. The rhythm section of Cobham and Schmid start "Shoes in Seven" with a rocking beat similar in sound and purpose to Cobham's previous turn in the historic "Right Off" from Miles Davis's Tribute to Jack Johnson. Bickford goes with the flow by throwing in some very effective funky minor 9th chords. As Bickford solos it appears he is indeed paying tribute to "Right Off" as he mimics John McLaughlin's guitar sound. His chord knowledge seems to be very advanced. Cobham has engaged in many guitar/drum "duels" over the years. There is one of those on this cut as well. However, Bickford arms himself with only chords. It would seem he would be outmanned as Cobham usually goes into battle against single-note gunslingers who can shoot faster than the speed of sound. Instead Bickford matches every drum beat with every chord change. (Or is it the other way around?) It is quite an impressive feat either way. It is musical, too. Who knew that Billy Cobham was rocking things out again in a fantastic jazz-rock trio in the middle of the somewhat fusion-stale 1990s?

Before fusion engaged in a seemingly unbreakable love affair with elevators, it amplified stadiums globally with joyous eruptions of lacerating electric guitars and orchestral keyboards intertwined with blaring horn sections. Underneath those plugged-in sound collages were molten hotbeds of relentless rock and hand percussion that propelled all the pyro-madness with funk-informed grooves. Recalling the glory slickophonic years of fusion-rock, Paradox thumps mightily with the same frenetic electricity, extroverted pyrotechnics and herculean strength that elevated the careers of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Weather Report to rock star status. Comprised of fusion veterans, drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Wolfgang Schmid, and guitarist Bill Bickford, this all-star trio stomps like a thumperasaurus monster abruptly awakening from a deep sleep. The combined steroid power of Cobham's muscular backbeats and nasty drum fills, Schmid's thick elastic basslines, and Bickford's electromagnolia guitar musings are a force to be reckoned. From the opening "Fonkey Donkey" which strangely gallops with a subversive nod to Ornette Coleman's rowdier electric years, to Cobham's '70s classic, "Quadrant 4," which features the drumming juggernaut hammering some of his best soloing in recent years, this trio goes for broke with nearly every note. Although subtlety isn't a main ingredient in their repertoire, the relative soft "Walking In Five" and "Late Nite" offer brief moments of quieter pleasures. Light years from being a classic in any sort, Paradox does however provide ample evidence that the '70s jazz era was not a complete waste.

Track listing:

1 Fonkey Donkey (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 5:14
2 Four More Years (Bill Bickford) 8:52
3 Quadrant 4 (Billy Cobham) 5:28
4 Myohmyohyeoye (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 9:25
5 Walking In Five (Billy Cobham) 6:35
6 Jam O'James (Bill Bickford) 5:21
7 Late Nite (Bill Bickford) 9:03
8 Shoes In Seven (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 4:58
9 Five In (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 6:17

Personnel:

- Billy Cobham / drums
- Wolfgang Schmid / bass
- Bill Bickford / guitars

Billy Cobham - 1998 "Magic" & "Simplicity of Expression"

This is a bargain priced CD reissue of two of drummer Billy Cobham's harder to find recordings from the later '70s. Of the two, Magic is far superior and is generally regarded as one of his most interesting recordings in his extensive discography. Magic alone is worth the upgrade to CD; however, the inclusion of Simplicity of Expression: Depth of Thought amounts to nothing more than a throw in. Cobham recorded some embarrassing disco during the late '70s and this is a prime example. The two for one is too good to pass up and makes the CD highly recommended for fusion collectors.

Contains Two Classic Fusion Albums on One CD ('Magic' (1977) and 'Depth of Thought' (1978) ). Featuring Sidemen Such as : Mark Soskin (Piano), Pete Maunu (Guitar), Randy Jackson (Bass) and Sheila E. (Percussion). Includes the Songs : 'On a Magic Carpet Ride', 'Ac/Dc', 'Magic', 'Bolinas', 'Pocket Change', 'Indigo' and 'Early Libra'.

Is there one word which defines this double compilation CD from drummer extraordinaire Billy Cobham? Sure.....it's "ethereal". Here, Cobham transcends his contemporaries, such as Jack de Johnette and Omar Hakim to display not only a surreal understanding of rhythm, but an "ethereal" display of melody, nuance and structure. Check out "Leaward Winds" from the "Magic" album, or "Bolinas" from "Simplicity of Expression, Depth of Thought". The title song from the latter CD goes boldly where many a jazz drummer wish to tread, but cannot successfully navigate. This applies to "La Guernica" from the same CD. No overstatement here....merely the weight of Cobham's drumming flowing effortlessly over an air tight melodic wave of creativity and purpose. A masterpiece.

Billy Cobham - 1977 "Magic" 

 Of all Billy Cobham's Columbia fusion sessions, time has been the most unkind to Magic. Despite some inspired and at times awe-inspiring performances, the album is too much a product of its era, suffering from sickly sweet production, awkward vocal contributions, and ill-fitting clarinet contributions from an out of place Alvin Batiste. Strip away the viscous layers of gloss and indulgence, and Magic begins to live up to its title. Cobham's rhythmic interplay with bassist Randy Jackson and percussionists Pete Escovedo and Sheila E. is nothing short of astounding, as fierce and funky as anything in the drummer's catalog. But the songs are tepid and the arrangements overbaked, not to mention that Pete Maunu's guitar wankery verging on the point of absurdity. All in all, too much of a good thing, yet still not enough.

Line-up / Musicians

- Billy Cobham / drums, hand-claps, vocals
- Joachim Kuhn / electric piano, acoustic piano, Mini Moog synthesizer
- Mark Soskin / acoustic piano, acoustic tack piano, electric piano, Oberheim synthesizer
- Pete Maunu / guitars
- Randy Jackson / bass
- Alvin Baptiste / clarinet
- Pete Escovedo / timbales, vocals
- Sheila Escovedo / congas
- Kathleen Kaan / vocals
- Hojo / hand-claps
- Dennis / hand-claps


Billy Cobham - 1978 "Simplicity of Expression"

 Along with the little known B.C., this is Billy Cobham's most disappointing recordings of the '70s. Like fellow fusion/drumming legends Alphonse Mouzon and Lenny White, Cobham gradually migrated toward disco/funk. His brand of this music sounds worse than most because he continues the propulsive drum style, making for an unbalanced approach. "Bolinas" and "Pocket Change" are embarrassing, but all is not lost as "La Guernica" is a burner. As the so-called death of fusion was fast approaching, Cobham was at a crossroads in his career.

Line-up / Musicians

- Billy Cobham / drums, percussion, background vocals (3,5)
- Randy Jackson / bass, background vocals (3,5)
- Mark Soskin / keyboards (1-3,5)
- Joachim Kühn / Moog (4), keyboards (6)
- Mike Mainieri / vibraphone (4)
- Ray Mouton / guitar (1,2,5)
- Charles Singleton / guitar (1,2,5), lead vocals (3,5), background vocals (3,5)
- Steve Khan / acoustic 12-string & 6-string guitar (2)
- Pete Mannu / guitar (4)
- Alvin Batiste / clarinet (2), woodwinds (3,5)
- Eddie Daniels / woodwinds (3,5), tenor sax (1)
- Kamal / lead vocals (1,6)
- Marvin Stamm / trumpet (1,2,6), flugelhorn (1,2,6)
- Mike Lawrence / trumpet (1,2,6), flugelhorn (1,2,6)
- Wayne Andre / trombone (1,2,6)
- Alan Ralph / trombone (1,2,6)
- George Quinn / trombone (1,2,6)
- Brooks Tillotson / french horn (1,2,6)
- Don Corrado / fench horn (1,2,6)
- David Nadien / concert master of the string section (1,2,6)
- Matthew Raimondi / string section (1,2,6)
- Richard Hendrickson / string section (1,2,6)
- Alfred V.Brown / string section (1,2,6)
- Peter Dimitriades / string section (1,2,6)
- Anahid Aiemian / string section (1,2,6)
- Louis Shulman / string section (1,2,6)
- Jonathan Abramowitz / string section (1,2,6)

Track Listings

  1. On A Magic Carpet Ride
  2. AC/DC
  3. Leaward Winds
  4. Puffnstugg
  5. "anteres" The Star
  6. Magic
  7. Reflections In The Coulds
  8. Magic-Recapitulation
  9. Bolinas
  10. La Guernica
  11. Pocket Change
  12. Indigo
  13. Opelousas
  14. Early Libra

Billy Cobham - 2001 "Rudiments" - The Billy Cobham Anthology

"Rudiments" connotes that this is essential for drummers-and the 24 tracks of straight-ahead, funked-up and rock-infused jazz make it a real treat for the rest of us, too! The tracks are from eight 1973-78 Atlantic LPs and the supporting players include Jan Hammer, John Scofield, Randy and Michael Brecker and more; includes Stratus; Spanish Moss; Flash Flood; Moon Germs; 29; Shabazz , and more. Nearly two and a half hours of awe-inspiring performances!

