Customer Reviews

Crosswinds

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Billy Cobham made this album at a pivotal point. The original Mahavishnu Orchestra had disbanded, John McLaughlin was wallowing, and jazz purists were beginning to complain about the rock influence. Billy helped show a new direction. Crosswinds opening suite has lush and sophisticated horn arrangments, soothing a subtly intense rhythm. The effect is like night, tropical breezes, just as he wants to convey. You can almost hear the ocean, the music of the wild Caribbean (no steel drums of course, just cool). The rest of the album alternates between hot and cool, with some funky fusion and a beautiful extended piece, Heathers, near the end, featuring a trombone solo that sounds like the soundtrack to a loving and relaxing dream. The album is inspired, Billy at his creative best, showing the jazz world a new dimension that fusion had not shown before. At 35 minutes it is a little short, but we have quality here, not quantity. This album belongs in any jazz or fusion collection.

"Crosswinds" has been in my vinyl collection since 1974, when I first picked up a copy at King Karol Records on 42nd Street in Manhattan. Well, I recently became reacquainted with this recording after picking up a CD copy at a "oh so trendy" record store in Haight-Ashburry, San Francisco. As I did then, I played the new CD over and over again, completely enraptured by Cobham's "Ripley's Believe or Not" staccatto drumming and Lee Pastora's smoking Latin percussion. Joined by the Brecker Brothers, George Duke, John Abercrombie, Alex Blake, John Williams, Garnett Brown and other great luminaries of early jazz fusion, Cobham and his willing partners beat and shape a veritable masterpiece. Drive along Big Sur and take in the vast and dramatic California skies and scarred bluffs and you'll begin to undertand what hues of emotions this exquisite recording conjures. Crosswinds alternates between adrenaline musical rushes and absolute sublime chill, creating a perfectly balanced sinuous stream of sound. Simply exquisite!

I got this album as a gift in 1974 when I was 19 years old. My unsuspecting sister had heard the name Billy Cobham, but did not realize what a masterpiece she had placed in my hands. Although a virtuoso drummer with monstrous chops, Billy doesn't let his virtuosity run away with him. Although those looking for impressive drumming will not be disapointed. His use of time on the the Crosswinds suite, his climactic "Storm" solo the driving end movement will satisfy drummers, air-drummers and percussion fans. This album exhibits Billy Cobham, composer and arranger. With a dark hues on his palette and a wide brush, Billy paints us quite a seascape. The "Pleasant Pheasant",one of my favorites, is energetic, driving, exciting and just a little bit funky. This features an exceptional and rhythmic drum solo. "Heather", what can I say about "Heather", hypnotic, seductive, well paced. It starts as a whisper of a siren's song and builds to what to date might be one of Michael Breckers most beautiful and haunting solos. This one is for the headphones, folks. "Heather" is worth the price of this recording alone. A stellar cast of musicians on this album work in concert and in symbiosis to produce one of the underated recordings in the "fusion" era. No pyrothechnics for it's own sake here. Impressive solo's abound within the context of the pieces. John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Garnett Brown, Lee Pastora ...etc., a dream team of musicians. This album should never have been gone this long from the CD shelves/racks/bins of music outlets. Few of Billy's recording measure up to this one in my opinion.

The glowing reviews of the musical content of this classic album are all right on the money (5 stars). My cassette recording of this album made in 1977 sounds much better than this CD version, unfortunately. I used to play this album over and over on my turntable 25 years ago and never got tired of listening. Now, I barely sat through the CD version. There is none of the warmth and subtlety of the album version (even recorded onto cassette), and the dynamic range is a joke. The sound stage has only two dimensions (no depth), and the music completely lacks "body" and fullness. I was sooo psyched when I found that the album had been transferred to CD. I was profoundly disappointed when I received it and played it on my stereo system. If you have a stereo system with good resolution and you know this album, you'll probably be disappointed. If you don't understand what I am talking about here, then ignore this review and enjoy a great album.

I don't know whether the company that did the transfer doesn't know or doesn't care about the quality of a transfer of an album to CD, but I certainly will think long and hard before I buy another CD from it. The problems with this CD are also present in the new CD transfer of Cobham's Total Eclipse.

I got this album as a gift in 1974 when I was 19 years old. My unsuspecting sister had heard the name Billy Cobham, but did not realize what a masterpiece she had placed in my hands. Although a virtuoso drummer with monstrous chops, Billy doesn't let his virtuosity run away with him. Although those looking for impressive drumming will not be disapointed. His use of time on the the The The interrelated Spanish Moss, Savannah the Serene, Storm and Flash Flood which comes off a suite. His climactic "Storm" solo the driving end movement will satisfy drummers, air-drummers and percussion fans. This album exhibits Billy Cobham, composer and arranger. With a dark hues on his palette and a wide brush, Billy paints us quite a seascape on the title suite. The "Pleasant Pheasant",one of my favorites, is energetic, driving, exciting and just a little bit funky. "Heather", what can I say about "Heather", hypnotic, seductive, well paced. It starts as a whisper of a siren's song and builds to what to date might be one of Michael Breckers most beautiful and haunting solo's. This one is for the headphones, folks. "Heather" is worth the price of this recording alone. A stellar cast of musicians on this album work in concert and in symbiosis to produce one of the underated recordings in the fusion era. John Abercrombie, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Garnett Brown, Lee Pastora ...etc. provide a dream team line playing strongly within the context of the music and in musical symbiosis. This album should never have been gone this long from the CD shelves/racks/bins of music outlets. Few of Billy's recording measure up to this one in my opinion.

Billy Cobham is the drummers' drummer. He demonstrates a delicacy, energy and style. He is a brilliant composer to boot. This album stands testament to this. It was a point of departure from the previous Spectrum which was somewhat rocky to some extremely lyrical Jazzwork. Admitedly there was still some pacing guitar on this album courtesy of John Abercrombie, but the not OTT stuff that was played by Tommy Bolin (Spectrum is a good album, I hasten to add). This is mood music and thank goodness that none of the tracks have found their way on to the "chill out" collections that seem to plague the music shops.

The best track on the album has to be Heather. Superb atmospheric synthesiser and electric piano played by George Duke, and wow what great saxophone playing by Brecker.

The album is incredibly short in duration, but it's one of those works which do not need to say anymore than it has to. It's a masterwork from which all musicians should be influenced.

Completely sublime!

I bought this album,(LP) twice. It was stolen by acqaintences both times. I waited for a long time for it to come out on CD. Cobham literally drums up a storm on this album. Incredible. Some of his jazz is a little like muzak/funk, but when he hits the spot there is just nothing else like it. If you are only buying this for one song that epitomizes Cobham the most, this album has it and it is the best.

You know the feeling when you find a great LP you've never heard before and you play it over and over again? Well this is what happened to me when I bought Crosswinds, got it on vinyl which makes it even better and like most people the stand out track for me is "Heather" (8 and ½ mins of magic)

I first purchased this recording as a young teenager in 1974 after hearing it at a freind's house ... I was immediately hooked ! This is Billy Cobham at his best .. "Storm" features Billy solo on the drums and "Heather" has got to be one of the the most romantic instrumentals I have ever heard ! If you are a jazz fan , a romantic or enjoy fine music , do not pass up on this gem !

THIS IS THE MUSIC THAT SET THE DIRECTION AND FOCUS FOR MY LIFE!
GREAT MUSIC.... EXCELLENT DRUMMER.... TRUE ARTIST AND COMPOSER.

THANK YOU MR.COBHAM FOR YOUR LIFE STATEMENT.....

ALFRED BEASLEY