Tommy Bolin - 1989 "The Ultimate"

Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin (August 1, 1951 – December 4, 1976) was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), The James Gang (from 1973 through 1974), and Deep Purple (from 1975 to 1976); in addition to maintaining a notable solo career.

Although guitarist Tommy Bolin died well before his time, he left a wide variety of scattered recordings behind (as both a session musician and permanent member of several rock bands). One of the more versatile guitarists of all-time, Bolin touched upon many different styles - blues rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion, and serene ballads, which are all on display on 1989's 2-CD boxset, The Ultimate. In addition to the music, the set comes with a large, gorgeous booklet chock full of pictures, plus a very detailed and informative biography. Disc 1 chronicles Bolin's early years, and while it contains several standouts (the amazing instrumental "Quadrant 4" with Billy Cobham, The James Gang's "Alexis" and "Standing In the Rain," etc.), the selections by his first band, Zephyr, and as a hired hand with a Zep-clone band called Moxy, have not aged well. Disc 2 proves to be more consistent, including tracks with jazz drummer Alphonse Mouzon ("Golden Rainbows," "Nitrogyclerin"), as part of Deep Purple's final '70s line-up ("Gettin' Tighter," "Owed to G"), and as a solo artist ("Dreamer," "Teaser," "Sweet Burgundy," "Shake the Devil," etc.). Although the set was out-of-print by the late-90's, 'The Ultimate' serves as a solid introduction to the talents of the great Tommy Bolin.

This is a grandly packaged retrospective of Tommy Bolin's work, and a must for collectors. It includes songs from Zephyr, The James Gang, Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, Moxy, Deep Purple, and Tommy's two Solo Ablums (Teaser and Private Eyes). There is also a previously unreleased accoustic version of "People, People" (called "Brother, Brother") that sets the stage for later releases of archived tapes. A wonderful biographical picture booklet accompanies this 2CD box set, which is heavily laden with trivia to bring back even the most ardent fan again and again to check over the facts and timelines.

1989 2-disc 12" x 12" Geffen Records CD box set with 24-page oversized booklet complete with photographs and history of Tommy Bolin's too-short music career, from Zephyr through jazz fusion and Deep Purple to two critically-acclaimed solo albums.

The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin (Geffen Records/1989) is a spectacular two-CD box set that highlights the recording career of the late Tommy Bolin. Unfortunately, substance abuse resulted in the tragic death of Bolin at a very young age. Tommy left the world prematurely, but before he passed-on, he left a his mark with inspired music that will live on forever. With a cosmic aura, and incredible fretboard prowess, many considered Bolin the successor to the legendary Jimi Hendrix.

Tommy's gifted work is well documented throughout this exceptional collection of diverse tracks that spans his short, but illustrious career. From his early efforts, to the very end, The Ultimate tells the story of Tommy Bolin's expressive song writing, and incredible guitar playing ability. Bolin's recordings with Zephyr, The James Gang, Deep Purple, plus sessions work and solo material, are included on the pair of discs from the Ultimate retrospective.  

The box set also includes a beautiful and detailed booklet, featuring Simon Robinson's liner notes, as well as numerous photographs that span Tommy Bolin's shortm but dynamic life. The cover shot of Tommy, performing in a haze of purple, while working the fretboard of his Fender Stratocaster is an incredible photograph that captures the Sioux City, Iowa native in full six-string-sting.

Tommy was comfortable playing hard rock, ballads, jazz, and funk. That fact is clearly evident throughout The Ultimate: The Best of Tommy Bolin. The legendary Tommy Bolin is missed in a major way, but one and all that heard his music were touched by magic.  

Tommy Bolin R.I.P.

TRACK LISTING:

Disc One:
1. ZEPHYR: Sail On
2. ZEPHYR: Cross the River
3. ZEPHYR: See My People Come Together
4. ZEPHYR: Showbizzy
5. JAMES GANG: Alexis
6. JAMES GANG: Standing in the Rain
7. JAMES GANG: Spanish Lover
8. JAMES GANG: Do It
9. BILLY COBHAM: Quadrant 4
10. MOXY: Train
11. MOXY: Time to Move On

Disc Two:
1. ALPHONSE MOUZON: Golden Rainbows
2. ALPHONSE MOUZON: Nitroglycerin
3. DEEP PURPLE: Gettin' Tighter
4. DEEP PURPLE: Owed to 'G'
5. DEEP PURPLE: You Keep On Moving
6. DEEP PURPLE: Wild Dogs
7. TOMMY BOLIN: Dreamer
8. TOMMY BOLIN: People, People
9. TOMMY BOLIN: Teaser
10. TOMMY BOLIN: Sweet Burgundy
11. TOMMY BOLIN: Shake the Devil
12. TOMMY BOLIN: Brother, Brother.

Personnel:

Glenn Hughes Bass Lee Sklar Bass Dale Peters Bass Reggie McBride Bass Terry Juric Bass WALLEZ Bass Henry E. Davis Bass VIOLONS DU ROY-QUEBEC Bass David Givens Bass Bill Wade Drums Jeff Pocaro Drums Ian Paice Drums Billy Cobham Drums Robbie Chamberlain Drums Bobby Berge Drums Alphonse Mouzon Drums Jim Fox Drums John Faris Flute Tommy Bolin Guitar Earl Johnson Guitar Buddy Caine Guitar Candy Givens Harmonica Mark Stein Keyboards Stanley Sheldon Keyboards Jan Hammer Keyboards John Faris Keyboards Tommy Bolin Keyboards David Foster Keyboards Jerry Peters Keyboards Jon Lord Keyboards Tommy Bolin Main Performer Bob Hall Percussion Rafael Cruz Percussion Norma Jean Bell Percussion Sammy Figueroa Percussion Norma Jean Bell Saxophone David Sanborn Saxophone Glenn Hughes Vocals Buzz Shearman Vocals Roy Kenner Vocals Candy Givens Vocals Tommy Bolin Vocals Dale Peters Vocals Reggie McBride Vocals David Givens Vocals David Coverdale Vocals Mark Stein Vocals WALLEZ Vocals Robbie Chamberlain Vocals

Tommy Bolin - 1974 [1996] "Live at Ebbets Field"

During his tragically short career, Tommy Bolin played with many different musicians and bands. In early June 1974, Bolin was still a member of the about-to-splinter James Gang, and decided to book a couple of nights at the Denver club Ebbets Field to try out some new material he'd written. He called upon his old band Energy to back him up, and the show (finally officially released on CD) is a guitar player's dream, especially for those into the classic sounds of Jeff Beck, Santana, and Hendrix. And even though the five songs that contain vocals (courtesy of Jeff Cook) are quite good, it's the other five instrumental tracks that make this disc a fine testament to the Tommy Bolin legacy. Bolin lends his touch to such raging rockers as the opening "You Know, You Know" and "Homeward Strut," while fans of the Allman Brothers should definitely check out "Shakin' All Night," with its fluid slide guitar work. Also included are nasty renditions of the blues-rock standards "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "Ain't No Sunshine," combined as a medley. Even though some of these tracks ("San Francisco River," "Stratus," etc.) have been issued on some of the other releases from the Tommy Bolin Archives record label, they are all versions from different recording dates. This is an excellent live document showing what Bolin could accomplish while jamming for fun, in the company of some good friends. All Music.

