Billy Cobham - Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology (Remastered) (2001)

"Rudiments" connotes that this is essential for drummers-and the 24 tracks of straight-ahead, funked-up and rock-infused jazz make it a real treat for the rest of us, too! The tracks are from eight 1973-78 Atlantic LPs and the supporting players include Jan Hammer, John Scofield, Randy and Michael Brecker and more; includes Stratus; Spanish Moss; Flash Flood; Moon Germs; 29; Shabazz , and more. Nearly two and a half hours of awe-inspiring performances!

Cobham was one of the building blocks of jazz-rock fusion. By the time he started his recording career in 1976, he had been part of three of the most important bands of the '70s, Miles Davis's groups, Dreams, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. A favorite of guitar players and fans because of the way he drives the string players, his debut album, Spectrum, is pure jazz-rock (featuring the late rock guitarist, Tommy Bolin, from the James Gang and Deep Purple). Bolin's tracks are at the beginning of this 24-track, two-CD retrospective and a very young John Scofield, is featured on guitar at the end of the CD. Back in the days before he joined Miles Davis, Scofield was part of Cobham's band that he co-led with George Duke, and of course, that band's funk classic, "Do What You Wanna" is included. In between those bookends are stunning examples of what it means to be a powerful drummer and to drive a band. There are liberal samplings of Cobham's solos, as well as tracks with his group that featured his partners from Dreams, the Brecker Brothers. Fusion lovers can't go wrong here, while smooth-jazz folks could gain a better appreciation of the roots of that genre. --Mark Ruffin

CD1

01. Quadrant 4 (4:32)
02. Stratus (9:52)
03. Anxiety (4:49)
04. Snoopy's Search (7:44)
05. All 4 One (4:16)
06. The Pleasent Pheasant (5:23)
07. Spanish Moss (4:10)
08. Flash Flood (5:12)
09. Solarization (11:11)
10. Lunarputians (2:33)
11. Moon Germs (4:57)
12. Total Ecplipse (5:58)

CD2

01. Shabazz (13:49)
02. Some Skunk Funk (5:11)
03. A Funky Thide of Sings (3:41)
04. Panhandler (4:07)
05. Neu Rock N' Roll (Outtake) (6:28)
06. Life & Times (7:01)
07. 29 (2:35)
08. Earthlings (5:07)
09. Hip Pockets (7:10)
10. Juicy (6:53)
11. Do What Cha Wanna (5:00)
12. Arroyo (4:18)