If ever anybody deserved a two-disc anthology of his offerings as a solo artist it's fusion drummer Billy Cobham. After making his stellar debut with John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cobham made eight records for Atlantic from 1973-1978. To varying degrees, these recordings were true statements on the state of jazz-rock fusion. Many blame Cobham for being a member of the technical-expertise-is-everything school, and to a degree it may be true. But the tracks collected here by Barry Benson and Nick Sahakian provide evidence of something else entirely: that along with technical expertise in spades, Cobham had soul, groove, and a handle on how powerful rock & roll could contribute to jazz improvisation if harnessed in the right way. And every single track on these two discs does exactly that and more. For starters there's the majority of Cobham's classic debut, Spectrum, that featured contributions from guitarists Tommy Bolin (speaking of rock & roll), John Scofield (as he has never been heard since), and John Tropea as well as Jan Hammer from the Mahavishnu band. Spectrum's two finest tracks, "Quadrant 4" and "Stratus," are screaming jazz-rock with just the right hints of funk and groove that would become the hallmarks of Cobham's records after that. Also on "Stratus" it's interesting to note that Cobham and Frank Zappa were going for the same keyboard sounds simultaneously, and not just sonics, but phrasing. The sounds were perhaps derived from the two using the same session players including George Duke, the Brecker Brothers, and Alfonso Johnson among others. All of disc one is pure gold; there's not a weak second on it. And for that matter, disc two is solid as well; it's just that by the time these sets were recorded, Cobham's musical focus had shifted from jazz-rock to jazz-funk. The same tom-tom rolls are there, the constant rim shifts, and shaking, thunderous bass drum blasts and pops. Because of the exhilaration on disc one what comes across clearer on the second set is just how intricate and compelling Cobham is as a composer. These are scripted roles, with plenty of room for improvisation in the middle and often at the beginning and end; they are wonders of musical sophistication and raw gritty funky soul. In addition to almost three hours of crushingly innovative music, the liner notes are chock full of an extensive bio, critical, and session notes, a few outtakes and unreleased cuts and a cool clear plastic slipcase. This set is a document from a classic time in the evolution of both rock and jazz, and should be regarded as an essential purchase by fans not only of Cobham's but Bolin's, Scofield's, Miles Davis' electric era, the Breckers', and of course Mahavishnu's. Zappa fans from the era would also appreciate much of the material here.

Cobham was one of the building blocks of jazz-rock fusion. By the time he started his recording career in 1976, he had been part of three of the most important bands of the '70s, Miles Davis's groups, Dreams, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. A favorite of guitar players and fans because of the way he drives the string players, his debut album, Spectrum, is pure jazz-rock (featuring the late rock guitarist, Tommy Bolin, from the James Gang and Deep Purple). Bolin's tracks are at the beginning of this 24-track, two-CD retrospective and a very young John Scofield, is featured on guitar at the end of the CD. Back in the days before he joined Miles Davis, Scofield was part of Cobham's band that he co-led with George Duke, and of course, that band's funk classic, "Do What You Wanna" is included. In between those bookends are stunning examples of what it means to be a powerful drummer and to drive a band. There are liberal samplings of Cobham's solos, as well as tracks with his group that featured his partners from Dreams, the Brecker Brothers. Fusion lovers can't go wrong here, while smooth-jazz folks could gain a better appreciation of the roots of that genre.

The Good Book of fusion drumming, culled from a half-dozen years in the life of Billy Cobham. After serving in drum corps, the High School of Music and Arts, and the Army band, as well as gigging and recording with Kenny Burrell, George Benson and Junior Mance, Panamanian native Cobham was finally recommended by Jack DeJohnette to Miles Davis in 1969. Things took off like a bullet from there, and soon enough Cobham was firmly established as the Hot New Thing in jazz-rock drumming. He was also noted as a talented composer at the time.
Rudiments picks up following his tenures with Miles, Dreams and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Cobham debuted on Atlantic in 1973 with Spectrum and a band that included Mahavishnu keyboardist Jan Hammer, session bassist Lee Sklar, and young guitar wizard Tommy Bolin (who replaced Joe Walsh in the James Gang and Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple). The first five tracks on Disc 1 are drawn from those sessions, and they illustrate just what all the fuss over Cobham was about. His use of dual or triple bass drums presaged Alex Van Halen by years; in fact, Cobham is an acknowledged influence on most 70s and 80s hard-rock drummers. The hell-on-wheels “Quadrant 4” sets the pace for much of this anthology. Bolin is more honestly blues-oriented than John McLaughlin was, and this track sets the blues caravan rolling downhill without brakes. The long, tense synth and drums intro of “Stratus” collapses into a soulful, Zappa-ish guitar theme. The next three tunes are of similar temperament.

The remaining seven tracks of Disc 1 feature larger ensembles that include the Brecker Brothers and guitarist John Abercrombie. Randy and Mike Brecker poured more fuel on the Cobham fire, abetted by trombonist Glenn Ferris and keyboardists Milcho Leviev and George Duke alternately. “Spanish Moss” and “Flash Flood” are two sections of a tone poem powered by Latin percussion and urgent electric piano. The “Solarization” suite, “Lunarputians”, “Moon Germs” and “Solar Eclipse” (note Cobham’s preoccupation with things cosmic and atmospheric) continue the grand evolution of his pumped-up soul-funk-rock-jazz hybrid. The last track is perhaps the most dated of the bunch, rather like a Rocky soundtrack edit.

Disc 2 continues the odyssey with similar personnel and vibe. “Shabazz”, inspired not by Malcolm X but a chain of bakeries, begins with another thunderous drum solo and ends up in the same kind of groove as much of the prior disc. Things took a heavier turn with A Funky Thide of Sings, his crossover hit of ’75 that ushered in John Scofield. The Breckers’ “Some Skunk Funk” upped the ante of power fusion with its outstanding horn arrangement. “A Funky Thide...” has its roots in martial music as much as the funk. The following year, the horns were gone and Cobham was back to a quartet format. Scofield, bassist Doug Rauch and keyboardist George Duke (under the pseudonym “Dawilli Gonga”) recorded Life & Times, from which tracks 6-8 are drawn. As hot as the horn section was, the personnel reduction brings welcome breathing room for everyone to stretch out. Organist Allan Zavod makes an evocative guest spot on the title track, and Scofield’s own personality begins to emerge more fully.