Live At Ebbets Field 1974 is simple amazing. Combining Tommy's virtuoso jazz/rock/fusion guitar playing with an incredible rhythm section, this CD simply blows me away. From the opening "You Know, You Know" to the heart-pounding "Crazed Fandago" to the closing "Stratus" this CD showcases Tommy at his best. A must-have not only for Tommy Bolin fans but for anyone interested in exploring the electric guitar world.

This has to be one of the best Tommy Bolin cds out as far as his guitar playing is concerned. Great solos straight ahead rock and roll. I like most of the stuff Tommy has out but this was him cutting loose if you like live cds by Rory Gallgher or Joe Bonamassa then you will love this. Thanks for reading.

When Tommy Bolin took a break from being in the James Gang, and returned home to Colorado 1974, he gathered up some of his closest musical buddies for two nights of performances at Denver's legendary tiny Ebbets Field. Both nights were broadcast on the radio, and the result is this CD. If you love technically charged, inventive passionate guitar music that flows from powerful rock to over the top fusion playing, this set is for you. In it, Bolin proves why he is one of the most loved and respected of guitar cult legends. The likes of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, Vernon Reid, and David Hidalgo are all huge fans of Bolin. With the purchase of this CD, you will understand why.

Tommy Bolin was in the midst of a tour with the James Gang in 1974 when he returned to Colorado and broadcast two nights of performances on the radio with friends, luckily someone recorded it and that is what you have on this CD - this was when he was fairly straight and his playing had not started to deteriorate once heroin started taking over in late 75 and 76 - his playing is still strong, fiery, funky and outta site ---- there are previews of songs here that would make it onto the following years "Teaser" album but for the most part this is a jam album with covers of blues songs and jazz and fusion numbers by groups that Tommy admired, leaving plenty of room for him to solo --- and boy does he deliver on those goods - at the end of the CD someone yells out for him to do a song from Spectrum, the Billy Cobham album he appeared on the previous year and Tommy agrees, rounding out the album with an exploding version of "stratus" - the solo on that song alone as it builds up intensity, power and distortion is worth the price of this CD alone - if you are new to Tommy's music this CD and the above mentioned Spectrum CD are where you need to start - he did great work on James Gang "Bang" and DP's "Come Taste the Band" but Ebbets Field 74 and Spectrum are the Kentucky Derby/ Indy 500 checkered flag winners - by far - SMOKIN.....

Tommy Bolin as blues-rock guitar hero, unleashed in a way he never was on his studio recordings. The beefed-up triple percussion section propels him through his most aggressive playing; blues covers, jazz fusion, molten hard rock, and the first airing of “Homeward Strut.” Again, the Zebra Records version adds sonic quality. This CD is culled from the 2 nights of live performances at Ebbets Field in Denver that Tommy put together during the time he was in The James Gang. The band was basically the then defunct Energy, Jeff Cook, Stanley Sheldon, and Bobby Berge, and guests Archie Shelby and Russell Bizet. The format of these shows allowed Tommy to dominate with some of his most ferocious guitar work. Songs include “You Know You Know,” “San Francisco River,” “Shakin’ All Night,” “Walkin’ My Shadow,” “Born Under a Bad Sigh/Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Crazed Fandango,” “Honey Man,” and “Stratus.” 63 Minutes.

 Track Listings

  1. You Know, You Know
  2. San Francisco River
  3. Shakin' All Night
  4. Whiskey Headed Woman
  5. Walkin' My Shadow
  6. Born Under A Bad Sign/Ain't No Sunshine
  7. Crazed Fandango
  8. Ain't Nobody's Fool
  9. Homeward Strut
  10. Honey Man
  11. Stratus

Pesonnel:

    Tommy Bolin - Guitar
    Stanley Sheldon - Bass
    Bobby Berge, Russell Bizet - Drums
    Archie Shelby - Percussion
    Jeff Cook - voice

Deep Purple - 1976 [1995] "King Biscuit Flower Hour"

King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Deep Purple in Concert is a live album taken from a Deep Purple performance originally broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour, released in July 1995. It contains concert material featuring the Mark IV line-up with Tommy Bolin. The concert was recorded at the Long Beach Arena on 27 February 1976. The album contains four bonus tracks recorded at a Deep Purple concert in Springfield in January, 1976. This concert was originally intended to be used for the King Biscuit broadcast, but imperfections in the recording made the entire show unsuitable for airing and forced the second taping in Long Beach one month later.
The album was released in the U.K. under the title On the Wings of a Russian Foxbat. In 2000, a partial set consisting of ten songs was published by BMG under the name Extended Versions. The album was remastered and re-released with new cover art as Live at Long Beach 1976 on 24 February 2009 by Purple Records.
Note the CD1 track listing quotes "The Grind" as being performed; this is incorrect as it is the Bolin solo song "Homeward Strut".

This live album captures a complete show by Deep Purple Mach IV, featuring Tommy Bolin on guitar, recorded at Long Beach Arena, with two bonus tracks from a show in Springfield, MA. This lineup was not always good in concert -- Bolin, who had a drug problem, was erratic -- but they've got it together here, though David Coverdale isn't in great voice. Bolin has a different canvas of sounds and ideas than his predecessor Ritchie Blackmore, but he's a very fine player, and he does a good job fitting into Purple classics like "Smoke on the Water." There are several songs from this lineup's only studio album, Come Taste the Band, as well as one from Bolin's solo album, Teaser. Bassist Glenn Hughes' soul-influenced singing is more prominent than in the past, and Jon Lord plays clarinet and Keith Emerson-style synthesizers in addition to his trusty Hammond organ. Hughes and Bolin shine on "This Time Around," but Hughes' over-the-top "Georgia on My Mind" is just grating. All of this makes for an album unlike any other live Purple recording. [King Biscuit Flower Hour: In Concert was also released in Europe under the title Live in California 1976: On the Wings of a Russian Foxbat.] 

