Billy Cobham

William C. Cobham (born May 16 1944 in Panama), is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader.

Coming to prominence in the late 1960s and early '70s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cobham is, in the words of critic Steve Huey, "generally acclaimed as fusion's greatest drummer, "and one of the best in the world [ [http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jvftxqr5ldje~T1 allmusic ((( Billy Cobham > Biography ))) ] ] with an influential style that combines explosive power and exacting precision.

Biography

Early life and career

Born in Panama, Cobham's family moved to New York City during his early childhood. A drummer from his youth, Cobham attended New York's High School of Music and Art, graduating in 1962.

He played in a U.S. Army Band from 1965 to 1968. Following his discharge, Cobham joined the group of pianist Horace Silver for about a year, also playing or recording with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, organist Shirley Scott, and guitarist George Benson.

Jazz fusion work

Cobham branched out to jazz fusion, which blended elements of jazz, rock and roll and funk, playing with the Brecker Brothers and guitarist John Abercrombie before recording and touring extensively with trumpeter Miles Davis. Cobham's work with Davis appears on "Live-Evil" and "A Tribute to Jack Johnson", among other recordings. Cobham is also one of the first drummers to play open handed lead: a drummer that can lead (or ride) with either hand and begin or end a beat or fill with either hand (most drummers lead with 1 hand). He was also one of the first drummers to play with 3 or more snare and/or bass drums and multiple hi-hats.

The preface to his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra was his work on guitarist John McLaughlin's album "My Goal's Beyond".

In 1971, with fellow Davis alumnus McLaughlin , Cobham co-founded Mahavishnu Orchestra, a definitive jazz fusion ensemble. Cobham toured extensively from 1971 to 1973 with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, who released two studio albums and one live album. The original studio versions of tunes on the live album were later released as "The Lost Trident Sessions" in 1999.

In May 1973, while still with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cobham recorded his first solo album "Spectrum", with musicians including keyboardist Jan Hammer, from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and guitarist Tommy Bolin, who later played with heavy rock band Deep Purple. Just before the Mahavishnu Orchestra's last touring leg, in late 1973, Cobham recorded and toured with guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, in concerts which featured material from their album "Love Devotion Surrender", and Cobham's own material.

In the 1970s, Cobham recorded extensively for the fusion-oriented CTI Records, founded by producer Creed Taylor.

1980s work and later

In 1980, he worked with Jack Bruce, in a band called Jack Bruce & Friends. In 1994, he joined an all-star cast at the Greek Theatre (in LA) and the results appeared on "Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton, Billy Cobham, Najee and Deron Johnson LIVE AT THE GREEK". The concert was predominantly Clarke's music but all the musicians contributed material.

A number of solo albums followed (as of July 2005, Cobham has released over 30 recordings under his own name), and continues to record, perform and teach.

In 2006, Cobham released "Drum n voice 2". This was a return to the 1970s jazz-funk sound, with guests such as: Jan Hammer, Buddy Miles, John Patitucci, Jeff Berlin, Dominic Miller, Mike Lindup, Airto Moreira, Frank Gambale, Brian Auger, Guy Barker and the band Novecento.The CD was produced and arranged by Pino and Lino Nicolosi for Nicolosi productions. [ [http://www.nicolosiproductions.com/ Nicolosi Productions ] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U-Fj_1D65g Youtube - Billy Cobham - Gambale - Brian Auger & Novecento "Live" ] ] [http://www.nicolosiproductions.com/Billy-Cobham-tour.gif]

Billy was announced as a patron and visiting artist of top London drum college 'Drumtech' in June 2008.

amples of Cobham's work

He has been sampled by Massive Attack in their tune "Safe from Harm", centered on the beat and bassline of Cobham's "Stratus", from his debut album "Spectrum"; by Souls of Mischief's "93 Til' Infinity", based on the bassline and keyboards of "Heather", from 1974's "Crosswinds", and by DJ Shadow on "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" [ [http://www.the-breaks.com/search.php?term=DJ+Shadow&type=6 Search ] ] , which uses elements of "A Funky Kind Of Thing" from 1975's "A Funky Thide of Sings".

Gallery

Discography

1970s
*Billy Cobham - Spectrum (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Crosswinds (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Total Eclipse (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Shabazz (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - A Funky Thide Of Sings (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Life and Times (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Cobham/Duke Live (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Magic (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Inner Conflicts (WEA)
*Billy Cobham - Simplicity of Expression - Depth of Thought
*Billy Cobham - B.C (very rare)

1980s
*Billy Cobham - Flight Time (InAkustik)
*Billy Cobham - Stratus (InAkustik)
*Billy Cobham - Observations & Reflections (Elektra/Musician)
*Billy Cobham - Smokin’ (Elektra/Musician)
*Billy Cobham - Warning (Eagle Rock)
*Billy Cobham - Power Play (Eagle Rock)
*Billy Cobham - Picture This
*Billy Cobham - Incoming (K-tel)

1990s
*Billy Cobham - By Design
*Billy Cobham - The Traveler (Eagle Rock)
*Billy Cobham - Nordic (Eagle Rock)
*Billy Cobham - Nordic / Off Color (Eagle Rock)
*Billy Cobham - Focused
*Billy Cobham - Mississippi Nights Live (Wenlock)
*Billy Cobham - Ensemble New Hope Street (Eagle)
*Billy Cobham - North By NorthWest (Creative MultiMedia Concepts)
*Billy Cobham - Paradox - Paradox (Enja)
*Billy Cobham - Paradox - First/Second (Enja)
*Billy Cobham - Best Of (Atlantic)