Next are three tracks by the Cobham/Duke Band, including Scofield again and bassist Alphonso Johnson. Duke’s personal aesthetic, filtered through his experience with Zappa, dominates these tracks but Cobham is not to be denied, particularly his double-bass adventure on “Juicy”. The final track, “Arroyo”, marked the end of Cobham’s Atlantic contract in 1978. It’s back to the quartet again, with John Williams in place of Doug Rauch, and the melancholy vibe of the track indicates the closing of doors and moving on.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Billy+Cobham

Tracks Listing:

Disc 1:
01. Quadrant 4 (4:32)
02. Stratus (9:52)
03. Anxiety/Taurian Matador (4:49)
04. Snoopy's Search/Red Baron (7:44)
05. All 4 One [Outtake]* (4:16)
06. The Pleasant Pheasant (5:23)
07. Spanish Moss (4:10)
08. Flash Flood (5:12)
09. Solarization: (11:11)
  a) Solarization
  b) Second Phase
  c) Crescent Sun
  d) Voyage
  e) Solarization Recapitulation
10. Lunarputians (2:33)
11. Moon Germs (4:57)
12. Total Eclipse (5:58)

Total Time 1:10:30 (70.5 mins)

Disc 2:
01. Shabazz (13:49)
02. Some Skunk Funk (5:11)
03. A Funky Thide Of Sings (3:41)
04. Panhandler (4:07)
05. Neu Rock N' Roll [Outtake]* (6:28)
06. Life & Times (7:01)
07. 29 (2:35)
08. Earthlings (5:07)
09. Hip Pockets - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (7:10)
10. Juicy - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (6:53)
11. Do What Cha Wanna - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (5:00)
12. Arroyo (4:13)

Total Time 1:11:11 (71 mins)

*Indicates previously unreleased tracks

Personnel:

- Billy Cobham / percussion
- Jan Hammer / keyboards (Disc 1 Tracks 1-5)
- Tommy Bolin / guitar (Disc 1 Tracks 1-5)
- Lee Sklar / bass (Disc 1 Tracks 1-5)
- George Duke / keyboards (Disc 1 Tracks 6-8, Disc 2 Tracks 9-11)
- John Abercrombie / guitar (Disc 1 Tracks 6-12)
- John Williams / bass (Disc 1 Tracks 6-8, Disc 2 Track 12)
- Lee Pastora / latin percussion (Disc 1 Tracks 6-8)
- Milcho Leviev / keyboards (Disc 1 Tracks 9-12 & Disc 2 Tracks 1-5)
- Alex Blake / bass (Disc 1 Tracks 9-12, Disc 2 Tracks 1-5)
- Randy Brecker / trumpet (Disc 1 Tracks 6-12, Disc 2 Tracks 1-5)
- Garnett Brown / trombone (Disc 1 Tracks 6-8)
- Michael Brecker / woodwinds & saxes (Disc 1 Tracks 6-12, Disc 2 Tracks 1-5)
- Glenn Ferris / trombones (Disc 1 Tracks 9-12, Disc 2 Tracks 1-5)
- John Scofield / guitar (Disc 2 Tracks 2-12)
- Dawilli Gonga / keyboards (Disc 2 Tracks 6-8 & 12)
- Alfonso Johnson / bass (Disc 2 Tracks 9-11)

...and countless additional musicians (who contributed to a lesser degree and are unfortunately too many to list)

Billy Cobham - 1974 [2000] "Crosswinds"

Crosswinds is the second album of fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The album was released in 1974. It comprises four songs, all composed by Billy Cobham. It was used as the basis for the Souls of Mischief's hit song "93 'til Infinity". Wiki

Billy Cobham's second date as a leader was one of his better sessions. Four songs (all originals by the leader/drummer) comprise "Spanish Moss -- A Sound Portrait," and, in addition, Cobham contributed three other pieces. The selections team him with guitarist John Abercrombie, both of the Brecker Brothers, trombonist Garnett Brown, keyboardist George Duke, bassist John Williams, and Latin percussionist Lee Pastora. In general, the melodies and the vamps are reasonably memorable. Cobham also takes an unaccompanied drum solo on "Storm." Worth searching for by fusion collectors.  All Music

Billy Cobham made this album at a pivotal point. The original Mahavishnu Orchestra had disbanded, John McLaughlin was wallowing, and jazz purists were beginning to complain about the rock influence. Billy helped show a new direction. Crosswinds opening suite has lush and sophisticated horn arrangments, soothing a subtly intense rhythm. The effect is like night, tropical breezes, just as he wants to convey. You can almost hear the ocean, the music of the wild Caribbean (no steel drums of course, just cool). The rest of the album alternates between hot and cool, with some funky fusion and a beautiful extended piece, Heathers, near the end, featuring a trombone solo that sounds like the soundtrack to a loving and relaxing dream. The album is inspired, Billy at his creative best, showing the jazz world a new dimension that fusion had not shown before. At 35 minutes it is a little short, but we have quality here, not quantity. This album belongs in any jazz or fusion collection. By D. M. Paine

"Crosswinds" has been in my vinyl collection since 1974, when I first picked up a copy at King Karol Records on 42nd Street in Manhattan. Well, I recently became reacquainted with this recording after picking up a CD copy at a "oh so trendy" record store in Haight-Ashburry, San Francisco. As I did then, I played the new CD over and over again, completely enraptured by Cobham's "Ripley's Believe or Not" staccatto drumming and Lee Pastora's smoking Latin percussion. Joined by the Brecker Brothers, George Duke, John Abercrombie, Alex Blake, John Williams, Garnett Brown and other great luminaries of early jazz fusion, Cobham and his willing partners beat and shape a veritable masterpiece. Drive along Big Sur and take in the vast and dramatic California skies and scarred bluffs and you'll begin to undertand what hues of emotions this exquisite recording conjures. Crosswinds alternates between adrenaline musical rushes and absolute sublime chill, creating a perfectly balanced sinuous stream of sound. Simply exquisite!  By Hector Reyes-erazo.

I got this album as a gift in 1974 when I was 19 years old. My unsuspecting sister had heard the name Billy Cobham, but did not realize what a masterpiece she had placed in my hands. Although a virtuoso drummer with monstrous chops, Billy doesn't let his virtuosity run away with him. Although those looking for impressive drumming will not be disapointed. His use of time on the the Crosswinds suite, his climactic "Storm" solo the driving end movement will satisfy drummers, air-drummers and percussion fans. This album exhibits Billy Cobham, composer and arranger. With a dark hues on his palette and a wide brush, Billy paints us quite a seascape. The "Pleasant Pheasant",one of my favorites, is energetic, driving, exciting and just a little bit funky. This features an exceptional and rhythmic drum solo. "Heather", what can I say about "Heather", hypnotic, seductive, well paced. It starts as a whisper of a siren's song and builds to what to date might be one of Michael Breckers most beautiful and haunting solos. This one is for the headphones, folks. "Heather" is worth the price of this recording alone. A stellar cast of musicians on this album work in concert and in symbiosis to produce one of the underated recordings in the "fusion" era. No pyrothechnics for it's own sake here. Impressive solo's abound within the context of the pieces. John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Garnett Brown, Lee Pastora ...etc., a dream team of musicians. This album should never have been gone this long from the CD shelves/racks/bins of music outlets. Few of Billy's recording measure up to this one in my opinion. By ND.NY 

Tracks Listing

Spanish Moss - "A Sound Portrait":
1. a. Spanish Moss (4:11)
2. b. Savannah the Serene (5:14)
3. c. Storm (2:52)
4. d. Flash Flood (5:08)
5. Pleasant Pheasant (5:21)
6. Heather (8:40)
7. Crosswind (3:42)

Total Running Time: (35:08)

Line-up / Musicians

-Billy Cobham/ drums, percussion.
- John Williams/ guitar (acoustic), bass (acoustic), bass (electric).
- Randy Brecker/ trumpet.
- Garnett Brown/ trombone.
- John Abercrombie/ guitars.
- George Duke/ keyboards, vocals.
- Lee Pastora / percussions  

Billy Cobham - 1974 [2014] "Crosswinds"

Crosswinds is the second album of fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The album was released in 1974. It comprises four songs, all composed by Billy Cobham. It was used as the basis for the Souls of Mischief's hit song "93 'til Infinity". Wiki

Billy Cobham's second date as a leader was one of his better sessions. Four songs (all originals by the leader/drummer) comprise "Spanish Moss -- A Sound Portrait," and, in addition, Cobham contributed three other pieces. The selections team him with guitarist John Abercrombie, both of the Brecker Brothers, trombonist Garnett Brown, keyboardist George Duke, bassist John Williams, and Latin percussionist Lee Pastora. In general, the melodies and the vamps are reasonably memorable. Cobham also takes an unaccompanied drum solo on "Storm." Worth searching for by fusion collectors.  All Music