The King Biscuit Flower Hour in association with the DIR Network, is a one hour weekly radio broadcast of live concert performances. Deep Purple Mark IV - Tommy Bolin, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord and Ian Paice was recorded live on February 27, 1976, in Long Beach, California, for the KBFH. The live tracks are included on this two-CD set, which also includes four bonus cuts, taken from a show in Springfield, Mass., on January 26, 1976.
This is a noteworthy live collection, as it is the only authorized concert release featuring the Mark IV lineup. The recording is taken from tour dates in support of Purple's Come Taste the Band album.
The initial plan was to record the Springfield concert and air the tracks a few weeks later on the radio show. However, most of the material from the Springfield show had to be scrapped, due to a severe buzz from Bolin's guitar amp. The few songs that were salvaged from this date, are included as noted above as bonus material.
As a result of the recording problems, another Deep Purple show had to be recorded. Therefore plans were made to tape the Long Beach performance.  Fortunately there were no problems laying down the live tracks from the California show. The King Biscuit Flower Hour broadcast, featuring Deep Purple aired a few months later.
The highlights from the pair of live disc's include the searing opening action of "Burn", "Gettin' Tighter", "Love Child", the lenghty "Lazy", "This Time Around", "Stormbringer", and the rubber-burnin' "Highway Star".
At the end of Deep Purple's 1976 tour, the band called it a day. Tommy Bolin went on to pursue his solo career, but sadly Bolin passed away in December of '76. David Coverdale formed Whitesnake, along with Jon Lord and Ian Paice, while Glenn Hughes undertook a variety of projects. 

People most likely pass on this do to the inclusion of Coverdale on vox, and Tommy Bolin on guitar But I'm here to tell you this is a kicker, with every song being some hard rock brilliance. Coverdale and Hughes are both great singers, Bollin rips, and todays favorite Purple tunes are "Burn" and "Stormbringer". On top of all that, sound quality is excellent. Recorded Jan. 1976.

Crank up the volume, break out the platform shoes, and put on a black t-shirt reading either "The Ultimate" or "Wild West Clothing Company" for this fabulous 2-CD set recorded early in 1976 on Deep Purple Mark IV's tour of America! It just rips Last Concert In Japan to shreds. After a rough start in the East, the Bolin/Coverdale/Hughes/Lord/Paice lineup hit the States in early 1976 and played some decent shows; the Purple magic was back even if Blackmore was gone. Sadly, when the hit the UK in March, the problems began again and then it was all over...but on February 27, 1976 it was time for DP to rock the mutha------' house! CD 1: 1. Burn--everyone in the band is clearly glad to be off the bus tonight. Bolin's rhythm work is turned up in the mix, far different from the Japan album. His solo exhibits his fusion-y side. Coverdale and Hughes sound just okay here. 2. Lady Luck--a song about a lady who sells herself for money (own up, gentlemen, we love 'em, intones Coverdale). Very tight and punchy, great slide guitar solo. Oww! 3. Gettin' Tighter--here Glenn Hughes comes to fore in a version much longer than the album. Hughes and Bolin do some great guitar-and-bass duelling which gets funky at times, before they launch into that "You got to dance, to the rock-n-roll" riff/jam which we'll soon get to here in abundance on the June 1975 California rehearsals CDs. Perhaps funk was not what DP was about, but here it's just too fun to criticize. 4. Love Child-here Bolin gets to interact with Lord in a slower funk groove. Much better than the LCIJ version. 5. Smoke on the Water--not the highlight of the album, but a decent rocker nonetheless. Towards the end Coverdale improvises on Bad Company's Wild Fire Woman (I start to shiver an' shake, I just can't wait), and then everything quiets down so Glenn can sing an ear-piercing version of Georgia On My Mind (take that, Michael Bolton!) Again, not very Purple-like, this gospel ballad, but oh well... 6. Lazy/The Grind--perhaps Lord's solo which begins it is overly long, but he gets to do some neat sci-fi effects I've never really heard on any other '70s Purple live set. Then the rest of the band comes in, and Coverdale and Hughes trade the vocals off quickly, leading up to one of Paice's best drum solos (although I haven't mentioned little Ian til now, rest assured he plays as good if not better on this whole album than anywhere else). When the band comes in, they do some of Tommy's solo tune Homeward Strut (NOT The Grind, as the notes claim). It sounds pretty cool, especially since Lord gets to jam on it. CD 2: 1. This Time Around--I don't like it as much as the album version, but the soloing at the end is pretty intense. 2. Tommy Bolin guitar solo--Here Tommy gets to stomp on his echoplex and do a little delay/overdub work to the delight (or is it chagrin?) of the audience. The audience seems to be heckling him a bit. By the way, does anyone else here think some of his licks here sound kind of like Ace Frehley's? 3. Stormbringer--the most powerful version ever. YES, even better than live versions with Blackmore. Everyone is just slamming into this one. Then comes a breakdown where Coverdale starts improvising to the tune of Sly's "Thank You For Lettin' Me Be Mice Elf Agin." When the power chords come back in, it's as doomy as anything by Sabbath or Pantera, and Coverdale's final scream towards the end rivals the one he does in Whitesnake's "Still of the Night." 4. Highway Star/Not Fade Away--decent version, similar to the one on LCIJ. Bonus Tracks (recorded at a different show on the same tour): 1. I'm Going Down--Coverdale and Hughes display some rather racy language from here on out, so send the kids to bed. This version is just okay, not quite as good as the one on the Final Mk. III Concerts. 2. Highway Star--see above. 3. Smoke On The Water--not as good as the version on disc one, but still better than LCIJ. 4. Georgia On My Mind--Glenn once again tries to shatter glass with his Stevie Wonder meets Rob Halford vocal tones. Whew...what a live disc. Yes, Mk. IV could play some great shows when they laid off the sex and drugs and concentrated on rock and roll! 

For fans of Tommy Bolin in Deep Purple this release comes as a godsend. For fans of the the Blackmore Deep Purple this release comes as a chance to hear the man fill in what was claimed to be unfillable shoes. This concert isn't the band at it's finest nor was it going to win over hard-core Blackmore fans who saw the show. This concert is however showing Tommy Bolin in top-notch form and his playing is steller throughout the entire show. He plays the older Purple songs with the same charisma as the newer material off "Come Taste the Band",the album the band was touring behind. For the rest of the band Jon Lord and Ian Paice never let you down as they are the two mainstays in this rock n' roll machine. Glenn Hughes voice hits notes into the atmoshere and at sometimes it's almost annoying. Finally, frontman David Coverdale sounds tired and going up agains't Hughes doesn't make him sound like he's the lead vocalist anyway. But don't be discouraged by this, the band present themselves in rare jazz-funk-fusion form due in large part with the addition of Tommy Bolin. A rare opportunity to hear since no other incarnations of this band ever pulled this off. Highlights include Gettin' Tighter in all of it's jam packed funk glory. Tommy and Glenn are inseperable throughout this track, Glenn singing his heart out and Tommy playing his heart out. Smoke on the Water, just hearing someone other than Blackmore will give you shivers. Other highlights include the opener Burn, Lady Luck, Strombringer, and Highway Star. All-in-all a terrific show. The band is laid back and Tommy Bolin shines all over. A must own for Tommy Bolin fans, and other Purple finds will find out that Tommy was the man who could do the impossible...replace Mr. Blackmore.

