Label: Friday Music
Released 1973, reissued 2022
Generally acclaimed as fusion's greatest drummer, BILLY COBHAM's explosive technique powered some of the genre's most important early recordings -- including groundbreaking efforts by MILES DAVIS and the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA -- before he became an accomplished bandleader in his own right. At his best, COBHAM harnessed his amazing dexterity into thundering, high-octane hybrids of jazz complexity and rock & roll aggression. He was capable of subtler, funkier grooves on the one hand, and awe-inspiring solo improvisations on the other; in fact, his technical virtuosity was such that his flash could sometimes overwhelm his music. After debuting as a leader with the classic Spectrum in 1973, COBHAM spent most of fusion's glory days recording for Atlantic; briefer stints on CBS, Elektra, and GRP followed, and by the mid-'80s, COBHAM was de-emphasizing his own bands in favor of session and sideman work. Even so, he continued to record for various small labels with some regularity.
Track Listing:
- Quadrant 4
- Searching for the Right Door
- Spectrum
- Anxiety
- Taurian Matador
- Stratus
- To the Women in My Life
- Le Lis
- Snoopy's Search
- Red Baron