Ranking the Albums: Billy Cobham (w/Andy Edwards & George Lamie)

[@alder456]

Cheers Jazzers, Had the pleasure to meet Mr. Cobham in 2019 at Jazz Alley in Seattle. Great drummer and great show! 5) Life & Times 4) Crosswinds 3) Funky Thide of Sings 2) Total Eclipse 1) Specrtrum Had to be Spectrum. The twin to Spectrum also featuring Tommy Bolin is Mind Transplant. Both masterpieces.

[@shyshift]

I saw Billy once with the first incarnation of Jazz Is Dead and he blew my mind. I talked to him a quick hello and thank you for all he has done in back in 1997.

[@craigtoelle1052]

I saw that tour as well. Billy was a monster on the kit!

[@tonypeake467]

George Lamie and Andy Edwards = stellar group. Love the vids Andy has been doing lately, legend.

[@domielakrabi3276]

Great episode Pete! Thank you for bringing Cobhams' catalog closer to some people! The first three or four albums are simply mind blowing jazz fusion / funk jazz!

[@somerandomhomeboy]

Great Show Guys. Love it, Love it, Love it! With regards to Michael Brecker, please don't wait to do a show dedicated to his work in fusion and jazz.

[@ayeatropoulos1]

Outstanding Show!!!

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

Spectrum and Crosswinds to me are the greatest Billy Cobham albums ever, i got to see him live twice when he played in London and there's a very good reason why he's one of the greatest drummers of all time, he is an absolute beast behind the kit. I was truly honored to meet him after the show and have a picture with the man himself, what a true legend and an amazing human being.

[@tonypeake467]

Saw Billy in Adelaide, Australia playing the music of the MO with Gambale on guitar. Great night.

[@sdrandazzo]

Thank you Pete, George and Andy for the wonderful review of an incredible drummer. I need to check out your recommendations asap.

[@georgelamie7001]

Thanks Sal.

[@wagstaff6135]

"Like minds think alike." - Pete Pardo. Great episode -- I love hearing all three of these guys talking through what they appreciate. Been obsessed with Andy's channel lately -- to get such a musician's take on so many recordings is a rare opportunity.

[@johnmichaelwilliams6694]

Thanks to the three for today - Andy, George and Pete - for a great video and discussion. Another jazz episode of SoT which brought a lot of music to my attention that will now require some listening time. Thanks, gents, for sharing your favorites on SoT.

[@tonypeake467]

💯

[@gabrielheftye973]

“Spectrum” and “Crosswinds” my fav solo albums. Miles Davis “Live Evil” and “Bitches Brew” and Mahavishnu Orchestra albums are outstanding. “Dreams” by Dreams is one of the earliest that I prefer.

[@mutant_blues]

I saw Cobham in 2000, an amazing concert, here in Greece! His first 2 albums are still my favorite, but for me "Spectrum" is unsurpassed!!!

[@malco49]

i got to see billy cobham live twice in the early 70's. once at a small folk club in suburban philadelphia called the main point.it was wild seeing his drum kit on such a small stage. i also got to see him live with the mahavishnu orchestra who shared the bill at the spectrum in philly with frank zappa!

[@ayeatropoulos1]

Got me to pull out my Cobham catalog. Haven't listened in eons. I had forgotten how incredible these are!! Thanks guys!!!

[@tontonfranck8620]

I discovered B Cobham on your channel some months ago. Thank you for that and congrats for your rankings!

[@lahloonatic]

George as usual dropping knowledge.

[@georgelamie7001]

Thanks bro!

[@adamwarlock3530]

Amazing drummer. Saw him with Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton and Najee at the Star Theater in Merrillville Indiana in the early 90s. Best concert Ive been to big time!

[@jason-budney7624]

Thank you Andy, George, and Pete for this ranking show, great job! I have some listening to do. I'm only familiar Spectrum for the most part, but the album is a perfect gateway into fusion for rock/metal fans.

[@pickenchews]

I'm glad "Simplicity...Depth" was mentioned, because "La Guernica" just might be my absolute favorite Billy Cobham tune, or at least one of them! Another favorite of mine is "Thinking of You" from "A Funky Thide of Sings"... I'm so glad i found this video! This was a great listen while cooking 🍻

[@shaunogle530]

Terrific discussion - 40 mins flew past. Top five for me : 1 Spectrum 2 Funky tide of things 3 Crosswinds 4 total eclipse 5 magic/life and times Cobham’s beats are so memorable whether from Crosswinds, Spectrum and most recently his Drum and Voice vols 1- 4.

[@carlasprilla]

Great show, great insights from Andy and George! Sea of Tranquility~Last Frontiers in Total Eclipse is fantastic.