Tracks Listing

Disc One: (62:28)
1. Burn (8:15)
2. Lady Luck (3:12)
3. Gettin' Tighter (13:41)
4. Love Child (5:49)
5. Smoke On The Water / Georgia On My Mind (8:58)
6. Lazy / The Grind (featuring Organ & Drum Solos) (22:31)

Disc Two: (58:03)
1. This Time Around (7:05)
2. Tommy Bolin (Guitar Solo) (10:31)
3. Stormbringer (10.27)
4. Highway Star / Not Fade Away (7:17)
Bonus tracks:
5. I'm Going Down (7:29)
6. Highway Star (5:35)
7. Smoke On The Water (6:44)
8. Georgia On My Mind (2:52)

Total Time: 120:31

Line-up / Musicians

- David Coverdale / vocals
- Tommy Bolin / guitars
- Glenn Hughes / bass & vocals
- Jon Lord / keyboards
- Ian Paice / drums 

James Gang - 1973 [2009] "Bang"

Bang is the sixth studio album by James Gang, released in 1973. This is the first James Gang album featuring lead guitarist Tommy Bolin after Domenic Troiano left the band.

With guitarist Domenic Troiano out of the picture, the post-Joe Walsh James Gang was able to take their career off life support temporarily by adding guitarist Tommy Bolin beginning with this 1973 release. Having just dissolved his short-lived fusion band Energy, Bolin's creative playing injects a little Miles and Mahavishnu into the usually rocking Gang, most noticeably on "From Another Time." Staccato guitar lines and congas begin the song, an old-style James Gang boogie fills the middle, and then a sound effect explosion abruptly brings it all to a jarring, nonsensical close. It's all of the album's problems in a nutshell since the knotty and the normal are at odds throughout, although there are many moments to remember. Even if Bolin's wistful "Alexis" doesn't fit with the other tracks it's a highlight, as is the opening rocker "Standing in the Rain" where conmen ("Your note said you went to Charleston/But I know you went to New Mexico) and cretins ("You left behind a dead father/A sick mother and 4 younger kids") are forced to face up to love. Bang feels less like a band album and more like talented studio musicians on the loose, but die-hard fans of either the Gang or the late Bolin will enjoy it, if only in fits and starts. 

The title of the album gotta qualify as one of the lamest puns ever, what with the album cover and all - ugh, pretty disgusting. Not surprising, then, that it was pretty much ignored by critical attention, and even nowadays this stage in the band's career is casually dismissed as stagnant. Of course, it's not just because of the lame title: since Joe Walsh The Critical Darling left the band, nobody really cared much about it. Too bad. Bang actually shows the band in revitalized form, and the more I listen to it, the more these songs actually grow on me - in fact, on a song by song level, it's hardly any worse than Rides Again, and actually, it's much more consistent, come to think of it.
Of course, nobody can conceal the fact that it's simply a different band. This is where the guitar function passed to newcomer Tommy Bolin, ex-Zephyr and future Deep Purple Mark IV member, and the songwriting is pretty much completely dominated by him, with extra credit sometimes going to vocalist Roy Kenner and sometimes to Jeff Cook and John Tesar, probably some of Tommy's buddies that I don't know anything about. Not a single credit actually goes to Fox or Dale Peters, making the band's rhythm section exactly what it is - a rhythm section, and nothing more. But that's good! Those guys could never really write a good song. And Bolin proves himself a pretty solid master of melody. His lead guitar skills are strangely subdued on this album; he's nowhere near as prominent and flashy as he would be in Deep Purple, and those who love the guy for his impeccable chops can be disappointed, because these chops have to be seriously looked for - most often, they're to be found in subtle subdued licks played underneath the lead vocals, and Tommy really lets rip only in a couple of places. Still, his excellent tasteful style, coupled with melodies that are vaguely interesting and relatively hook-based, makes up for a really refreshing and exciting listen. Strange enough, despite the fact that James Gang came from funk and that Bolin would turn into funk's strongest propagator in his Purple days, there aren't that many pure funky rockers on the record - rootsy countryesque rock, straight-up boogie and moody balladry share an equal function with the funkier stuff, or maybe even more. But they're decent.

Track listing

All songs by Tommy Bolin and John Tesar except where noted.

    "Standing In The Rain" (Tommy Bolin) – 5:05
    "The Devil Is Singing Our Song" – 4:22
    "Must Be Love" (Bolin, Jeff Cook) – 3:48
    "Alexis" (Tommy Bolin, Cook) – 5:07
    "Ride The Wind" (Bolin, Roy Kenner) – 3:45
    "Got No Time For Trouble" – 3:47
    "Rather Be Alone With You (Song For Dale)" (Kenner) – 2:05
    "From Another Time" – 4:00
    "Mystery" – 6:10

Personnel

    Roy Kenner – lead vocals, percussion
    Tommy Bolin – guitars, backing vocals, Lead Vocal on "Alexis", synthesizer
    Dale Peters – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion
    Jim Fox – drums, backing vocals, percussion, keyboards

Tommy Bolin - 1976 [1996] "Live at Ebbets Field"

Due to the success of his back-to-back appearances at Denver's Ebbets Field club in 1974, Tommy Bolin chose to premiere his new Tommy Bolin Band at the venue in May of 1976. Included in this top-notch band were ex-Vanilla Fudge keyboardist/singer Mark Stein and drummer Narada Michael Walden (nowadays a producer), while Norma Jean Bell (saxophone) and Reggie McBride (bass) rounded out the group. Like all Tommy Bolin concerts and albums, the music is extremely varied. Included is one of Bolin's trademark songs, the swaggering "Teaser," which remains sadly overlooked by classic rock radio. You'll also find reggae sounds on "People People," jazz fusion balladry on the Narada Michael Walden-sung "Delightful," and the funky groove of "The Grind." It wouldn't be a Bolin concert without a song for Tommy to show off his guitar talent, and here it's "Marching Powder." A strong album, it's only slightly diminished by a far, far too long drum solo (almost ten minutes!), which is completely unnecessary, since the majority of the people buying Tommy Bolin CDs are doing so to hear his memorable songwriting and guitar skills. Still, it's worthy of any serious Tommy Bolin fan's time.

This recording is taken from the master radio broadcast tape from one of the first performances of The Tommy Bolin Band. This historic first lineup of Tommy’s solo band put on a high energy, unique live performance that not only showcased Tommy, but also Narada Michael Walden on drums and vocals, and original Vanilla Fudge keyboardist and vocalist Mark Stein.

