Spectrum (Billy Cobham album)
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| Allmusic |   [1] |
Spectrum is the debut album of fusion drummer, Billy Cobham. Released in 1973, Spectrum is regarded as one of the most important and essential drummers' albums in jazz fusion genre. The album contains much influence of the music of Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra, with whom Cobham had previously collaborated extensively. Generally, Spectrum is considered to be Cobham's best album up to this day, and does embody a role as important as the work by Miles Davis, Weather Report, or Mahavishnu Orchestra among the development of the jazz fusion genre.
Tommy Bolin, who would go on to join the hard rock band Deep Purple two years later, plays the lead guitar.
The song "Stratus" appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV of the radio station "Fusion FM", as well as being the main sample in the Massive Attack hit "Safe from Harm".
Personnel
- Billy Cobham - Drums (1-6) & Drums, Electronics (solos on '#.a')
- Tommy Bolin - Guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
- Jan Hammer - Electric piano, Moog synthesizer, Acoustic piano (not on 2.b) (1, 2.b, 3.b, 4, 5.b, 6.b)
- Lee Sklar - Bass guitar (1, 3.b, 4, 6.b)
- Joe Farrell - Soprano sax (2.b) & Alto sax (5.b)
- Jimmy Owens - Flugelhorn (2.b, 5.b) & Trumpet (5.b)
- John Tropea - Guitar (5.b)
- Ron Carter - Acoustic bass (2.b, 5.b)
- Ray Barretto - Congas (2.b, 5.b)
Track listing
(all tracks credited to Billy Cobham, but parts of the music were co-written with the other musicians and resulted from jamming in the studio)
- 1. "Quadrant 4" – 4:20
- 2.a "Searching for the Right Door" – 1:19
- 2.b "Spectrum" – 5:07
- 3.a "Anxiety" – 1:41
- 3.b "Taurian Matador" – 3:03
- 4. "Stratus" – 6:40
- 5.a "To the Women in My Life" – 0:51
- 5.b "Le Lis" – 3:20
- 6.a "Snoopy's Search" – 1:02
- 6.b "Red Baron" – 6:37
+ "All 4 One" (outtake) – 4:15
'#.a' = Drums + electronics intros by Billy Cobham
recorded : tracks 1,2,4,5,6,7,9 and 10 = May 14 and 15, 1973.
tracks 3 and 8 = May 16, 1973.
Recording and re-mix engineer: Ken Scott