[@VincentBautista365]

This show was great! I only had Spectrum in my collection up to this point. Looks like I will be digging deeper into the Cobham catalog! Thanks for the recommendations! 😉

[@LickinLonnie]

I agree with a lot of yalls choices. Cobham is my all time favorite drummer. "B. C." IS available on CD, or at least it was, from Collectors Choice music in their catalog a couple of years ago. It is indeed a hard to find album. Loved Billys Atlantic and Columbia label stuff, but the GRP ones arent bad. I have most of hos solo material except for the "Drum N Voice albums and his "Power of Three, Four and Five albums that he did in the 1990s I believe. Magnoficent player!!

[@captainbeyond7469]

Spectrum with Tommy Bolin masterpiece enough said.

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Not just Tommy Bolan but legendary bassist Leland sklar

[@captainbeyond7469]

@@truckerkevthepaidtourist Of course. I’m just a Bolin fanatic. lol

[@willfitzpatrick1107]

These jazz and fusion shows have become my favorite to watch even as much as I love the metal and the prog. And to that end Keith Jarrett's name came up twice... I pay attention. Any way that In The Prog Seat could cover the top 5 or 10 Jarrett records. He is an artist that I am really just now getting into. Another great show.

[@arnaudb.7669]

I think that Pete is a fan of Keith Jarrett so wait and see ;o)

[@noneya237]

Woohoo video is done I recommended Cobham video 2-3 weeks back here it is

[@b2tall239]

Pete and George.....you guys didn't actually say the name of your #1 album and I wasn't able to read the title when you held it up. What is it? Help out an old guy with poor eyesight! :-) Listened to MO's "Inner Mounting Flame" for the first time a few months ago. Cobham's drumming is jaw-dropping to say the least. I had heard his remarkable work previously on a couple of Miles Davis' albums but it sounds like he really cut loose with MO. Amazing. Thanks, Pete.

[@georgelamie7001]

Spectrum

[@b2tall239]

@@georgelamie7001 Thanks

[@armandovenditti4523]

A great Ranings.... show. I just found The Atlantic Years 1973-1978 on Amazon. I'm grabbing it.

[@georgelamie7001]

Nice!

[@armandovenditti4523]

@@georgelamie7001 Yeah it covers all the albums talked about.

[@mikep9377]

Seen Billy a couple times live and he just kills it. Spectrum is my fave.

[@rightchordleadership]

As a sax player, I can confidently say that mike Brecker is already mentioned in the list of greatest saxophonists in history along with Coltrane, Parker, and Shorter. No need to wait 20 years.

[@discodynamite]

Really great ranking ! and Andy ist totally right - B.C. is one of the best Billy Cobham albums - really funky with Nate Phillips on bass !

[@louisgreen3915]

Yeah yeah, good video. I got all the stuff up to 1983 on vinyl. Here is another great Cobham moment that you guys may not know - You got to check out Junior Mance "With a Lotta Help From My Friends" album from 1970. Everything that is great about the Jazz-Funk drum playing by Billy Cobham, is highly on display on this album. Plus this was the piano trio that Miles was watching when he decided to steal Cobham away for the "Jack Johnson" album. Like Andy, Crosswinds is my favorite.

[@jacobheaney3836]

Great show, my picks: 1) Spectrum (1973) 2) Total Eclipse (1974) 3) Inner Conflicts (1978) 4) Magic (1977) 5) Simplicity Of Expression Depth Of Thought (1978) 6) Crosswind (1974) 7) Life & Times (1976) 8) B.C (1979) 9) A Funky Thide Of Things (1975) 10) Shabazz (1975)

[@jazzpunk]

Great show (as usual)! Wish I had bought Life And Times when it was affordable. Love the Headhunter's vibe on TOTAL ECLIPSE!

[@georgelamie7001]

Yeah, I missed out on that Wounded Bird reissue in 2000. That's it for hard copies of Life and Times. Mine is just a burn.

[@michaelmerrullo2043]

This is great. How about Di Meola ?

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

Coming soon!

[@arnaudb.7669]

@@seaoftranquilityprog \o/

[@georgelamie7001]

@@arnaudb.7669 One of your requests from a couple of weeks ago is in the works as well, Arnaud!

[@arnaudb.7669]

@@georgelamie7001 thanks a lot =)

[@arnaudb.7669]

Andy Edwards is a great guest!

[@arnaudb.7669]

One of the best Billy Cobham performances is on the Mc Coy Tyner "Fly With The Wind" album of 1976. Not to be missed!!!!

[@jimbridges3499]

I have that album. Agreed.

[@carbonc6065]

@@jimbridges3499 Yes, excellent work there ... But not one of his solo albums.

[@sspbrazil]

Spectrum is one of my all time favorite albums.

