🌵 Desert Sessions 🌵 2.0: Cheap Used Records – Billy Cobham – Spectrum

This was Billy Cobham’s debut album. He had made a name for himself as a jazz rock fusion drummer with Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

The core band for this album is: Billy Cobham – drums, percussion, production and Jan Hammer (also in the Mahavishnu Orchestra) – electric and acoustic pianos, Moog synthesizer. Other players include: Tommy Bolin – guitar, Echoplex; Lee Sklar – electric bass; Joe Farrell – soprano and alto saxes, flute; Jimmy Owens – flugelhorn, trumpet; John Tropea – guitar; Ron Carter – acoustic bass and Ray Barretto – congas.

This is a classic example of 70s jazz rock fusion. It is more accessible than the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but still adventurous. It has a nice touch of funk to it. Under the credits, Cobham is quoted: “What is life but a Spectrum and what is music but life itself.” Dig it!

Jon Lord of Deep Purple (guitarist Tommy Bolin would later play in Deep Purple) called Spectrum “an utterly astounding album. There was Tommy Bolin just shredding away like mad. And it was just gorgeous stuff, all improvised, all just off the top of his head.”

My copy is in decent shape for a $1 record. Some pops and scratches, but no skips. The cover is well worn, but not broken. Overall condition is “Good” per the Goldmine standard.