Billy Cobham made this album at a pivotal point. The original Mahavishnu Orchestra had disbanded, John McLaughlin was wallowing, and jazz purists were beginning to complain about the rock influence. Billy helped show a new direction. Crosswinds opening suite has lush and sophisticated horn arrangments, soothing a subtly intense rhythm. The effect is like night, tropical breezes, just as he wants to convey. You can almost hear the ocean, the music of the wild Caribbean (no steel drums of course, just cool). The rest of the album alternates between hot and cool, with some funky fusion and a beautiful extended piece, Heathers, near the end, featuring a trombone solo that sounds like the soundtrack to a loving and relaxing dream. The album is inspired, Billy at his creative best, showing the jazz world a new dimension that fusion had not shown before. At 35 minutes it is a little short, but we have quality here, not quantity. This album belongs in any jazz or fusion collection. By D. M. Paine

"Crosswinds" has been in my vinyl collection since 1974, when I first picked up a copy at King Karol Records on 42nd Street in Manhattan. Well, I recently became reacquainted with this recording after picking up a CD copy at a "oh so trendy" record store in Haight-Ashburry, San Francisco. As I did then, I played the new CD over and over again, completely enraptured by Cobham's "Ripley's Believe or Not" staccatto drumming and Lee Pastora's smoking Latin percussion. Joined by the Brecker Brothers, George Duke, John Abercrombie, Alex Blake, John Williams, Garnett Brown and other great luminaries of early jazz fusion, Cobham and his willing partners beat and shape a veritable masterpiece. Drive along Big Sur and take in the vast and dramatic California skies and scarred bluffs and you'll begin to undertand what hues of emotions this exquisite recording conjures. Crosswinds alternates between adrenaline musical rushes and absolute sublime chill, creating a perfectly balanced sinuous stream of sound. Simply exquisite!  By Hector Reyes-erazo.

I got this album as a gift in 1974 when I was 19 years old. My unsuspecting sister had heard the name Billy Cobham, but did not realize what a masterpiece she had placed in my hands. Although a virtuoso drummer with monstrous chops, Billy doesn't let his virtuosity run away with him. Although those looking for impressive drumming will not be disapointed. His use of time on the the Crosswinds suite, his climactic "Storm" solo the driving end movement will satisfy drummers, air-drummers and percussion fans. This album exhibits Billy Cobham, composer and arranger. With a dark hues on his palette and a wide brush, Billy paints us quite a seascape. The "Pleasant Pheasant",one of my favorites, is energetic, driving, exciting and just a little bit funky. This features an exceptional and rhythmic drum solo. "Heather", what can I say about "Heather", hypnotic, seductive, well paced. It starts as a whisper of a siren's song and builds to what to date might be one of Michael Breckers most beautiful and haunting solos. This one is for the headphones, folks. "Heather" is worth the price of this recording alone. A stellar cast of musicians on this album work in concert and in symbiosis to produce one of the underated recordings in the "fusion" era. No pyrothechnics for it's own sake here. Impressive solo's abound within the context of the pieces. John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Garnett Brown, Lee Pastora ...etc., a dream team of musicians. This album should never have been gone this long from the CD shelves/racks/bins of music outlets. Few of Billy's recording measure up to this one in my opinion. By ND.NY 

Tracks Listing:

Spanish Moss - "A Sound Portrait":
1. a. Spanish Moss (4:11)
2. b. Savannah the Serene (5:14)
3. c. Storm (2:52)
4. d. Flash Flood (5:08)
5. Pleasant Pheasant (5:21)
6. Heather (8:40)
7. Crosswind (3:42)

Total Running Time: (35:08)

Line-up / Musicians

- Billy Cobham/ drums, percussion.
- John Williams/ guitar (acoustic), bass (acoustic), bass (electric).
- Randy Brecker/ trumpet.
- Garnett Brown/ trombone.
- John Abercrombie/ guitars.
- George Duke/ keyboards, vocals.
- Lee Pastora / percussions  

Billy Cobham - 1974 [2008] "Total Eclipse" [24bit Remastered]

Total Eclipse is the third album of fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The album was released in 1974. It comprises eight songs, all composed by Billy Cobham. The album peaked number 6 in the Billboard Jazz album charts, number 12 in the R&B album charts and number 36 in the Billboard 200 charts.

This is Billy Cobham's third solo recording under his own name and is a fine follow-up to Crosswinds. The mini-suite "Solarization" not only showcases the band's technical abilities, but also Cobham's strong compositional skills. It also features a schizophrenic piano solo ("Second Phase") from the underrated pianist Milcho Leviev, who sounds like a mutation of Cecil Taylor and Bill Evans. The funky "Moon Germs," on which John Abercrombie is pushed to inspiring new heights, became a Cobham classic. "The Moon Ain't Made of Green Cheese" is a beautiful flugelhorn solo by Randy Brecker backed by Cobham's debut on piano. The band stretches out on the lengthy "Sea of Tranquility," while "Last Frontier" is a gratuitous drum solo. This recording is highly recommended as Cobham still sounds inspired. 

Considering that 1974's 'Total Eclipse' is Mr.Cobham's third studio recording (and was already in pretty heady company in his catalog even when it came out) this is a likely candidate for Cobham's best album and trust me I have heard most of them.Why?Because with the exception of the closing "Last Frontier" (a drum solo) this album is basically devoid of alot of flashy bombastic drumming on Cobham's part.Just great use of sustained intensity on the wonderful "Solarization" suite.

The title concepts for most of these tunes refer to various astronomical phenomenon.And in the case of the ultra funky "Lunarputians" just an excuse to use aliens as an excuse to groove (a concept later used with vocals by a guy named George Clinton).Some elements of this album are very heavily jazzy such as "Sea Of Tranquillity" and the title track emphasizes one of the most important parts of this albums appeal-the tunes here are some of the all time best compositions Cohbam has created.

It wasn't exactly a bad thing either that Billy had the help of 'The Billy Cohbam Players' as they are credited.These players include John Abercrombie,the Brecker's, and the magnificant Alex Blake on bass.And I say that funnily in tribute to some community radio DJ's in my neck of the woods playing acoustic jazz who love to list EACH band member followed by the instrument they play.They probably would never play an album like this on their shows but if I had a radio show I sure would play this....okay MASTERPIECE and proudly list the musicians and what they play because without Billy AND the mutual collaberation of these great artists this album would'nt be exactly what it was.Integrity at it's finest!

When I first heard this album, the musicianship of Cobham and Co. blew me away. This is some of the tightest, well-written fusion material ever presented to the jazz-buying public. I have been waiting for them to release this on CD since CDs were invented!
You cannot go wrong with this album if you are a fan of the fusion movement of the 70's. I would rank this and some of the other Cobham albums above even McLaughlin and Mahavishnu orchestra in terms of ground-breaking musicianship and technical perfection! 

Cobham is the best drummer and on this album he shows his composing ability. Total Eclipse is by far the best in the Cobham collection in my book. John Abercrombie's guitar work is great and the opening piece will leave you on the edge of your seat. There's a little funk and a little jazz and a whole lotta great drumming throughout. GET THIS MUSIC IN YOUR HANDS!!!!

Tracks Listing:

1. Solarization: Solarization/Second Phase/Crescent Sun/Voyage/Solarization-Recapitulation (11:10)
2. Lunarputians (2:33)
3. Total Eclipse (5:59)
4. Bandits (2:30)
5. Moon Germs (4:54)
6. The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese (0:58)
7. Sea Of Tranquility (10:44)
8. Last Frontier (5:22)

Total Time: 44:10

Personnel:

    John Abercrombie – electric & ovation guitars
    Michael Brecker – flute, soprano & tenor saxes
    Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
    Glenn Ferris – tenor & bass trombones
    Billy Cobham – traps, timpani, acoustic piano on "The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese & "The Last Frontier"
    Milcho Leviev – keyboards
    Alex Blake – electric bass

Additional musicians

    David Earle Johnson – congas on "Solarization" & "Moon Germs"
    Sue Evan – marimba on "Solarization"
    Cornell Dupree – first guitar solo on "Moon Germs"

Paradox - 1998 [2005] "The First Second"

Drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Bill Bickford, and bassist Wolfgang Schmid form a creative fusion trio on Paradox. The result is a powerhouse addition to Cobham's discography. Cobham's pummeling whirlwind got the attention of jazz and rock fans alike, achieving almost "hit single" status in both camps. For their version almost a quarter-century later, Cobham and company notch the pace back a bit, getting more heft and torque without losing any of the original's guitar god flash (Schmid almost steals the show with his own axe-slinging).