2000 - today
*Billy Cobham - Drum and Voice ( Nicolosi Productions - Just Groove)
*Billy Cobham - Art Of Three (In And Out Records)
*Billy Cobham - Billy Cobham Culture Mix (In And Out Records)
*Billy Cobham’s Culture Mix - Colours (In And Out Records)
*Billy Cobham - The Art Of Five (In And Out Records)
*Billy Cobham - Drum'n'voice 2 (Nicolosi Production - Just Groove) 2006

Non-as-leader albums

1960s
*Horace Silver - You’ve got to take a little love (Blue Note)
*Kenny Burrell - God Bless The Child (CTI)
*Dreams - Dreams (CBS)
*Dreams - Imagine My Surprise (CBS)
*Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (CBS)
*George Benson - Giblet Gravy (Verve)
*Quincy Jones - The Anderson Tapes (A&M)

1970s
*George Benson - White Rabbit (CTI)
*James Brown -
*Miles Davis - "Live-Evil"
*Miles Davis - Get Up With It (CBS)
*Miles Davis - A Tribute to Jack Johnson (CBS)
*Miles Davis - Circle in the Round (CBS)
*Miles Davis - On the Corner (CBS)
*Miles Davis - Directions (CBS)
*Sonny Rollins - Don’t Stop The Carnival (Milestone) 1978
*Ron Carter - Spanish Blue (CTI)
*Ron Carter - Uptown Conversation
*Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Mounting Flame (CBS)
*Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire (CBS)
*Mahavishnu Orchestra - Between Nothingness and Eternity (CBS)
*Milt Jackson - Sunflower (CTI)
*Deodato - Prelude (CTI)
*John McLaughlin - My Goals Beyond (Elektra/Musician)
*John McLaughlin - Electric Guitarist
*Santana/McLaughlin - Love Devotion Surrender (CBS)
*Carly Simon - Hotcakes
*Quincy Jones - I Heard That (A&M)
*Gil Evans - Live at the Public Theater (Trio/Japan)
*Brothers Johnson - Lookout for Number one (A&M)
*Mose Allison - Western Man (Atlantic)
*Mose Allison - Lessons in Living (Elektra/Musician)
*Les McCann - Invitation To Openness (Atlantic)
*Randy Weston - Blue Moses (CTI)
*Miroslav Vitous - Purple (CBS)
*Gene Ammons - Big Bad Jug (Prestige)
*Ray Barretto - The Other Road (Fania)
*Stanley Clarke - School Days (Epic)
*McCoy Tyner - Fly With The Wind (Milestone)
*Don Sebesky - Giant Box (CTI)
*Mark-Almond Band - "To The Heart" (1976)
*Johnny Hammond - Breakout (Kudu)
*Johnny Hammond - Rock Steady (Kudu)
*Grover Washington - Soul Box (CTI)
*Grover Washington - All The King’s Horses (CTI)
*Al Johnson - A Live Mother for Ya! (CBS)
*Eumir Deodato - Prelude
*Eumir Deodato - Deodato 2
*Eumir Deodato - Whirlwinds

1980s
*Ron Carter - New York Slick (1980)
*Mahavishnu Orchestra - Mahavishnu (1984)
*Larry Coryell - Spaces Revisited (Shanukie)
*Larry Coryell - The Essential Larry CoryelI (Vanguard)
*Larry CoryeIl - Spaces (Vanguard)
*Arif Mardin - Journey (Atlantic)
*Mark Almond - Rising (Epic)
*Freddie Hubbard - Sky Dive (CTI)
*California Concert - (CTI)
*Consortium - Consortium (Mood)
*Cargo - Cargo (Bert on)
*Bobby and the Midnites - (Arista)
*Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway - You’ve Got a Friend (WEA)
*Clarke/Duke Project - Atlantis (Epic)
*Fania All stars - Our Latin thing (Fania)

1990 - Present
*Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton, Billy Cobham, Najee Live at the Greek - (Epic)
*Jazz Is Dead - Blue Light Rain CD(Zebra/WEA)
*Peter Gabriel - (Real World)

References

External links

* [http://www.billycobham.com/ Billy Cobham Homepage]
* [http://www.artemedios.com/billy_cobham.html Billy Cobham management]
* [http://www.balkanrock.com/index.php/Newsflash/Intervju-sa-najboljim-jazz-fusion-bubnjarem-danasnjice.html Interview with Billy Cobham]

Videos & Audios

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMyxHjzOE34 Billy Cobham, Chick Corea & Al Di Meola - Live in Sardinia (YouTube)]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=kU4mOB6ENFc Billy Cobham with Stanley Clarke, Jan-Luc Ponty & Chick Corea (YouTube)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot941tLtspo Billy Cobham Band - Tinseltown (YouTube)]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=y2ikhatPxNE Billy Cobham & George Duke 1998 - Rush Hour (YouTube)]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=sVTTwR6rgfk Billy Cobham in Ron Carter's Uptown Conversation (YouTube)]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=cKHEl4aYf2I Billy Cobham in Montreux with Dean_Brown, Tim Landers, Gil Goldstein]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=1TQro9t01gA&feature=related INTERVIEW AT NICOLOSI RECORDING STUDIOS part 1]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=wIRQZKSMqJU INTERVIEW AT NICOLOSI RECORDING STUDIOS part 2]
* [http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=tSLazPZobQ4&feature=related INTERVIEW AT NICOLOSI RECORDING STUDIOS part 3]