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

Track listing:

1 Teaser 6:20
2 People People 8:00
3 The Grind 3:21
4 Wild Dogs 9:01
5 Delightful 5:03
6 I Fell In Love 5:40
7 Marching Powder 14:42
8 Lotus 7:06
9 Homeward Strut 9:01

Pesonnel:

Guitar, Vocals, Producer [Original Live Recording] – Tommy Bolin
Bass – Reggie Mcbride
Drums, Vocals – Michael Walden*
Keyboards, Vocals – Mark Stein
Saxophone, Vocals – Norma Jean Bell

Tommy Bolin - 1972 [1999] "Energy"

THE BAND:
Energy were formed in 1971 in Boulder, Colorado when Tommy Bolin and Bobby Berge left Zephyr. The members in the most well-known lineup were:
Tommy Bolin: guitar
Jeff Cook: vocals, harmonica
Tom Stephenson: keyboards, vocals
Stanley Sheldon: bass
Bobby Berge: drums

Other players included:
Kenny Passarelli: first bassist (quickly left to join Joe Walsh)
Jeremy Steig: flute
Gary Wilson: first vocalist (replaced by Jeff Cook)
Max Gronenthal: keyboards, vocals (replaced Jeff Cook and Tom Stephenson)
Russell Bizzett: drums (after Bobby left, then second drummer after Bobby returned)
Archie Shelby: percussion (intermittent)

THE STORY:
Bassist Stanley Sheldon and his cousin keyboardist Tom Stephenson arrived in Boulder, Colorado separately. Sheldon had been playing in a psychedelic blues band in his home town of Ottawa, Kansas. Stephenson was from Kansas City and had been playing in horn bands in the style of Chicago. Tommy Bolin and drummer Bobby Berge were still in Zephyr, but that band’s end was near. Stephenson had not yet met Tommy, but knew people who knew him. Stanley Sheldon had talked to Tommy on the phone in late 1970, introduced by the singer in Sheldon’s band’s singer, but had not yet met him in person.

Sheldon’s band then moved to a house on the beach in the Pacific Palisades in California, supported by a backer. Zephyr were doing their last show opening for Mountain at the Santa Monica Civic Center, and Tommy and Stanley finally met face to face. This resulted in a jam with Stanley, Tommy and a drummer named Frosty from Lee Michaels’ band that Tommy knew. Tommy returned to Colorado, followed shortly by Stanley and his band after the withdrawal of their backer.

Tommy and Bobby were set on forming a jazz-rock fusion band, bolstered by Tommy’s experiences meeting players such as Jeremy Steig and Jan Hammer while Zephyr was recording Going Back to Colorado at Electric Lady Studios in New York City at the same time that Steig was working on his Energy album. Tommy and Tom Stephenson had finally met through Sioux City guitarist John Bartle, who had played with Stephenson in a band in Kansas.

At this point all the players in what would become the band Energy knew each other, but the first order of business for Tommy was to form an instrumental band with Jeremy Steig on flute, Bobby Berge on drums and Denver bassist Kenny Passarelli (who went on to play with Joe Walsh and Elton John). This lineup played some shows in Colorado including a residency at Chuck Morris’ club Tulagi in Boulder. Tommy, Jeremy and Kenny then went to New York City, where Steig’s name had more market power. Shows there included over a week at the Gaslight with Marty Morell on drums, ending on May 24, 1971. The last gig with Steig was played after a week at Slugs, in the East Village, a dangerous place where some of Steig’s friends were mugged on their way to that final show. Passarelli soon took a job offer from Joe Walsh. Passarelli has related that he was made to feel a lot less than comfortable during the period of the NYC shows, the competitive nature of the New York scene was brutal. Though it was short lived, audio from the the band provides some excellent examples of playing from the entire band. The music is very jazzy, but there are plenty of guitar excursions by Tommy that are held in high esteem by Tommy’s rock fans.

Tommy then went back to Colorado and got together with Tom Stephenson on keyboards, Stanley Sheldon on bass and Bobby Berge on drums. They chose the name Energy for the new band, taken from the title of the Jeremy Steig album. It was quickly decided to add a vocalist to enhance the band’s commercial appeal. The first vocalist was Gary Wilson, who can be heard on Energy recordings such as “Red Skies” on the CD Tommy Bolin: From the Archives Vol. 1. Wilson was more into soul and R&B than fusion, however, and was replaced by Jeff Cook, who had sung in American Standard with Tommy.

Manager Barry Fey set them up as backing band for some of the major big blues acts that came to Boulder, mainly at Tulagi but also for some road work. Along with names such as John Lee Hooker, Sugar Cane Harris and Chuck Berry, they played with Albert King, who would have a profound effect on Tommy’s blues chops.

The band took the opportunity to save money when it came to finding places to rehearse. Bobby Berge relates that “Energy used to practice at Garth Weber’s farm, in the chicken coup! It’s funny that later on when I reunited with Zephyr for some shows in 1973 we practiced in a converted chicken coup at a different farm.”

Tommy played a number of different guitars, including the well-worn Fender Stratocaster with the Telecaster neck that he is often identified with. On other equipment, Rob Bagg remembers “I moved Tommy’s equipment for him on occasion during the time he was fronting Energy. I remember he had a Marshall speaker cabinet that had eight 12" speakers in it. What a bear to move. Later I found out that Jim Marshall only made a handful of these cabinets before switching to two 4x12" cabs in his stacks. They were originally sold to Pete Townsend of The Who and Bill Wyman of the Stones.”

Chuck Warriner tells the story of the fabled brown Strat: “I traded that brown 1956 Strat to Tommy in Dave Brown's kitchen at 948 South Vine Street when I first got to Denver and stayed with the Brown brothers until I set up my shop at 1st and Broadway. Dave put the Tele neck on at Tommy's request, and when I saw "Shoepolish" a week or so later I was surprised because an old Tele Neck and an old Strat neck pocket are not compatible."

Tommy also took part in many jam sessions around Colorado during this period. As remembered by Mike Reininger, who first saw Tommy with Energy at Massari Gym in Pueblo around Thanksgiving 1971, “In the early 1970s everybody jammed with everybody. Going out on Sunday night to sit in was a ritual. This is how Tommy met my brother Blaine (of Tuxedo Moon). They were jamming in Manitou Springs on a Sunday night. Tommy just loved to play. I hear stories of him jamming in music stores here in Denver. Trying out guitars all afternoon, drawing a crowd. He hung out at Colfax Music all the time I’m told.”

Michael Drumm, who went on to form the Tommy Bolin Archives with Johnnie Bolin in 1995, had become friends with Tommy while he was in Zephyr. A CU student, Drumm was working The Record Center, a hip record store in Boulder that Tommy visited often. By the time Tommy was in Energy they had become even firmer friends, and Drumm bought a 4-track reel-to-reel tape deck for Tommy to use to to record acoustic songs and demos.

Drumm relates that though Energy was a great band, they were not pulling crowds and making money like Zephyr had. Zephyr had been extremely popular with the adventurous young party crowd, but Energy was more of a players band with a smaller but very intense following.