While Paradox is a tripartite accomplishment, it is also a personal return to form for Cobham, who, after the promise of his early solo career, became involved in many forgettable projects (does anybody remember Bobby & the Midnites?). Paradox doesn't match the howling, apocalyptic thunder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but it is the equal of Cobham's own triumphant first release.

Paradox was one fine power fusion trio. Bassist Schmid is a known quantity in Germany. His first marks were made in Klaus Doldinger's group Passport. He has won many German music awards. New York guitarist Bill Bickford spent a decade in the band DeFunkt. Billy Cobham is Billy Cobham. Before fusion engaged in a seemingly unbreakable love affair with elevators, it amplified stadiums globally with joyous eruptions of lacerating electric guitars and orchestral keyboards intertwined with blaring horn sections. Underneath those plugged-in sound collages were molten hotbeds of relentless rock and hand percussion that propelled all the pyro-madness with funk-informed grooves. Recalling the glory slickophonic years of fusion-rock, Paradox thumps mightily with the same frenetic electricity, extroverted pyrotechnics and herculean strength that elevated the careers of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Weather Report to rock star status. Comprised of fusion veterans, drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Wolfgang Schmid, and guitarist Bill Bickford, this all-star trio stomps like a thumperasaurus monster abruptly awakening from a deep sleep.

Track Listing:

1. Parablue (5:34)
2. Mozaik (8:36)
3. Twistedology (8:16)
4. Pandora's Box (7:58)
5. Subwayer (9:30)
6. Serengeti Plains (10:54)
7. Onece In A Blue Mood (10:37)
8. Nu Mess (0:56)

Total Time 62:27

Personnel:

- Billy Cobham / drums
- Wolfgang Schmid / bass
- Bill Bickford / guitars

Billy Cobham - 1973 [2002] "Spectrum" (Atlantic Masters)

Spectrum is the debut album by jazz fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The album contains much influence of the music of Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra, with whom Cobham had previously collaborated extensively.
Ken Scott, producer and engineer of Spectrum, on recording Cobham's drums: "Bill Cobham's drums were treated in exactly the same way as I recorded every other drummer. I just used more mics: Neumann U67s on toms, D20s or RE20s (at Electric Lady) on the bass drums, Neumann KM54 or 56 on snare, and either STC 4038s or Beyer M160 ribbon mics for the overheads. One other thing: in order to dampen the snare, Bill just laid his wallet on the top head."
Leland Sklar, bassist on Spectrum: "Spectrum is such a benchmark for so many people. There was a sort of fire in it. It was new ground and it wasn't very analytical. It was more flying by the seat of your pants. That's where great accidents happen, which seems impossible these days. We never did more than a couple of takes on any of it. It was more or less a two-day record. It went by so fast."
Tommy Bolin, who would go on to join the hard rock band Deep Purple two years later, plays lead guitar.
The song "Stratus" appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV of the radio station "Fusion FM", as well as being the main sample in the Massive Attack hit "Safe from Harm".

When former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham released the extraordinary Spectrum album in 1973 it had the immediate and profound effect of moving the burgeoning jazz-rock fusion movement into the mainstream. Jazz had started to move away from its traditional foundations with recordings such as Miles Davis’ 1969 album Bitches Brew with John McLaughlin on guitar. McLaughlin then started making waves with Cobham on drums and Jan Hammer on keyboards in the Mahavishnu Orchestra. At the same time, rock music was maturing and becoming more sophisticated.

Spectrum was the album that presented jazz and funk in a form that young rock record buyers could immediately relate to. The door was thrown open for other fusion acts such as Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, as well as Alphonse Mouzon and Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House. On the rock side, after hearing Spectrum guitar superstar Jeff Beck almost immediately went into an intense fusion foray that lasted for many years. Today, as then, Spectrum looms over the rest with it’s incredible blend of chops, power and hooks.
A large part of why Spectrum works so well has to do with Cobham’s choice of Tommy Bolin for the guitar spot. John McLaughlin is rightfully considered to be one of the best guitarists in history, but Tommy’s electric tone was consistently superior, dripping with danger, sex and gut-level impact. Although not as much of a technically studied player as McLaughlin, Tommy still had immense and authoritative technical ability and hung tight to and charged ahead of everything that Cobham’s band of seasoned professionals could throw at him.
 Here's an album that I could easily recommend to any fan of jazz-rock and to anyone who doesn't like jazz-rock, actually. Many people bought a set of drums because of this album. Many drummers sold their drums after hearing this album.
This album is technical perfection, with emphasis on drums - but how many drum-oriented albums that deserve a masterpiece status do you know?
This is not only a masterpiece, this is a desert island album. It will continue to grow on you every time you are listening to it- it's one of those damn albums where you can discover something new every time you are listening to it, even if you are familiar with it for ten years or more.
I prefer to call this one rock-jazz rather than jazz-rock; my impression is that this is a full-blooded jazz album and it rocks. It's a perfect balance of freshness & youth and maturity & musicianship.
The drums are incredible, astonishing and that is all I'm going to say about it. I do not like drum solos - but William Cecil Cobham is undoubtedly a genius, capable to balance everything in a song perfectly.
Most of the songs are interplays between keyboards and guitar with incredibly complex drumming and incredibly simple bass in a background. This formula is applied to almost all songs in the album - plus, there's usually a drum solo as an intro to the song (note the (a) and (b) parts in the track listing).
So, if the album is following some rules so strictly, what is so good about it?
Everything else. Controlled monstrosity, rock mannerism on a jazz background, brief and effective solos. Excellent musicianship. This album is pleasant, furious, focused, groundbreaking. Anything you want.
This albums is highly recommended to anyone on this planet who have some credibility as a fan of serious and intelligent music. Especially recommended to people who are not the fans of jazz-rock/fusion.
This is one of the masterpieces for the centuries to come.

A rock album with jazz sensibilities?; Get in and be amazed at the skill of that drummer!!. Billy Cobham has brought some of the Mahavishnu spirit for this album, with some drum interludes. In fact two song are introduced by two drum spots: "Searching for the Right Door" serves as an introduction for the title track and Anxiety opens for "Taurian Matador". The sax and the flute, unfortunately, serve mainly as accompaniment instruments (with only few solo spots), so the instruments that stand out the most are electric piano/guitar and Moog synthetizer.
The album sets sail with an explosive guitar/drum duo (I believe the guitarist is Tommy Bolin, as it fits his approach to guitar technique and fireworks); a speedy rock n' roll/blues song. Then Spectrum with it's great reed/woodwind arrangements and exquisite electric piano improvisation and the one crazed sax bridge. How about the Moog/guitar duo on "Taurian Matador"?... simply fireworks; amazing interplay!!!. "Stratus" is the longest track on the album andit takes about 3 minutes between studio tricks and drum display, then it builds up as a slow rocking jam. The insightful "To The Women In My Life" (a piano prelude) serves as opening for the latin-injected "Le Lis" and we get to the finale with a wicked "studio trick" track called "Snoopy's Search" which is followed by the legendary "Red Baron", one of my favourites tracks of the album.
A real treat for rock and jazz fans alike, and one of the most memorable fusion albums of the 70's. A 5 star!!

I listened to this album in 1985. It is a very good album, with very good compositions by Cobham who also is a brillant drummer. It is an album in the very "Fusion" style, and maybe it is one of the best examples of this style of music. Cobham selected very good collaborators for the recording of this album. In particular, guitarist Tommy Bolin (who died in 1976) and keyboard player Jan Hammer shine on this album, with Bolin playing very good lead & rhythm guitars on most of the songs (John Tropea also played guitar in one or two songs). Bolin`s playing is particularly good in the song "Quadrant 4". In my opinion, his style was more adequate for the Jazz-Rock music, so I don`t know why he played with Deep Purple years later, as his style wasn`t very similar to Ritchie Blackmore`s and Deep Purple`s. Hammer also plays very good synth solos in his very own style, and also other keyboards. Hammer plays piano in the brief and beautiful song called "To the Women in my Life", which sounds more like an introduction for the next song called "Le Lys", which has the same melody from "To the Women of my Life", but played with drums,congas, electric piano, synth, bass, guitar and wind instruments. In conclusion, is a very recommendable album.

