Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology

Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology

ASIN: B00005LMYB

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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. --Mark Ruffin

Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology,Billy Cobham,Atlantic / Wea,Fusion,Jazz,Jazz Music,Jazz-Funk,Pop

Average customer rating:

Touching Every Base In Cobham's Career

THE CREAM SKIMMED FROM THE TOP OF AN IMMENSE TALENT

Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology
Billy Cobham
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music
Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005LMYB
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Tracks:

Quadrant 4
Stratus
Anxiety/Taurian Matador
Snoopy's Search/Red Baron
All 4 One (outtake)
The Pleasant Pheasant
Spanish Moss
Flash Flood
Solarization
Lunarputians
Moon Germs
Total Eclipse

Tracks:

Shabazz
Some Skunk Funk
A Funky Thide Of Sings
Panhandler
Neu Rock N' Roll (outtake)
Life & Times
29
Earthlings
Hip Pockets - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band
Juicy - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band
Do What Cha Wanna - The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band
Arroyo

Amazon.com

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. --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews:

Touching Every Base In Cobham's Career.......2007-02-20

Billy Cobham is one of my favorite drummers and this anthology of 24 tracks on two CDs is great for fans or those who are interested in a retrospective of a career that is showing no signs of slowing down.

For more than 30 years Cobham has been a band leader covering a wide spectrum of music. There is the rapid-fire delivery of Quadrant 4, ambient moods - Stratus & Spanish Moss - and funk - The Pleasant Pheasant, Lunarputians & Moon Germs.

My favorite cuts are when the funk rockets into space and ends up somewhere near Saturn; Some Skunk Funk, A Funky Thide Of Sings & Panhandler. There are outtakes for All 4 One & New Rock N' Roll, a trio of selections - live & studio - from The Billy Cobham/George Duke Band and a great ending, with the solid bass and percussion interplay in Arroyo.

The CD title aptly fits Cobham's outlook on music, as he continues to press ahead with great studio albums and memorable live dates. Rudiments is truly the sounds of a partially-developed career, no matter how brilliant it has been to this date.

Cobham is not ready to cross home plate.

THE CREAM SKIMMED FROM THE TOP OF AN IMMENSE TALENT.......2005-01-24

For those of you who invested in either the domestic or import remastered "Spectrum" CD, well, get ready to lay down some more shekels. The "Spectrum" tracks on this Anthology have been spun again and sound slightly better. The bottom end is approximately the same, but there is definitively more "air" in the recordings from this new mastering, especially in the symbols (which are now VERY bright and upfront).

In addition to the spiffier audio, there is a very well-written booklet which contains, in addition to historical & interesting anecdotal info, Cobham's own comments and recollections of each track on this set. Kudo's to the writer, A. Scott Galloway.

As to the track selection of the Anthology itself, it hits most of the major points. It's a nice sonic-updating for long-time fans, and a great starting point for the Cobham-uninitiated. Hopefully, it will stimulate a craving in all listeners to seek out more of this musician's amazing body of work.

I have been fortunate enough to have seen Cobham twice in the last three years.

The first opportunity was here in L.A. at The Conga Room in April of 2002 on his short "Spectrum Anniversary" tour.

I sat in awed witness that time had not lessened Cobham's skill or dulled his immense talent one iota. He was absolutely thunderous, driving the electric band from his double-bass drum kit.

The second was even more intimate and unique: He & Stanley Clarke backed McCoy Tyner at Yoshi's in Oakland for one week in January of 2005, during Tyner's 11th Annual Artist In Residency appearance.

We attended the first night, and stayed for both shows. This was fortuitous, as there was no repetition of material between the sets.

Here, Cobham performed magnificently on a single bass drum kit, including some wonderful brush work and even his unique two-stick-per-hand technique.

There was wonderful interplay, humor and mutual respect as each master displayed their legendary talents before an appreciative audience. The performance contained numerous solos by Cobham, and several amazing duets with Clarke.

The trio was tight, as if they had been rehearsing for weeks. When one considers that Cobham had been at the 2005 NAMM show the previous Thursday & Friday in L.A., and this first Tyner show was the following Tuesday, it can only serve to heighten one's respect and admiration for all three musicians.

One can only hope that the Yoshi's sessions will be made available on CD to the public in the near future, or that they will record as a trio in the studio. One can only hope.

I have attended somewhere north of 200 concerts in my lifetime, and have seen some amazing drummers, but after these two performances, I am tempted to state that there is every other drummer in the world, and then there's Billy Cobham.

He is truly one of the greats, certainly one of the most unique and talented drummers to ever pick up and wield a pair of sticks. You will can count yourself most fortunate if you ever are afforded the opportunity to see him live.

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