August 10, 2022 Playlist

"Spectrum" by Billy Cobham (1973)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Billy Cobham "Spectrum"  1973 (Panama/USA)
Panama-born Billy Cobham is perhaps the greatest drummer of "jazz fusion". Cobham debuted on wax with Horace Silver at the end of the 1960's, and was quickly snapped up by Miles Davis who utilized his precision and heaviness to great effect on his classic albums Bitches Brew and Jack Johnson (probably my two favorite jazz fusions ever by anyone!) After he left Miles he founded the Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin: a group that was legendary for the incredible chops of all the musicians in the group, and the heaviest of all the classic fusion groups. After doing that for a couple years, Billy launched his career as a bandleader with this week's classic album, Spectrum. Aside from being the first of many classic Cobham albums in the 1970's, this album is also of interest to classic rock afficianados due to most of the album featuring the interesting lineup of Cobham on drums, Jan Hammer (also ex-Mahavishnu) on keys, Tommy Bolin (ex-Zephyr, James Gang, and later Deep Purple) on guitar and Lee Sklar on bass (a studio legend whose credits include countless hits by James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, Warren Zevon, CSN, Hall & Oates, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and also most of the popular TV show themes of the 1970's). Man, that Sklar has a lot of credits! But that's not the point, it's the unlikely presence of upcoming hard rock guitarist Tommy Bolin in a jazz setting. Bolin also brought his Echoplex along, a device that makes freaky outer space sounds and makes this album even more progariffic. Bolin died when he was only 25 years old, so his discography isn't that big, and this was one of only two appearances he made on a jazz album (the other is Mind Transplant (1975) by Alphonse Mouzon.
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Led ZeppelinHeartbreaker
   / Living Loving Maid		Led Zeppelin II1969UK
Jethro TullCross-Eyed MaryAqualung1971UK
QueenNow I'm HereSheer Heart Attack1974UK
Judas PriestSinnerSin After Sin1977UK
Tom JonesThunderballA-Tom-ic Jones1966UK (Wales)
 
 
EXEK (I'm After) Your Best InterestAdvertise Here (N)2022 (Castle Face)Australia
The Natural Yogurt Band Dance With The DevilDance The Devil Away (N)2022 (BMM)UK
Kikagaku Moyo ("Geometric Patterns") Daydream SodaKumoyo Island (N)2022 (Guruguru Brain)Japan
Dempagumi.inc Yurameku Kuchusen ("Flickering Aerial Combat" - sic?)DEMPARK!!! (N)2022 (Meme Tokyo/Toy's Factory)Japan
Perfume Mugen Loop ("Infinite Loop")Plasma (N)
2022 (Universal)Japan
Superorganism Solar SystemWorld Wide Pop (N)2022 (Domino)UK/USA/Australia
   
 
Billy Cobham (with Tommy Bolin)Quadrant 4Spectrum
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1973Panama/USA
Billy Cobham (with Tommy Bolin)StratusSpectrum
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1973Panama/USA
Billy Cobham (with Tommy Bolin)The Red BaronSpectrum
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1973Panama/USA
Mahavishnu Orchestra (with Billy Cobham)DawnThe Inner Mounting Flame1971UK/USA/Czech.
/Ireland/Panama
   
 
Zephyr (with Tommy Bolin)Sail OnZephyr1969USA
James Gang (with Tommy Bolin)Praylude
   --> Red Skies		Miami1974USA
Deep Purple (with Tommy Bolin)DealerCome Taste The Band1975UK/USA
Tommy BolinPost ToasteePrivate Eyes1976USA
James Gang (with Joe Walsh)Lost Woman (The Yardbirds - live)Live In Concert1971USA
   
 
black midi Dangerous Liasons
   / The Defence		Hellfire (N)2022 (Rough Trade)UK
Neil Young & Crazy Horse How Ya Doin'?Toast (N - previously unreleased album)2001 (2022 Reprise)Canada/USA
Ty Segall Over"Hello, Hi" (N)
2022 (Drag City)USA
Janis IanA Song For All The Seasons Of Your Mind...For All The Seasons Of Your Mind1967USA
Kate BushEgyptNever For Ever1980UK
   
 
Nat Birchall India (John Coltrane)Afro Trane (N)2022 (Ancient Archive Of Sound)UK
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