BILLY COBHAM — Crosswinds (review)

BILLY COBHAM — Crosswinds album cover Album · 1974 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Sean Trane
Following the hugely successful debut album, it was only logical BC would go on with his solo career. The obvious thing one would do is duplicate the winning formula, but not make a carbon copy. BC had the guts not to use the musos that had appeared on Spectrum, but instead relied ona few big names: the Brecker bros, ex-Zappa man George Duke and guitarist Abercrombie as well a few other lesser known. With a superb sky shot, Crosswinds had everything going for itself, including a 17-mins+ four-parts sidelong suite called Spanish Moss. While the eponymous movement of the suite starts off rather along the lines of Spectrum, Savannah is a little boring, partly because ultra slow, but also very predictable. Although I am never a fan of drum solos, I must say that Crosswinds holds maybe the best ever, in Storm. Indeed, it's pretty hard to believe there could be a more descriptive music than this drum solo depicting thunder, winds, rain, and others. The funky Flash Flood logically follow up harsh storm rainfall, but the Brecker bros are worth a full blow brass section by themselves. Probably their better moment in the suite, especially the Latino Santana rock moments.

The flipside starts slowly with Pleasant Pheasant, a slow percussive burner that can't be compared with the afore-mentioned boring Savannah track, as it is superb. The following Heather is another real slow track, with an almost hypnotic feel and a beautiful sax solo, courtesy of Brother Michael. The closing title track is a real wake up call, shaking you from your torpor, funking with your brains, twisting the horns section around each hemispheres,

Although Crosswinds doesn't enjoy the same reputation than Spectrum, it is unjustified IMHO. Indeed instead of three overly demonstrative drum solos, we get the most descriptive one ever, and apart one weaker track, the album is generally more even (in terms of quality), but might be a little less rockier, Abercrombie being a little too discreet, compared to Bolin. AAMOF, I think I enjoy Crosswinds a tad more than Spectrum, hence my slightly superior rating.

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

About (or On)First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ELLERY ESKELIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Noah Kaplan Quartet : Out Of The Hole Avant-Garde Jazz
NOAH KAPLAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
To Walk On Eggshells Avant-Garde Jazz
RUSS JOHNSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Snakeoil : Snakeoil Ok Avant-Garde Jazz
TIM BERNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Poetry of Place (from the exhibit by painter Karen Allen) Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CHRIS DINGMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio Dream a Dream
SATOKO FUJII
js· 1 day ago
Wojciech Jachna Squad - Ad Astra (Promo Teaser)
WOJCIECH JACHNA
snobb· 4 days ago
Nitty Gritty
RUSS SPIEGEL
js· 4 days ago
Never in a 100.000.000 Dreams
SUPERSISTER
js· 5 days ago
Love is a Fire that Burns Unseen
PETER MADSEN
js· 5 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed