FEATURED CD: Billy Cobham - Total Eclipse

[Poisoned Youth]

I'm not sure those sunglasses are ISO certified...



Review from Progarchives:

Third Billy Cobham solo album after the generally over-appreciated Spectrum and the generally under-rated Crosswinds, Total Eclipse is an excellent follow-up, well worthy of its two predecessors. Again released on the Atlantic label, produced by the excellent Ken Scott (who'd just broke Supertramp in the major leagues the previous year) and accompanied with a striking drawn artwork, TE features the same usual suspects you'd expect on his early solo albums, minus George Duke.

The album opens on a four-part 12-mins suite called Solarization, a wild and full-blown prog JR/F piece that clearly has its roots in the Mahavishnu mould (especially the opening movement) and has plenty of mood and climate changes to please Yes fans. The Mahavishnu- ian title track is another highlight in an album that holds no weak spots, despite its slightly weaker exit (on the flipside), while the ultra-funky Bandits provide a welcome break before flipping the wax over.

The flipside is also quite fine, opening on the very brassy Moon Germs (hey, the Brecker Brothers won't let you under-use their presence), but Abercrombie's fiery guitar quickly steals the show. The much-quieter Green Cheese presents itself a new-agey intro to the lengthy, lunar and excellent Sea Of Tranquility, with a good horn section and more reflective Rhodes sections separating more frenetic sections. Of course coming from a drummer, you can't escape the usual (almost mandatory, dare I say) drum solo, which indeed fills the closing Last Frontier.

Just as essential as its two predecessors, Total Eclipse is anything but that on this brilliant JR/F music, I always preferred Cobham's solo albums to say William's or Clarke's solo albums, but with Spectrum to Eclpse, Billy ranks with the top of the genre in terms of solo career. - Sean Trane

[Supersonic Scientist]

Agree....his first 4 or 5 solo efforts are all top-notch

[FrippWire]

This is a great one from Cobham. It has the prog/fusion bite and edge that later got softened nearer the end of his tenure with Atlantic leading into his signing with GRP Records. The first GRP release was good, the other two not so much.

EDIT: I forgot about his brief tenure with the Elektra Musician label before his stint with GRP. The Elektra Musician releases were good too.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Billy's first few albums were all excellent. Great compositions abound, all played by the top musicians on their respective instruments.

Luv me some Total Eclipse!

[nosebone]

Needs a revisit

[Rarebird]

Sounds interesting.

Wondering what would be the best choice
This album only for € 6.28
The original album series, containing his first 5 albums for € 13.08
Or The Atlantic Years 1973-1978 containing 8 albums for € 28.99

[Mascodagama]

First five albums for €13 can't be beat. Probably all the solo Cobham you'll ever need.

[Trane]

Or The Atlantic Years 1973-1978 containing 8 albums for € 28.99

no brainer, really!! (but you got to be sure you'll enjoy the albums>> if you're only discovering, try Spectrum first from your library)

you get 8 albums in very well-made mini-lp carboard sleeves (unlike those cheap series) and a good booklet... It is true that the last three albums are less essential, but you'll cherish the luxuruious boxset, instead of the cheap crap of the 5-disc set.
Do prepare a separate inner sleeve for the Spectrum disc though, because it's dangerous to extract it from the gatefold sleeve. Stock it inside the box, there is still enough space. (BTW, they (Atlantic) made the same goof-up with the Herbie Hancock Mwandishi era boxset >> the disc is hard to extract and replace inside the gatefold sleeve of Crossings)

[Rarebird]

no brainer, really!! (but you got to be sure you'll enjoy the albums>> if you're only discovering, try Spectrum first from your library)

you get 8 albums in very well-made mini-lp carboard sleeves (unlike those cheap series) and a good booklet
Do prepare a separate inner sleeve for the Spectrum disc though, because it's dangerous to extract it from the gatefold sleeve. Stock it inside the box, there is still enough space. (BTW, they (Atlantic) made the same goof-up with the Herbie Hancock Mwandishi era boxset >> the disc is hard to extract and replace inside the gatefold sleeve of Crossings)

I think I'll try the albums on YouTube. Listened to part of Spectrum with Tommy Bolin, and liked that one.

The lack of info in those cheap series are something I dislike of them.

[Zeuhlmate]

Life & Times is also a must.
https://www.discogs.com/Billy-Cobham...elease/1054743
Doug Rauch on bass at his best & Scofield on guitar !

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Life & Times is also a must.
https://www.discogs.com/Billy-Cobham...elease/1054743
Doug Rauch on bass at his best & Scofield on guitar !

that's one of the Atlantic albums right???

[pb2015]

This is a great one from Cobham. It has the prog/fusion bite and edge that later got softened nearer the end of his tenure with Atlantic leading into his signing with GRP Records. The first GRP release was good, the other two not so much.

EDIT: I forgot about his brief tenure with the Elektra Musician label before his stint with GRP. The Elektra Musician releases were good too.

If I recall right he was on Atlantic, then Columbia, then Elektra Musician and finally GRP.

[interbellum]

I think I'll try the albums on YouTube. Listened to part of Spectrum with Tommy Bolin, and liked that one.

To make the choice a bit harder: there's a fine 4.0 surround mix from Spectrum.

[Rarebird]

To make the choice a bit harder: there's a fine 4.0 surround mix from Spectrum.

I'm not into surround mixes. Placing more than 2 speakers makes things to difficult in my place.

[FrippWire]

If I recall right he was on Atlantic, then Columbia, then Elektra Musician and finally GRP.

You are absolutely right! Thanks for refreshing my memory.

[miamiscot]

I prefer Spectrum and Crosswinds but Total Eclipse is a total winner. To these ears - his last essential release...

[Trane]

Cozy, I suppose you featured this album for Yesterday's total eclipse....

Or was that not linked?

[Poisoned Youth]

[mellotron storm]

Cozy, I suppose you featured this album for Yesterday's total eclipse....

Or was that not linked?

Cozy could have gone with Like Wendy's "Summer In Eden" with the eclipse on the cover but probably wouldn't have got many posts. How about Ziet? Oh well I'm glad he posted this album because it's something I want to track down now.

[nosebone]

Spun it today after getting the boxset about a year ago.

A nice fat slice of mid 70s funk based fusion.

Billy was in his prime and the Brecker Brothers added some great charts.

Sea of Tranquility was the standout track.

[Trane]

C'm on dudes,; lert's make at least to page 2

Cozy could have gone with Like Wendy's "Summer In Eden" with the eclipse on the cover but probably wouldn't have got many posts. How about Ziet? Oh well I'm glad he posted this album because it's something I want to track down now.

Or Kayak's See The Sun. (I think it was posted on PA's Eclipse thread)

[Rarebird]

C'm on dudes,; lert's make at least to page 2



Or Kayak's See The Sun. (I think it was posted on PA's Eclipse thread)

You were ahead of me.

[Mister Triscuits]

Never owned this; in fact I don't think I own any solo Cobham in physical form, but this thread inspired me to order the Classic Albums box. Just saw it mentioned in another forum that this album has the late John Abercrombie on it, so I'm now looking forward to it even more.

[wideopenears]

This is a killer album, and Abercrombie does steal much of the show here. Great stuff.
Life and Times with Rauch on Bass guitar and Sco is also smokin' hot.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

all of his albums up to Simplicity of Expression Depth of Thought are worthwhile. That one was the first stinker but he actually rebounded with some good albums after Simplicity of Expression Depth of Thought