Energy didn’t release any official albums or singles, but did complete a number of studio recordings, some of which appeared later on Tommy Bolin ArchivesCD releases. The first lineup of the band featuring Steig concentrated on long intense jams, often featuring Steig’s flute more than Tommy’s guitar. The band’s appeal was notably widened after adding a vocalist, beginning with Gary, then Jeff and later Max. The greatest amount of existing live material features Jeff Cook, and shows the band ranging from slow blues to rocking blues to hard rock to marathon fusion jams, often in one performance. Their studio output showed a band that would have made the big time if they had the power of a record deal. Some of the material written by Tommy with John Tesar and Jeff Cook went on to be used by Tommy in later bands. “Got No Time for Trouble” and “Praylude/Red Skies” were used in James Gang, “Lady Luck” with Deep Purple and “Dreamer” was used on Teaser.

Tommy’s appearance was beginning to change, partly with the influence of his girlfriend Karen Ulibarri. She dyed psychedelic colors into his hair and made stage clothes such as a silver lamé suit that he would wear into the James Gang days, and a pair of leopard skin-covered platform shoes. Tommy also pierced his ears and wore the feathered earrings that became his trademark for a while. Tommy was into glitter rock and loved David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album, so androgyny becoming an acceptable form of stage presentation.

The lack of getting a record contract resulted in the group’s eventual demise, as they were having trouble making ends meet and becoming frustrated at not being able to move upward. Jeff Cook has related a story about the band being seen by record company representatives at a club on Colfax in Denver. The reps were blown away by the first set and told the band that a recording contract was definite. The reps then left and the band then celebrated by getting wasted during the break, and when they returned to to play they found that the reps had stayed and their second set was haphazard and the reps were turned off.

In the first part of 1973 Max Gronenthal came in on keyboards and vocals to replace Tom Stephenson, who left to join Joe Walsh’s new band Barnstorm, and Jeff Cook who was given his release by the band. Though the band would prove to work well with Max, the end was near. Tommy recorded Spectrum with Billy Cobham in New York City in May, 1973 and started getting national attention immediately, which included some shots at the big time.

After the band split, Tommy went on to join the James Gang as a replacement for the departing Joe Walsh. Tommy and Stanley would hook up again in Boulder after Tommy left the James Gang in August 1974. By the end of December they would also get back together with Bobby Berge in Los Angeles. Jeff Cook would continue to supply Tommy with song lyrics until his passing. In 1975 Tom Stephenson joined Tommy in guesting on the debut album from Moxy.

In spite of the lack of commercial success, the band is held in especially high regard by the band’s members, some considering it the musical highlight of their lives.

By 1972, Tommy Bolin had left Zephyr and was yet to join the James Gang. He had formed a band christened, aptly enough, Energy, but they broke up before releasing any recordings. Yet, time in the studio was spent, resulting in this collection of songs released 27 years after their recording. Some of the songs would be redone with the James Gang ("Red Skies," "Got No Time for Trouble") or solo ("Dreamer") in the next few years, while "Naked Edge" comes from the soundtrack to a mountain-climbing film called Break on Through, but most of the contents of the album see their first release here. The album is mixed: "Heartlight" and "Miss Christmas" are fairly generic hard rock, while "Hok-O-Hey" and "Eyes of Blue" have a very Allman Brothers sound/feel, yet all are elevated by Bolin's guitar playing. The neo-psychedelic "Limits," sung by keyboardist Tom Stephenson, is unlike most of Bolin's other work and the extended instrumental "Naked Edge" furthers this psychedelic jamming. "Sky Sail" is a cinematic piano/guitar duet and is a perfect album closer. In the end, the album works more as a compilation of Energy's various styles than as a cohesive album.

Track Listing:

  1. Red Skies
  2. Heartlight
  3. Hok-O-Hey
  4. Got No Time for Trouble
  5. Limits
  6. Eyes of Blue
  7. Dreamer
  8. Miss Christmas
  9. Naked Edge
  10. Sky Sail

Personnel:

Bass – Stanley Sheldon
Drums – Bobby Berge
Guitar – Tommy Bolin
Keyboards, Vocals – Tom Stephenson
Vocals, Harmonica – Jeff Cook

Zephyr - 1969 [1990] "Zephyr"

Zephyr is the debut album by the band Zephyr, released in 1969.

Zephyr was a blues-based hard rock band formed in 1969 in Boulder, Colorado by guitarist Tommy Bolin, keyboardist John Faris, David Givens on bass guitar, Robbie Chamberlin on drums and Candy Givens on vocals. Although the charismatic performances by Candy Givens were originally the focal point for the band, it was the flashy guitar work of Tommy Bolin that the band is best remembered for.^[1] After Bolin left, he was replaced by Jock Bartley, and the band recorded the album Sunset Ride, their second for Warner Brothers Records. The album is still in print and is much loved by a small but loyal following. On Sunset Ride, Candy Givens displayed her gifts as a singer, composer, and harmonica player. The album was produced by David Givens who also authored the majority of the tunes. As a result of his stint with Zephyr, Bartley went on to a successful career with Gram Parsons and Firefall and drummer, Michael Wooten, went on to play for several years with Carole King. Various versions of Zephyr continued to play in Colorado until Candy's death in 1984. The release of "Heartbeat" in 1982 was promoted by a video that incorporated very early examples of analog computer animation combined with live action.
Other Zephyr members of note include trance blues maven, Otis Taylor, who played bass during the mid-1970s, Kenny Wilkins (Drums) and also later on as (guitarist), guitarist Zack Smith (founder of Columbia Records band Scandal), and blues guitarist, Eddie Turner, who played guitar in the last incarnation during the early 1980s. Candie and David, Tommy, and John Faris were all founding members of The Legendary 4Nikators, Boulder's oldest and best loved party band. Taylor and Turner were later additions to The Legendary 4Nikators - Taylor noted for playing motorcycle on stage during "Leader Of The Pack" and performing in a kilt and Turner for his renditions of Jimi Hendrix classics.
40 years after, Zephyr's music is still in print and continues to be played in the various media. YouTube has brought new eyes and ears to the band.
In 2014, record producer, Greg Hampton and David Givens collaborated on a project that resulted in the release of a limited edition boxed set that included a remastered version of the "bathtub" album, two albums of live material - mostly previously unreleased, and a booklet featuring liner notes by Givens and photos from his private collection. The remastered first album is an unqualified improvement over the original and the live material justifies the high esteem the band accrued with the audiences that witnessed their performances. The boxes sold out in less than a month.

I saw this band on PBS when i was 12. They played Cross The River then St. James Infirmary, complete with the 'echoplex' segue (i can still see Tommy siding the 'speed' bar). I was hooked. Bought the album a short time later. Side 2 opens with the tracks i saw them play on tv and i still spin that first. Always seemed right to me.

Great band, Tommy doing the chameleon thing on guitar. Rock, blues, jazz? All present and accounted for.
I know Candy doesn't have many fans here. Heck, my Mom didn't like her and neither does my Wife. No matter-mind to me. I love the sheer abandon when she sings. Plus, i always thought she was cute.

