I’ve waxed poetic before about Billy Cobham here (Inner Conflicts was a previous pick back in 2020). His studio albums in the 70s are beyond reproach (especially the timeless Spectrum which first blew my mind as a freshman in high school). However, his live concerts in this era were completely ridiculous.
Of course, I cannot talk about live Billy Cobham without at least mentioning his time in the pioneering jazz rock outfit The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Here is a full set from 1972, with Billy Cobham practically stealing the spotlight from guitarist John McLaughlin throughout.
Soon after this he released Spectrum with Mahavishnu keyboardist Jan Hammer and guitarist Tommy Bolin (who later had a short stint with Deep Purple before sadly passing away).
Cobham picked up the pieces from the short-lived Spectrum band by joining forces with the Brecker Brothers and guitarist John Abercrombie. They released a excellent studio album Crosswinds and hit the road.
This band was absolutely on fire!! Taking songs from Spectrum along with new material and pushing the tempos and volume up to bonkers levels was the name of the game.
Luckily much of this was recorded. Here is the band playing “The Pleasant Pheasant” and “Red Baron”:
Here they are absolutely blazing through a new tune called “Tenth Pinn”, bookended by jaw-dropping Cobham drum solos:
This material has been in heavy rotation for me the past week. Yesterday, I went out to the local record store to find the live album documenting this band and tour called Shabazz. It was kismet and I bought it without thinking twice.
Coincidentally (and hilariously!) my good friend Patrick in Chicago also bought Shabazz yesterday! If that isn’t fate (and motivation for choosing it as today’s pick) I don’t know what is.
A short, yet powerful recording! Along with “Tenth Pinn” and the title track it also features two Spectrum tunes (“Red Baron” and “Taurian Matador”). The band is in top form absolutely blazing through the songs.
Essential listening for Billy Cobham fans or jazz fusion enthusiasts in general.