[@michaelpennacchio712]

My 2 favorites Spectrum Crosswinds On the pleasant pheasant he does a bombastic solo ( not unaccompanied) while the band is playing ( its fabulous, an all time favorite)

[@jimbridges3499]

Andy's picks were the same as mine. WOW! I just felt that The Spectrum Album had the best mix. If the other albums had that same mix. Other albums enter the picture on ratings.Tom Bolin was out of this world.

[@bathtubgeorge]

Spectrum Crosswinds Total Eclipse Simplicity of Expression.... Life and Times

[@michaelbenz8092]

The only album I have of his is Warning. I bought it on vinyl in 1985 when I saw it in the album stacks at a record store. I haven't listened to it since I started exclusively buying CDs a few years later. I'll revisit it when I check out the gems mentioned today.

[@arnaudb.7669]

Not his best in my opinion. His 70's albums are way better i think.

[@theheepster]

In my opinion, it is especially difficult to rank Billy Cobham's albums because they are musically very different and therefore difficult to compare. He is an exceptional musician and my personal favorites are Spectrum and Bitches Brew with Miles Davis.

[@guillaumechabason3165]

Waiting july 19th to see Billy in concert in Paris...

[@keithshapland903]

I have the superb first five on vinyl and bought them back in the seventies. But the one album I have played the most is Shabazz. It maybe live but contains the amazing title track and Tenth Pin which are not on studio albums. The drumming on that album is incredible. And coincidentally I bought a second hand copy of Miami by James Gang today on vinyl..the one where Tommy Bolin was at when he played on Spectrum.

[@rightchordleadership]

I have Shabazz on vinyl. It’s an ass kicker.

[@arnaudb.7669]

my five : 1- Total Eclipse 2- Spectrum 3- Life and Times 4- Crosswinds 5- A Funky Thide of Sings

[@jamesfleming7825]

Andy, I'm sure I have a vinyl copy of BC, if I can find it I'll send it you.

[@nicolacilli6183]

Cobham was Great in every decades...Focused its a Great album too.. 1998 whit Gary Husband on piano!

[@elbib2446]

im a bit like pete,i waver between all the albums mentioned,love spectrum,but its a bit like zep 4,heard it so many times.bit like andy too,though i was into metal/hard rock quite a while before nwobhm,when i first saw pics of john mclaughlin,i almost didnt want to believe that a guy with short hair,sandals ,dressed in white,was more aggressive and out there than any of the long hair denim and leather metal guitarists i was into at the time,when i first heard the mahavishnu orchestra.though not in the same league as the albums mentioned,but paradox from 96 with wolfgang schmid on bass,and bill bickford on guitar from defunkt.is a really good raw jazz rock power trio album.defunkt are another great band worth checking out,hard funk with wailing rock/fusion type guitar solos,vernon reid played with defunkt before living colour

[@hellojimmypage]

Total Eclipse is my personal favorite, an excellent transition from the dense, atmospheric Crosswinds to the funky, more accessible Funky Thide. The 4th album seems to have a lot of detractors, I disagree with. "Thinking of you" off that record sounds like a cross between Barry White's instrumentation and the Charlie's Angels theme, one of my favs.

[@neilloughran4437]

Definitely George Duke on the synths and Rhodes on Life and Times. Same voicings, licks and sounds George was using a lot in this period. Reason it says Allan Zavod organ is because he … erm played the organ. ;)

[@jimneary2802]

12:48 Pete looks like he's chugging a candle

[@rightchordleadership]

BC: kzbin.info/aero/PLJPlEDxzQ3QZUrwxjL38sJ7URD3nmCfh-

[@carbonc6065]

For myself: #2 Magic, and #1 Total Eclipse.

[@acomment559]

And the bass LEGEND Le Sclar on SPECTRUM. .

[@floydshambles]

Saw him leading something called CBS AllStars. Just the best.

[@jazzpunk]

Khan, Alphonso Johnson, & Tom Scott...great album!

[@TheGenreman]

The top 5 is easy because it’s the first 5

[@DeeDee-zo3bi]

Crosswinds the best, Heather is an absolute gem

[@bjhough3925]

Shout out to the album Alivemutherforya

[@Oneness100]

How come you guys don't mention Shabazz? Great album.

[@williamburns5233]

Did Tommy Bikini play with him?

[@midohiobuckeyeaorwarrior9743]

Oh shehit! HTH did I miss this one? This dude is an amazing drummer. NOT Neil Peart...but still damned good!

[@NelsonMontana1234]

I completely share Andy's perspective. Billy played all he could play at a time when the fusion thing was hot, but after a while, both Billy and the fusion scene settled down and I lost interest. I'm sure he and Al Di Meola are still playing great, but its heyday is gone.

[@rjleffel]

Tommy Bolin's best work may well be The James Gang - Bang.

[@seaoftranquilityprog]

those 2 albums are indeed great!