Released in 1973 by Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham, this sensational jazz/rock drumming album breaks boundaries. The album opens with the best drumming track on the album, the groundbreaking "Quadrant 4". With it's near impossible drum rhythm and sensational stamina, whether you're a drummer or nor you will be blown away by this performance. After a complex two minute drum solo called "Anxiety" is the jazzy "Spectrum", which opens suavely with some excellent flute and bass playing from Joe Farrel and Ron Carter. Another track that is really worth mentioning on this album is the funky latin "Taurian Matador", which also has a very proggy feel to it. and my personal favourite track from the album, "Stratus". The track opens with another blinding two minute drum solo from Cobham, then eventually breaks into a fantastic jazz riff, making this my personal favourite jazz song of all time. Even if you aren't a drummer, this album is a must have for any jazz collection. 5 stars.

Tracks Listing

All songs written and composed by Billy Cobham.

1. Quadrant 4 (4:20)
2. Searching For The Right Door / Spectrum (6:33)
- a. Searching For The Right Door (1:24)
- b. Spectrum (5:09)
3. Anxiety / Taurian Matador (4:44)
- a. Anxiety (1:41)
- b. Taurian Matador (3:03)
4. Stratus (9:50)
5. To The Women In My Life / Le Lis (5:11)
- a. To The Women In My Life (0:51)
- b. Le Lis (3:20)
6. Snoopy's Search / Red Baron (6:39)
- a. Snoopy's Search (1:02)
- b. Red Baron (6:37)

Total Time: 37:20

Personnel

    Billy Cobham - Drums (1-6) & Drums, Electronics (solos on '3.a')
    Tommy Bolin - Guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
    Jan Hammer - Electric piano, Moog synthesizer, Acoustic piano (not on 2.b) (1, 2.b, 3.b, 4, 5.b, 6.b)
    Lee Sklar - Bass guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
    Joe Farrell - Soprano sax (2.b) & Alto sax (5.b)
    Jimmy Owens - Flugelhorn (2.b, 5.b) & Trumpet (5.b)
    John Tropea - Guitar (5.b)
    Ron Carter - Acoustic bass (2.b, 5.b)
    Ray Barretto - Congas (2.b, 5.b)

John Mclaughlin - 1984 [2013] "Mahavishnu"

Mahavishnu is an album by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. During the 1980s, John McLaughlin reformed the Mahavishnu Orchestra for release of the two albums Mahavishnu and Adventures in Radioland. This band's overall sound was radically different from the original Mahavishnu Orchestra, in particular because of McLaughlin's extensive use of the Synclavier synthesiser system. This album features original Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Billy Cobham.

John McLaughlin is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in the history of music. Making albums from the 60's through the present, his intense guitar work with The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Miles Davis gave birth to jazz/fusion. In 1984 he formed a reincarnation of sorts of The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Featuring original Mahavishnu drummer Billy Cobham, plus saxophonist Bill Evans and bassist Jonas Hellborg, this high-energy electric album is regarded as one of his best efforts and has been his most sought after album for CD reissue. It is making its worldwide CD debut!

Alot of people don't know this but John McLaughlin was one of, if not the first guitarist to utilize the guitar synthesizer. Now in this recording he utilizes it effectively on many pieces.
For those who are expecting commemoration of the old Mahavishnu Orchestra, you might be disappointed. It's a different band with a more "refined" sound without losing the propulsiveness and/or drive.
Bill Evans saxophone work lends this edition of the band a different feel. Jonas Hellborg is a marvelous bassist and provides a strong undercurrent throughout.
Remember this was done in '85, so the pieces are more structured than the runaway jams of the seventies. Yet the virtousity is there. This and the follow up "Adventures in Radioland" were two of the finer fusion recordings of the eighties.
There is less of the eastern influence in this recording. McLaughlin tone is frankly better here than in earlier recordings. He's less frenetic and is more to the point. Yes, you will find the flying fingers of the fretboard wizardry here but not as an end to itself.
This recording runs the gamut of fusion sensibilities. Bill Evans shines on tenor saxophone. Billy Cobham is Billy Cobham. Just a monster (I mean that in a good way). The pieces run the gamut from introspective to a down right fusion "throwdown".
Put aside your preconceptions and reminiscences about how you remember Mahavishnu. This is a new band and this is a very good recording, well worth getting.

I first bought this album on vinyl in 1986 at Tower Records, Piccadilly Circus, London. There came a point where I no longer had a turntable so I got rid of all my vinyl albums (big mistake!). I was delighted to see the album had been re-issued on CD as I could vividly remember the rush of first listening to this album. This album is a delight for any lover of good music and especially for fans of mclaughlin/mahavishnu/jazz/fusion. There is a veritable feast of delights inducing all kinds of emotions. Like all good jazz you must allow each of the tracks to develop and reach their climax to achieve the emotional high. Beautiful and Nostalgic.

John McLaughlin resurrected the esteemed old Mahavishnu Orchestra for his mid-'80s quintet, even getting old mate Billy Cobham to fill the drum slot on the band's first album. But this is an entirely different conception than any of the '70s Mahavishnu outfits. The sound is cooler, less strident, more thoroughly dominated by advanced electronic textures -- including a sleekly elegant digital guitar played through a Synclavier. Instead of a violin, Bill Evans contributes some swirling and sometimes bop-flavored work on saxes, and McLaughlin gets mobile but not overly combustible support from keyboardist Mitch Forman and bassist Jonas Hellborg. The homages continue; the opening of "Nostalgia" is exactly that, a throwback to "In a Silent Way" as filtered through digital gear. While this is undeniably prog-minded, beautifully played electric music.

Track listing:

1. Radio-Activity (6:53)
2. Nostalgia (5:57)
3. Nightriders (3:49)
4. East Side, West Side (4:49)
5. Clarendon Hills (6:05)
6. Jazz (1:45)
7. The Unbeliever (2:49)
8. Pacific Express (6:32)
9. When Blue Turns Gold (3:22)

Personnel:

    John McLaughlin - Synclavier II, Digital Guitar, Les Paul Special
    Mitchel Forman - Fender Rhodes, Yamaha DX7, Yamaha "Blow Torch" Piano on "Clarendon Hills"
    Jonas Hellborg - Fretless Bass Guitar, Fretted Bass Guitar
    Bill Evans - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute
    Billy Cobham - Drums, Percussion

Additional Personnel:

    Danny Gottlieb: Percussion
    Hari Prasad Chaurasia: Flute on "When Blue Turns Gold"
    Zakir Hussain: Tabla on "When Blue Turns Gold"
    Katia Labeque: Synclavier II with Velocity/Pressure Keyboard (VPK), Yamaha DX7, and Acoustic Piano on "When Blue Turns Gold"

Billy Cobham Colin Towns & HR Big Band - 2006 "Meeting Of The Spirits"

There's been a rush of Mahavishnu Orchestra related projects during the last two years. First there was Mahavishnu keyboardist Jan Hammer playing Mahavishnu music with guitarist Jeff Beck in Europe. Then there was the Jeff Richman-produced tribute album, Visions Of An Inner Mounting Apocalypse. There is the ongoing success of the Mahavishnu Project band and its VishnuFest. And just this month, Hammer shows up on the new album from drummer Billy Cobham.

There's plenty more too. The recent release of the wonderful A Meeting Of Spirits album from the brilliant keyboardist Gary Husband. A cover of the Mahavishnu classic, "Thousand Island Park," from keyboard wizard Mitchel Forman on his new Perspectives disc. And just a few weeks ago, the pairing of Cobham and Mahavishnu violinist Jerry Goodman, who had not played together in over thirty years, for a performance of Mahavishnu music with the hr-Bigband at the Berlin Jazz Festival. Up next will be a DVD of a performance from the second version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974.

We've been lucky so far. Those who have chosen to interpret this engaging, but very challenging, music have produced work worthy of Mahavishnu's legacy. This new disc from Germany's hr-Bigband (a performance broadcast live on German radio earlier this year) is no exception. The hr-Bigband's manager, Olaf Stotzler, had been looking for someone who would take the music and crash through barriers with it—and in English arranger/composer Colin Towns he found him.

