SPECTRUM

This is another beloved jazz rock/fusion album of mine, and it has Mr. Billy Cobham as bandleader and mastermind as it is a solo album of him. I will not repeat here how I got to appreciate this subgenre of progressive rock, it is well explained in Romantic Warrior´s review. What I would like to talk here is more related to this album itself. First of all, my attention was called by the discovery that Mr. Tommy Bolin was the guitar player here. I was an appreciator of Deep Purple album Come Taste The Band, the first one of them I heard in the now fading seventies. But I always heard comparisons among Mr. Ritchie Blackmore and Mr. Bolin; normally considering the former a better (if not much better), than the latter. I could not form an opinion, I have no musical knowledge for that, but in my feelings Come Taste The Band was a VERY good album.

So, being aware that Mr. Tommy Bolin played in a greatly recognized jazz rock/fusion masterpiece, it lead me no conclude that there is absolutely no need to not consider him an high above average player; and greater became my sorry for his early death imagining the musical wonders we could get from him. What about the album? Some comments below

Mr. Billy Cobham, the bandleader is a drummer. Drums are not exactly what would be called a melodic instrument, and for many people exposure to drummers´s excess are not welcome. I do agree with them, the only drum´s solo I stop to listen are the two first ones I got in touch yet in those fading seventies, John Bonham in The Song Remains The Same and Ian Paice in Made In Europe and this is one of the reasons they are my favorite drummers. In this album, Mr. Cobham got it clear this is his solo album and he leads it; and also that he is an above average drummer. He got this achievement WITHOUT those excess that turns drumming playing some of the times boring. Very good and very well done.

Second point is the young Tommy Bolin playing his own way, without the shadow of any other master to haunt him. As long as Romantic Warrior makes keybord´s lover shivers, this is right what happens here with guitar´s appreciators.

Another known player here is Jan Hammer, who makes a strong contribution in the keys. There are many others players in this album and all of them experts and able to deal with the challenges of jazz rock/fusion. And what are the best songs? Chose your favorite tracks. I do prefer the ones where strongly shines the spirit of young Tommy Bolin.

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