Could Billy Cobham play with Frank Zappa?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Discription: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=54568
Printed Date: May 26 2013 at 04:15
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Topic: Could Billy Cobham play with Frank Zappa?
Posted By: hawkcwg
Subject: Could Billy Cobham play with Frank Zappa?
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 08:02
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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?
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Replies:
Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:08
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I'd say Franks music was more complicated but less inspired. ------------- http://bakullama.com |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:10
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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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Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:50
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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.
-------------  Osprey on final IFR approach
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Posted By: SFranke
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 10:53
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Only slightly OT: Zappa's old drummers talk about the Mahavishnu/Zappa tour among other things. http://www.drumchannel.com/entertainment/3016.aspx |
Posted By: fusionfreak
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 11:33
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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 of searchers with the help from crimson king |
Posted By: mpomy
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:30
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I recently found this http://mpomy.com/Music/ponty.pdf - 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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Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:37
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Hmm who was the Zappa drummer who played for Weather Report? I know a few fair members from WR were in Miles bands. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:49
Wouldn't he have to dig him up? 
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Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 12:57
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! |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 13:04
Just goes to show the tense of the topic matters. -------------
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Posted By: hawkcwg
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 14:48
Your talking about Chester Thompson -------------
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Posted By: mpomy
Date Posted: January 07 2009 at 16:40
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Chester, my brother! (not a Miles alum, but an exceptional drummer!) -------------
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Posted By: prog4evr
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 06:56
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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) |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 11:03
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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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Posted By: fusionfreak
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 12:05
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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 |
Posted By: meptune
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:03
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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" |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:07
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Ex Zappa alumini does a Cobham: http://www.carvinchannel.com/play.php?vid=89 - 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 - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: meptune
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:33
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^ Thank you Dick Heath, that was amazing. Great to see those guys play Cobham, especially Virgil! That solo was stunning. -------------
"Arf, she said" |
Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:40
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Wow ! 17 minute version of Stratus. Nonstop freaking. That other guitarist phew! Is that the guy from Planet X?
------------- Osprey on final IFR approach
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Posted By: meptune
Date Posted: January 08 2009 at 14:50
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^Yeah, that's Tony Macalpine from Planet X (and Vai's band, and CAB). The drummer, Virgil Donati, is also from Planet X. -------------
"Arf, she said" |