Hudson Music and Joe Bergamini are honored to announce the release of COBHAM: The Music and Drumming of Billy Cobham, the authorized musical biography covering the life and work of this jazz, fusion, and drumming legend. The beautifully designed 168-page book includes biography, musical notation, discography, and photos.
When he burst onto the international stage in 1971 with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham had already recorded with Miles Davis and dozens of others. But it was his otherworldly playing with Mahavishnu that redefined what was possible on the drum set. Cobham’s first solo album, 1973’s Spectrum, became a number one hit, spawned three future jazz standards, and cemented his place as a drumming legend for all time. But Cobham was far from finished, and in a career that has now spanned seven decades, he is considered one of the titans of the instrument, someone whose work is essential study.
With COBHAM: The Music and Drumming of Billy Cobham, the work and life of this drumming colossus is explored and analyzed. Written with Cobham’s direct involvement and culled from dozens of hours of interviews with him, the book presents a biography of his early years and the development of his career, and then documents select important recordings and projects from 1968 up to the present day. Cobham gives his views on the industry, writing music, leading a band, recording, education/clinics, and other topics.
Presented in a coffee-table style full-color layout, an extensive collection of photos (many culled from Cobham’s personal archives) documents Billy’s history—including his contributions to the innovative setup of the instrument itself: left-hand-lead/ambidextrous playing, double bass drums, the contemporary large kit with instrument innovations such as the gong drum, and an endlessly creative approach to playing the drums in ways that continue to defy convention.
The book includes note-for-note transcriptions from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, Cobham’s CTI recordings, and many of his own albums, including classics from Spectrum, Crosswinds, Total Eclipse, Warning, Power Play, and more.
Also included are exclusive interviews with John McLaughlin, Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, and contributions from Wayne Cobham (Bill’s brother and collaborator) and Ken Hoshino (Tama drums). Contemporary legends who count Cobham among their main influences also contribute their views on Billy’s importance: Will Calhoun, Dennis Chambers, Gary Husband, Simon Phillips, John Riley, Steve Smith, and Narada Michael Walden. Rounded out by a complete discography and a collection of industry advertisements over the years, the book can be used as a musical analysis, biography, or an entertaining look at photos and history of the legendary music career of Billy Cobham.
While the book contains many drum transcriptions, people who do not read music will greatly enjoy the book as they would any other biography with text and photos.
The latest in a series from author Joe Bergamini, who has written best-selling musical biographies of Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, and Steve Gadd, COBHAM: The Music and Drumming of Billy Cobham is a must for the bookshelf of all drummers and fans of jazz and fusion.
- COBHAM: The Music and Drumming of Billy Cobham
- By Joe Bergamini
- 168 pages
- Full color, perfect bound
- $29.99
PRAISE FOR COBHAM: The Music and Drumming of Billy Cobham
“Joe Bergamini has written a wonderful book on a wonderful (and often misunderstood) subject, the great Billy Cobham. And for anyone who thinks they understand Cobham’s drumming, life, and career, I encourage you to take a deep dive and use this book as a guide. We get a thorough explanation of Billy’s early and formative years, an examination of his (forgotten) years as a session man and sideman, and a look into the mind of Cobham as a talented composer and bandleader. Yes, there is a deep look into the legendary and awe-inspiring Mahavishnu days, over 20 jaw-dropping transcriptions, and talk about chops, technique, odd times, and inventive gear. But Billy Cobham is SO MUCH more than that. He is a multi-faceted musician, and thankfully Bergamini covers it ALL in this book. We also get interviews and insights about Billy from two musicians who know him well, bassist Ron Carter and guitarist John McLaughlin. We could not ask for a better look into the mind, music, and drumming of one of the legends of drumming, Billy Cobham. This book is a great read and is highly recommended!!”
- Mark Griffith (Modern Drummer magazine)
“The combination of transcriptions, biography, pictures and background information makes this book a true gem.The visionary quality of Billy’s concepts in modern drum set playing has influenced countless drummers and still continues to do so. Without Billy I would probably not play drums the way I do today. And it is incredible to understand that this may just as well apply to people who are not even familiar with his style and approach. Imagine being influenced by someone you don’t even know about–that level of impact is just something else. Are you aware of Billy Cobham and his playing? Then you’ll be amazed with the book and discover lots of things you may not have known. Are you still missing that game-changing Billy Cobham experience? This fabulous book will be an eye-opener. Enjoy the ride!”
- Claus Hessler