Great start for Tommy. He formed this band when he was 17 or 18.
I have Spectrum, Teaser and Private Eyes. This First Zephyr release will always be my fave.

This was Tommy Bolin's first album, and his playing on this heavy blues rock album is pretty impressive. He had a great guitar tone, and occasionally his playing really reminds me of Jimmy Page's style on some of the slower early Zeppelin blues numbers. The rest of the band is impressive as well, and I really have to give kudos to the organist for some pretty wild soloing. The songwriting is generally strong, and will appeal to fans of early 70's progressive blues rock. In my opinion, the only thing holding this band back from true greatness are the really grating vocals of Candy Givens. She tries to sound like Janis Joplin, along with the blues moaning of Robert Plant. The problem is with her Robert Plant fixation. Plant was usually successful in escaping total embarrassment with his vocal excesses simply because he had a strong voice. Candy Givens sings on-key and all, but she sings too much from the throat when she does her Plant-style moaning, thus producing an irritating, thin tone that sounds more like screaching rather than blues-moaning. Simply put, it's absolutely horrible. If you can get past this, then by all means, check out this album. Like I say....the band rocks! 

Track listing

    "Sail on" (Tommy Bolin, Candy Givens) – 7:22
    "Sun's a Risin'" (Bolin, David Givens) – 4:45
    "Raindrops" (Dee Clark) – 2:40
    "Boom-Ba-Boom" (D. Givens) – 1.20
    "Somebody Listen" (D. Givens, C. Givens, Bolin, John Faris) – 6:10
    "Cross the River" (C. Givens, D. Givens) – 4:43
    "St. James Infirmary" (Joe Primrose) – 5:15
    "Huna Buna" (C. Givens, Bolin) – 2:26
    "Hard Chargin' Woman" (Bolin, Robbie Chamberlin, Faris, C. Givens, D. Givens) – 8:40

Personnel

    Candy Givens – lead vocals, harmonica
    Robbie Chamberlin – drums, backing vocals
    David Givens – bass, backing vocals
    John Faris – keyboards, flute
    Tommy Bolin – guitar, backing vocals

Zephyr - 1971 [1994] "Going Back To Colorado"

Zephyr is one heck of a great band! Like many people, I wanted to hear this album because of Tommy Bolin's fantastic guitar playing. He's one of the most underrated rock guitarists of the 70's. I knew the guitar playing would be great, but I had no idea the songwriting would be entirely unique and diverse. Each song on this Zephyr album can either be considered pop rock or jam rock. Seriously, each song is filled with many little tasty instrumental goodies to satisfy almost anyone who appreciates rock music from the 60's and 70's. The lead singer understands how to connect to the listener with emotional vocals too.

You have the title song which reminds me of something Rush would do on their second album, "Keep Me" reminds me of the kind of emotional brilliance Carole King is known for, and "Take My Love" is like a blend between Miles Davis, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Jefferson Airplane. That bassline is addicting, and the vocals are fantastic as well. The jazzy solo is another highlight. Absolutely love this track.

The second song called "Miss Libertine" reminds me of the Jefferson Airplane yet again. Remember how Jefferson Airplane had the talent to be creative, experimental geniuses who sounded like *no one* else? Well, Zephyr has that same talent. An extraordinary band. The last song on the album has a psychedelic piano melody with some neat drumming included.

The rest of the songs are just really high quality rock songs that can be filled with tasty instrumental bits underneath the vocals, and some of the most creative and underrated songwriting abilities I have ever heard. An easy perfect rating for this album. I seriously hope more people check out this incredible album, because right at this very moment, I'm totally shocked it wasn't more popular than it was. Trust me, this is a wonderful album for every single second.

Every song has its own sound and style, the songwriting is unbelievably catchy, and the instrumental bits are really satisfying for anyone who likes to jam out. It's perfect!

I saw Zephyr live in Colorado Springs at Kelker Junction, when the album came out new, stellar show one of the best I ever saw and the album did the group proud. Candy Givens death was a tragic loss of a truly unique vocal talent. 

 According to David Givens, Tommy jammed with Brown Sugar at a one of their regular Wednesday night gigs in Boulder at the Buff Room, and the results were so inspiring that within a few weeks they played again with Tommy, John Faris and an unidentified drummer. They then decided to break up their current bands and reform with a new drummer. Otis Taylor recommended Robbie Chamberlin, and a jam at the Folklore Center in Denver resulted with Chamberlin welcomed to the drum chair. With the firm lineup intact, they dropped the "Ethereal" from the name of Tommy and John’s band and became Zephyr.

In September, 1970 the band went into Electric Lady Studios in New York City to start recording their second album with famous engineer/producer Eddie Kramer at the helm. They were now signed with Warner Brothers, as Probe had folded. Kramer had worked with some of the top names in rock, such as Led Zeppelin and especially Jimi Hendrix, with whom Kramer had an extremely productive relationship. The sessions for the second album, Going Back to Colorado, were marred by Kramer’s distraction due emotional fallout following the death of Hendrix as well as a climactic romance with Carly Simon. The sessions for the album wrapped in October, and the album was released in January, 1971.

Going Back to Colorado was in many ways an improvement over Zephyr, in large part due to better presentation of Candy’s vocals, but it still wasn’t the commercial breakthrough that the band was hoping for. Both are extremely valuable and engaging documents, however, to fans of Tommy and of musical power and adventure. Going Back to Colorado is more song-oriented and polished, while Zephyr offers more raw exposure to Tommy’s guitar work.

Whatever difficulties Tommy faced during the recording of the album were mitigated by the important contacts he was making with important fusion musicians such as Jeremy Steig and Jan Hammer, who would soon play major roles in Tommy’s successful move into fusion.

Track listing:

1. Going Back To Colorado (Tommy Bolin, J. Tesar, Candy Givens) - 4:15
2. Miss Libertine (Candy Givens, David Givens) - 3:19 
3. Night Fades Softly (David Givens) - 3:20 
4. The Radio Song (David Givens) - 2:30 
5. See My People Come Together (Tommy Bolin) - 6:06 
6. Showbizzy (Tommy Bolin) - 2:30 
7. Keep Me (Tommy Bolin, J. Tesar) - 4:20 
8. Take My Love (John Faris) - 4:16 
9. I'll Be Right Here (Tommy Bolin) - 4:26 
10.At This Very Moment (Candy Givens) - 5:55

Personnel:

*Candy Givens - Piano, Vocals, Harmonica
*Bobby Berge - Drumss
*David Givens - Bass, Vocals
*John Faris - Organ, Piano, Soprano Sax, Flute, Vocal
*Tommy Bolin - Steel, Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Vibes

Guests
*Paul Conley - Moog Synthesizer
*Eddie Kramer - Piano, Clavinet, Perscussion
*Paul Fleisher - Saxophones
*Buzzy Linhart - Vocals
*Gerard "Ginger Face" McMahon - Vocals
*Albertine Robinson, Eileen Gilbert, Tasha Thomas - Vocals

Tommy Bolin - 2012 "The Definitve Teaser Collectors Edition" [5 CD Box]

Guitarist Tommy Bolin elevated the role of journeyman to a high art. After leaving his home in Colorado, where he played with Energy and Zephyr, he worked with fusion drummers Billy Cobham and Alphonse Mouzon, joined a post-Joe Walsh James Gang, and went on to Deep Purple when Richie Blackmore left the group. All of this occurred before and during a solo career, which began with Teaser, a remastered, expanded version that confirms Bolin's versatility as guitarist, songwriter and singer. The original nine tracks resound with musicianship consisting of a varying lineup of sidemen including: Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboardistJan Hammer,Genesis drummer Phil Collins, and saxophonist David Sanborn. Tracks such as "Wild Dogs" and "Homeward Strut" show Bolin could lead a band in more ways than one.
The explosive funk-driven opening that is "The Grind" suggests Bolin's intelligent facility with a song, while the quiet likes of "Savannah Woman" reaffirms that songwriting skill— not to mention his natural instincts as a vocalist. The structure of the title song extends to the largely improvisational likes of the six unreleased numbers on two other discs of outtakes and alternate versions from the original sessions. They suggest the source of the continuing resonance of this album some forty years after its initial release and Bolin and co-producer/engineer Dennis McKay had plenty of ideas to work with as they used only those most effective.
Available on its own, as well as part of a box set with the expanded three-disc Teaser, a double-disc package titled Great Gypsy Soul furthers the concept of The Definitive Teaser Collector's Edition. One disc, co- produced by Gov't Mule guitarist Warren Haynes, finds such luminaries as guitarists Peter Frampton and John Scofield adding their readily identifiable styles to tracks from the original sessions, while the second disc is largely comprised of an original extended piece inspired by Bolin's instrumental "Marching Powder." Four movements include Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and Haynes, not to mention guitarist Derek Trucks, flashing his inimitable power, the sum effect of which is a focused, inspired music not just reminiscent of the album from which it is derived, but of a piece with it.
Other titles of Bolin remain available from his own archives, not to mention a second solo album Private Eyes (Columbia, 1976) and a two-CD version of his sole Deep Purple studio work Come Taste the Band (EMI, 2010). But, if the late lamented musician could choose a work by which to be remembered best, odds are in the favor of Teaser, and this package, notwithstanding its less than exemplary graphics design, documents why.
 
Track Listing:

CD1: Teaser Remastered: The Grind; Homeward Strut; Dreamer; Savannah Woman; Teaser; People, People; Marching Powder; Wild Dogs; Lotus.

CD2: Teaser Alternates and Outtakes: Teaser; Flying Fingers; Cookoo; Wild Dogs; Chameleon.

CD3: Teaser Alternates and Outtakes: Crazed Fandango; People, People; Smooth Fandango; Marching Powder; Homeward Strut; Oriental Sky (Lotus).

CD4: Great Gypsy Soul: The Grind; Dreamer; Savannah Woman; Smooth Fandango ; People People; Wild Dogs; Homeward Strut; Sugar Shack; Crazed Fandango; Lotus.

CD5: Great Gypsy Soul Bonus Disc: Flying Fingers; Marching Bag: Movements One through Four.

Personnel:

Tommy Bolin: guitar, vocals; Myles Kennedy: vocals; Glenn Hughes: vocals; Gordie Johnson: vocals, guitar; Peter Frampton: guitar; Derek Trucks: guitar; Warren Haynes: guitar; John Scofield: guitar; Gordie Johnson: guitar; Brad Whitford: guitar; Steve Lukather: guitar; Steve Morse: guitar; Nels Cline: guitar; Joe Bonamassa: guitar; Oz Noy: guitar; Sonny Landreth: guitar; David Sanborn: saxophone; David Foster: piano, synthesizer; Jan Hammer: synthesizer, drums; Ron Fransen: piano; Stanley Sheldon: bass; Paul Stallworth: bass; Terry Wilkins: bass; Al Cross; drums; Jeff Porcaro: drums; Prairie Prince: drums; Narada Michael Walden: drums; Bobby Berge: drums; Phil Collins: percussion; Sammy Figueroa: percussion; Rafael Cruz: percussion.

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)

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)

Alphonse Mouzon - 1975 [2003] "Mind Transplant"

Mind Transplant is the third album by American jazz drummer Alphonse Mouzon recorded in 1974 and released on the Blue Note label.

The Allmusic review by Robert Taylor awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Raw and powerful, the music herein is what made fusion such a viable musical style... Easily one of the best fusion recordings of all time"

Drummers Alphonse Mouzon and Billy Cobham led almost parallel careers during the 1970s and helped to raise the bar by which all subsequent drummers were to be judged. They were both in legendary fusion bands (Mouzon in Weather Report and Larry Coryell's Eleventh House and Cobham in Dreams and the Mahavishnu Orchestra), both led their own successful bands, both reinvented jazz-rock drumming, and both released one classic, genre-defining recording. Cobham's classic was Spectrum, a recording that is regularly considered as one of the genre's best. This, Mind Transplant, is Mouzon's classic recording that is often hailed as "Spectrum II." The common thread, besides the aggressive drumming, is guitarist Tommy Bolin. Where Cobham used Bolin's aggressive playing as a counterpoint to Jan Hammer, Mouzon features the guitarist as the primary attraction. The tunes themselves may not be as memorable as, say, "Red Baron" or "Stratus," but the playing is no less inspired. Mouzon and Bolin are a natural fit and push themselves to levels of creativity and skill that few can attain. Raw and powerful, the music herein is what made fusion such a viable musical style. This recording has never been as popular as Spectrum, but was finally released on CD in 1993 with the addition of the 15-minute jam session "The Real Thing." Easily one of the best fusion recordings of all time. 

 Tracks Listing

1. Mind Transplant (4:05)
2. Snow Bound (3:05)
3. Carbon Dioxide (4:38)
4. Ascorbic Acid (3:26)
5. Happiness Is Loving You (4:09)
6. Some of the Things People Do (3:40)
7. Golden Rainbows (6:56)
8. Nitroglycerin (3:03)

Total Time: 33:06 

Recorded at Wally Heider Sound Studio III in Los Angeles, California on December 4 (tracks 2, 5 & 7), December 5 (track 6), December 6 (tracks 3 & 8) and December 9 & 10 (tracks 1 & 3), 1974

Line-up / Musicians

Alphonse Mouzon / drums, vocals, ARP 2600 synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Farfisa organ
Jerry Peters / Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond B3 organ
Jay Graydon / Guitar, ARP 2600 synthesizer programming
Tommy Bolin / Guitar
Lee Ritenour / Guitar
Henry Davis / Bass