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Topic ClosedCould Billy Cobham play with Frank Zappa?
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hawkcwg View Drop Down
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Posts: 381 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Could Billy Cobham play with Frank Zappa?
    Posted: January 07 2009 at 08:02
I wonder why they never played together. Maybe because Billy was playing with Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Who made more complicated music (far out there music), Mahavishnu Orchestra or Frank Zappa?


Edited by hawkcwg - January 07 2009 at 08:03
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Valdez View Drop Down
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Posts: 260 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:08
I'd say Franks music was more complicated but less inspired. 
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Posts: 32181 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:10
They definitely could have played together. It would have been interesting.

Both Zappa's and Maha's music were quite complicated, but I think overall Frank's wins over nearly ALL other music in terms of sheer complexity, whether it be subtle or right in the foreground.
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Posts: 6505 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:50
I`ve read a few interviews with Zappa where he says that anyone who can`t appreciate The Mahavishnu Orchestra has to be some kind of an idiot. Zappa always had a lot of praise for McLaughlin in particular. I`d have to half agree with Vadez`s point. Frank`s music was just as complicated but less inspired. I don`t know how McLaughlin would have felt about Frank`s "out there" lyrics and vocals.
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Posts: 141 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:53
Only slightly OT: Zappa's old drummers talk about the Mahavishnu/Zappa tour among other things.

http://www.drumchannel.com/entertainment/3016.aspx
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fusionfreak View Drop Down
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Posts: 1267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 11:33
For me no problem.I also imagined a great jam session with Frank Zappa and his bandmembers,John Mc Laughlin,Billy Cobham and Christian Vander on drums:something special isn't it?
I was born in the land of Mahavishnu,not so far from Kobaia.I'm looking for the world
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mpomy View Drop Down
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Posts: 54 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:30
I recently found this interview with Jean-luc Ponty and he says Zappa was more challenging to play, not that it's a contest.  I have no doubt that Cobham could have played in any (or at least most) of Zappa's bands.  

Did any Zappa collaborators ever play with Miles Davis, as Cobham did?  
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Posts: 2097 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:37
Hmm who was the Zappa drummer who played for Weather Report? I know a few fair members from WR were in Miles bands.



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Posts: 26021 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:49
Wouldn't he have to dig him up? Tongue
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Posts: 8206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:57
Originally posted by Slartibartfast

Wouldn't he have to dig him up? Tongue


I restrained myself from doing a joke like this, but, now, I'm not ashamed anymore: Zombie Zappa jamming with Cobham! One night in Hell!
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Posts: 26021 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 13:04
Originally posted by CPicard

Originally posted by Slartibartfast

Wouldn't he have to dig him up? Tongue


I restrained myself from doing a joke like this, but, now, I'm not ashamed anymore: Zombie Zappa jamming with Cobham! One night in Hell!

Just goes to show the tense of the topic matters.
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hawkcwg View Drop Down
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Posts: 381 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 14:48
Originally posted by mrcozdude

Hmm who was the Zappa drummer who played for Weather Report? I know a few fair members from WR were in Miles bands.


Your talking about Chester Thompson
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mpomy View Drop Down
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Posts: 54 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2009 at 16:40
Chester, my brother!  (not a Miles alum, but an exceptional drummer!)
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Posts: 1188 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 06:56
Zappa has had great drummers - Terry Bozzio being one of my all-time favorites.  Cobham could have played with Zappa, but not to the level of Bozzio....
"Read some Kerouac and it put me on the track to burn a little brighter now..." (Marillion)
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Posts: 2779 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 11:03
If Aynsley Dunbar could, Cobham would have no problem.

And the assertion that Zappa's music was somehow less inspired than MO is complete conjecture. One might have a less inspired feeling from listening, but that is relating to the listener, not the composer.

A more accurate and tangible statement would be that McLaughlin's writing was more spiritually inspired than Zappa's, but Zappa's was more sociopolitically inspired.
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fusionfreak View Drop Down
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Posts: 1267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 12:05
True!I really dig Mahavishnu Orchestra but Apocalypse and Inner Worlds are loss of time.Fortunately Mc Laughlin rapidly got rid of Guru Sri Chinmoy.
I was born in the land of Mahavishnu,not so far from Kobaia.I'm looking for the world
of searchers with the help from
crimson king
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meptune View Drop Down
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Posts: 231 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:03
Ahhh... two of my heros. I'm certain that the guy who played with Miles Davis and John McLaughlin would have been amazing in a Zappa band. It may be they never worked together simply because after leaving Mahavishnu, Cobham was too busy becoming a composer and band leader in his own right. 


"Arf, she said"
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Posts: 12232 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:07
Ex Zappa alumini does a Cobham:

http://www.carvinch annel.com/ play.php? vid=89


The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS.
CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php
Host by PA's Dick Heath.

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meptune View Drop Down
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Posts: 231 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:33

^ Thank you Dick Heath, that was amazing. Great to see those guys play Cobham, especially Virgil! That solo was stunning.


"Arf, she said"
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Vibrationbaby View Drop Down
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Posts: 6505 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:40
Wow ! 17 minute version of Stratus. Nonstop freaking. That other guitarist phew! Is that the guy from Planet X?
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