Initial exposure to the Mahavishnu Orchestra could sometimes be overwhelming. The original band's complex time signatures, most evident in Cobham's masterful drumming, could be confusing to musicians and audiences alike. But if you stuck with them, you'd likely find yourself locked into the groove. Towns and the hr-Bigband have taken this dimension even further. There are main themes being performed while sub-themes and sub-sub-themes are being played simultaneously. At first it's almost too much—until you remember the spirit of the original band. To take this music out, you need to take it out. Only then do you find yourself immersed in the arrangements and lost in lofty thought.

Cobham revisits his past with fervor. His drumming remains a dominant, driving force. Time has passed and he takes more reflective solos, but his support playing is still powerful and compelling. The band itself is full of accomplished musicians who seem to understand the nuance—even if it is bombastic—of the music. Martin Scales' guitar captures the essence of the original sounds without attempting to mimic them. The horns and keyboards provide their version of swing for music in which sometimes the swing is implied. It's a full-bodied sound with all the power you'd expect from a big band. Yet the players are at home too in quiet sections of great beauty. To be able to carry off that latter aspect of the Mahavishnu music, as required by Towns' arrangements, is key to any successful interpretation of these tunes.

The way the album has been edited creates what could be considered one long composition, seamlessly formed of movements from the first and second Mahavishnus. This imbues a sense of building tension which is released on the final cut, “Meeting Of The Spirits,” and through the joyous yelps of an appreciative crowd, whose enthusiasm throughout is part of the listening experience.

Mahavishnu's guitarist, John McLaughlin, who wrote some of the liner notes, never expected to hear his compositions played by a big band. The music on this CD, he says, is a revelation to him. Meeting Of The Spirits successfully presents Mahavishnu music in a way you'll never have experienced it before.

It’s fair to say that there has been no shortage of bad press for jazz-rock fusion over the last two decades in a classic case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. As a result, the achievements of the Mahavishnu Orchestra have been diminished with the passage of time to the point it now seems like a footnote in the pages of history. Yet the Mahavishnu Orchestra was the next major step in jazz rock after Bitches Brew. OK, it may have triggered the guitar Olympics, where every guitarist wanted to play faster than McLaughlin, but here was the visceral marriage of Hendrix’ guitar sound and blistering jazz improvisation taken to a level of excellence that is now a benchmark in the music.

Billy Cobham, Colin Towns and HR-Big Band - Meeting of the Spirits: A Celebration of the Mahavishnu
While the group is remembered for vistuosity taken to the nth degree, McLaughlin’s compositions for the band, with their intricate melodies and tricky time signatures, are largely forgotten. This project brings those compositions alive, and is a reminder that the Mahavishnu Orchestra were by no means one dimensional. Towns’ orchestrations are a stunning mix of imagination and craftsmanship (‘Birds of Fire,’ ‘Celestial Terrestrial Commuters,’ ‘Meeting of the Spirits’), but they also let the music breath with exciting and wholly apposite solos from the members of the HR-Big Band that show how this music works in an acoustic context.

Axel Schlosser on trumpet on ‘Birds of Fire’ or Johannes Enders on tenor on ‘Dawn’, for example, rise to the challenge of this demanding music with ease and elegance. Cobham’s captures much of the coiled spring intensity of his work on the originals, and has plenty of solo space, such as ‘Resolution’. A great album, which places jazz-rock in a different light – as Towns says, ‘Take a look at this, if you like it, check out the original records. It will enhance your life more than realise!’

Recorded live January 27th 2006, Centralstation, Darmstadt, Germany.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=Billy+Cobham

Tracks Listing:

01. Hope (1:55)
02. Birds Of Fire (6:24)
03. Miles Beyond (4:40)
04. Resolution (4:19)
05. Cosmic Strut (3:42)
06. Dawn (9:08)
07. Eternity's Breath Parts 1&2 (6:41)
08. Sanctuary (9:54)
09. Celestial Terrestrial Commuters (3:18)
10. You Know, You Know (5:20)
11. One Word (11:47)
12. Meeting Of The Spirits (6:58)

Total time 74:06

Personnel:

Drums – Billy Cobham

Colin Towns & HR Big Band:

Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn, Oliver Leicht
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Rainer Heute
Bass Trombone – Manfred Honetschläger
Electric Bass – Thomas Heidepriem
Guitar – Martin Scales
Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Keyboards – Peter Reiter
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Harry Petersen
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Johannes Enders
Trombone – Christian Jaksjø, Günter Bollmann, Peter Feil
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Axel Schlosser, Martin Auer, Thomas Vogel, Tobias Weidinger

Billy Cobham - 1975 [1999] "A Funky Thide Of Sings"

A Funky Thide of Sings is a 1975 studio album by Billy Cobham.

The progressive rock band Caravan would be impressed with the album title. They too specialize in tricky album titles (just check out their 1975 album for proof!) A Funky Thide of Sings is either intended for those who prefer Billy's Crosswinds albums since there's more emphasis on jazz than usual (at least in the song "Moody Modes" which is the longest song here at 12 minutes) and of course, there's a LOT of funk (though not as much as the enthusiastic reviewers below led me to think).

And "Moody Modes" lives up to its name! At least initially. It's quite moody with the repetitive piano line and the dreamy synths. Soon the jazziness gets overwhelmingly loud and the song loses focus for a couple minutes. When the pace dramatically slows down a couple minutes in and a gentle piano solo occurs, I really enjoy this part. Reminds me of a peaceful rainfall in a forest. Soon it turns into a full-fledged piano jam reminding one of classical music. The really big Emerson, Lake & Palmer fan in me loves this part! Then a trumpet solo arrives that feels a bit out of place, but still okay since the notes are good... for the most part. It does wander a bit. Then a bass guitar solo comes in afterwards and tries rocking out on a few occasions which is when I *really* take notice of it. The dreamy jazzy theme returns to end the tune. Overall, a pretty solid song but the trumpet solo is a bit overlong.

"A Funky Kind of Thing" is all about the funk! Space rock drumming to be precise. Wow does this make me feel unstoppable! Like soaring to the moon on a big rocket and never looking back. Some may think this song never truly gets going since it's all about stopping/starting drum workouts, but I have to disagree. I think a lot of these drum patterns are quite good when approaching them under the right mindset. In fact it didn't take long at all to get into them! "Some Skunk Funk" opens on a boisterous note. Of course you can imagine how much funk there probably is... an abundance of it! This is a tightly constructed fast-moving song that focuses on horns playing swiftly to the rhythm, and a magnificent saxophone solo after. This song is written in similar fashion to the Mahavishnu Orchestra with all the sophisticated and tight time changes occurring.

"Thinking of You" is a guilty confession- I LOVE softly played synth instrumental music! There I said it. Despite how dated this sounds and stuck in the mid 70's, you know I just don't care because the mood is spectacular and relaxed. The melody is wonderful too. Oddly I can think of some video game music this might resemble. I'm thinking the Mega Man series, lol! The horns really give it flavor. Perhaps the saxophone solo is slightly out of place, but it too has enough melody that I don't mind. Ah, and then it gets mellow again like it was in the beginning before a jazzy guitar solo occurs (would've been nice if this part lasted a minute longer, huh). Just a great song!

"Panhandler" begins with an eerie type of ambience that reminds me of hiding under a rock until this unexplainable ominous danger above clears. But then... it clears out in a big way! In comes a jazzy rhythm with a funky horn riff. This song keeps a tight melody flowing and even when this extraordinary jazzy guitar solo comes in, the song remains high-octane and awesome. "A Funky Thide of Sings" (I guess is considered the title song- wow I never thought I'd experience confusion in figuring out what the title of an album is but this is one of those cases, haha) starts off a lot like "A Funky Kind of Thing" until turning into a rhythmic horn-drenched steady paced instrumental. Great sax solo near the end.

"Light at the End of the Tunnel" has a catchy intro riff that reminds me of a military march before shifting into a jazzier rhythm. Not sure what makes this song so irresistible, but it could be the heavy thumping bass in the background. Or the amazing Tommy Bolin-like guitar solo that comes in. "Sorcery" is based around a really cool swirling bass riff with other jazzy instruments coming in to enhance the atmosphere. Awesome keyboard solo that reminds me of the same one near the end of... Caravan's "The Love In Your Eyes" suite! Hard to believe I'd be bringing up Caravan's name twice in this review. Seriously Billy Cobham and Caravan are completely different artists 99% of the time!

Overall, the perfect album for Billy Cobham lovers!

Cobhams's long been revered as one of the best drummers on the planet , a distinction shared by only but a few of the top tiered pounders who ever picked up the sticks. A devout fusioneer who cut his teeth playing with the likes of legendary
axmen John McLaughlin , John Abercrombie & John Scofield - anybody who appreciates guitar jam will know of whom i write. Cobham's also surrounded himself over the years with nothing but the best sidemen and studio players such as the late great Michael Brecker and the always inventive bass player and ex Passport member Wolfgang Schmid. Cobham's thunderous drumrolls and triple kick bass drums are his signature sound and to hear them is to realize you'll always recognize , and appreciate what a great drummer sounds like.

Originally released in 1975. While elements of funk were always a part of his band's sound, it was now the primary focus. "Panhandler" stands out as the session's most memorable composition, while Milcho Leviev contributes nicely on "Moody Modes." Cobham fans will want to seek this out for the extended drum solo "A Funky Kind of Thing," which stands as one of the most original drum solos he ever recorded. Of particular interest here is the presence of John Scofield, who had replaced John Abercrombie. Not up to the standards of its predecessors, but a worthy purchase.

Tracks Listing:

1. Panhandler (3:50)
2. Sorcery (2:26)
3. A Funky Thide Of Sings (3:40)
4. Thinking Of You (4:12)
5. Some Skunk Funk (5:07)
6. Light At The End Of The Tunnel (3:37)
7. A Funky Kind Of Thing (9:24)
8. Moody Modes (12:16)

Total time 44:32

Line-up / Musicians:

- Billy Cobham / percussion, synthesizer, arranger & co-producer
- John Scofield / guitar
- Milcho Leviev / keyboards, arrangements (2,8)
- Michael Brecker / saxophone (excl. 3)
- Randy Brecker / trumpet (excl. 3), arrangements (5)
- Glenn Ferris / trombone (excl. 3)
- Larry Schneider / saxophone (1,3)
- Walt Fowler / trumpet (1,3)
- Tom Malone / trombone & piccolo (1,3)
- Alex Blake / bass, arrangements (4)
- Rebop Kwaku Baah / congas (1,3)

Miles Davis - 1970 [1992] "A Tribute To Jack Johnson"

Jack Johnson, also known as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, is a soundtrack recorded by American jazz musician Miles Davis. The album was the second film score Davis had composed, after Ascenseur pour l'échafaud in 1957. In 1970, Davis was asked by Bill Cayton to record music for his documentary of the same name on the life of boxer Jack Johnson. Johnson's saga resonated personally with Davis, who wrote in the album's liner notes of Johnson's mastery as a boxer, his affinity for fast cars, jazz, clothes, and beautiful women, his unreconstructed blackness, and his threatening image to white men.
Jack Johnson was a turning point in Davis' career and has since been viewed as one of his greatest works. Davis, who wanted to put together what he called "the greatest rock and roll band you have ever heard," recorded with a line-up featuring guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, clarinetist Bennie Maupin, and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham^. The album's two tracks were drawn from one recording session on April 7 and edited together with recordings from February 1970 by producer Teo Macero. The music reflected Davis' interest in the eclectic jazz fusion of the time, but also foreshadowed the hard-edged funk that would fascinate him in the next few years.

The first major recording session for the album, which took place on April 7, 1970, was almost accidental: John McLaughlin, awaiting Miles's arrival, began improvising riffs on his guitar, and was shortly joined by Michael Henderson and Billy Cobham. Meanwhile, the producers brought in Herbie Hancock, who had been passing through the building on unrelated business, to play the Farfisa organ. Miles arrived at last and began his solo at about 2:19 on the first track.
The album's two long tracks were assembled in the editing room by producer Teo Macero. "Right Off" is constructed from several takes and a solo by Davis recorded in November 1969. It contains a riff based on Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song". Much of the track "Yesternow" is built around a slightly modified version of the bassline from the James Brown song "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud".This may be a deliberate allusion to the song's Black Power theme as it relates to the film's subject. "Yesternow" also incorporates a brief excerpt of "Shhh/Peaceful" from Davis's 1969 album In a Silent Way and a 10-minute section comprising several takes of the tune "Willie Nelson" from a session on 18 February 1970.

"Right Off" comprises a series of improvisations based on a B flat chord, but changing after approximately 20 minutes to an E chord. "Yesternow" has a similar B flat ostinato and shifts to C minor. It concludes with a voiceover by actor Brock Peters: "I'm Jack Johnson, heavy-weight champion of the world. I'm black. They never let me forget it. I'm black all right. I'll never let them forget it." The album's liner notes provide a description of the music.
Michael Henderson launches into an enormous boogie groove with Billy Cobham and John McLaughlin. Miles immediately leaves the control room to join in with them. He achieved exactly what he wanted for the soundtrack by creating the effect of a train going at full speed (which he compared to the force of a boxer). By chance, Herbie Hancock had arrived unexpectedly and started playing on a cheap keyboard that a sound engineer quickly connected.

None of Miles Davis' recordings has been more shrouded in mystery than Jack Johnson, yet none has better fulfilled Miles Davis' promise that he could form the "greatest rock band you ever heard." Containing only two tracks, the album was assembled out of no less than four recording sessions between February 18, 1970, and June 4, 1970, and was patched together by producer Teo Macero. Most of the outtake material ended up on Directions, Big Fun, and elsewhere. The first misconception is the lineup: the credits on the recording are incomplete. For the opener, "Right Off," the band is Miles, John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham, Herbie Hancock, Michael Henderson, and Steve Grossman (no piano player!), which reflects the liner notes. This was from the musicians' point of view, in a single take, recorded as McLaughlin began riffing in the studio while waiting for Miles; it was picked up on by Henderson and Cobham, Hancock was ushered in to jump on a Hammond organ (he was passing through the building), and Miles rushed in at 2:19 and proceeded to play one of the longest, funkiest, knottiest, and most complex solos of his career. Seldom has he cut loose like that and played in the high register with such a full sound. In the meantime, the interplay between Cobham, McLaughlin, and Henderson is out of the box, McLaughlin playing long, angular chords centering around E. This was funky, dirty rock & roll jazz. There is this groove that gets nastier and nastier as the track carries on, and never quits, though there are insertions by Macero of two Miles takes on Sly Stone tunes and an ambient textured section before the band comes back with the groove, fires it up again, and carries it out. On "Yesternow," the case is far more complex. There are two lineups, the one mentioned above, and one that begins at about 12:55. The second lineup was Miles, McLaughlin, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Bennie Maupin, Dave Holland, and Sonny Sharrock. The first 12 minutes of the tune revolve around a single bass riff lifted from James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." The material that eases the first half of the tune into the second is taken from "Shhh/Peaceful," from In a Silent Way, overdubbed with the same trumpet solo that is in the ambient section of "Right Off." It gets more complex as the original lineup is dubbed back in with a section from Miles' tune "Willie Nelson," another part of the ambient section of "Right Off," and an orchestral bit of "The Man Nobody Saw" at 23:52, before the voice of Jack Johnson (by actor Brock Peters) takes the piece out. The highly textured, nearly pastoral ambience at the end of the album is a fitting coda to the chilling, overall high-energy rockist stance of the album. Jack Johnson is the purest electric jazz record ever made because of the feeling of spontaneity and freedom it evokes in the listener, for the stellar and inspiring solos by McLaughlin and Davis that blur all edges between the two musics, and for the tireless perfection of the studio assemblage by Miles and producer Macero. [The album was completely remastered and reissued in January of 2005, following the 2003 release of the Complete Jack Johnson Sessions box set by Legacy.]

Track listing:

1. Right Off - 26:54
2. Yesternow - 25:36

Personnel:

Trumpet – Miles Davis
Bass [Fender] – Michael Henderson
Drums – Billy Cobham
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Keyboards – Herbie Hancock
Liner Notes – Miles Davis
Saxophone – Steve Grossman
Voice [Jack Johnson's Voice] – Brock Peters