Jazz Fusion Legend Billy Cobham Brings his Highly Acclaimed Crosswinds Project to the US for a Multi-City Tour in March-April 2018

Sat, 02/10/2018 - 12:42 pm

Jazz fusion legend Billy Cobham announces a multi-city US Tour dedicated to revisiting his second album, Crosswinds, which was originally released in 1974. For this new performance se- ries, known as the “Crosswinds Project,” Cobham and the band will perform updated arrangements of his compositions from this album, supported by Paul Hanson (bassoon, sax); Fareed Haque (guitar); Tim Landers (bass); and Scott Tibbs (keys).

In addition to playing material from Crosswinds such as Spanish Moss, The Pleas- ant Pheasant, Heather, and Crosswind, Cobham and the band will perform well-loved favorites from his breakthrough album, Spectrum (1973), Taurian Matador, Stratus, Quadrant Four and Red Baron.

Cobham’s musical genius had enthralled music lovers around the globe since the early ‘70s when he was a founding member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Today, after decades of musical exploration, the versatile Cobham continues to innovate as a master drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, educator, and clinician, as audiences around the country will experience through his brilliant Crosswinds Project.

Billy Cobham and the Crosswinds Project will appear at the following venues:

Thursday, March 8-Sunday, March 11: Jazz Alley, Seattle, Washington

Tuesday, March 13 and Wednesday, March 14, 2018: Yoshi’s, Oakland, Cali- fornia

Thursday, March 15: Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, California

Friday, March 16: Sunday, March 18: Blue Note Honolulu, Hawaii

Thursday, March 22: Jazz Cafe at Music Hall, Detroit, Michigan

Friday, March 23: Tralf Music Hall, Buffalo, New York

Saturday, March 24: The Center of the Arts in Natick, Natick, Mass- achusetts

Sunday, March 25: Albany, NY Swyer Theatre " The Egg”

Thursday, March 29: SPACE, Evanston, Illinois

Friday, March 30-Saturday, March 31: Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, Indiana

Monday, April 2: Birchmere, Alexandria, Virginia

Tuesday, April 3: BB King’s, New York City, New York

Wednesday, April 4: Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

Thursday, April 5: Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

In conjunction with the Crosswinds Project Tour, a special free ebook excerpt (first chapter preview) of a forthcoming full-length book about Cobham will be released, written by author Brian Gruber, entitled, “Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s: Billy Cob- ham on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation."This one-of-a-kind book offers a be- hind-the-scenes look at a grand musical collaboration: British arranger Guy Barker’s orchestration of Billy Cobham’s life's work for a six-day run with a 17-piece big band at London’s iconic Ronnie Scott’s. In a riveting series of backstage conversations, "Six Days at Ronnie Scott's" covers six decades of Cobham’s musical life, from his early days playing with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew to the formation of Mahavishnu Orchestra to performances with virtually every jazz great to his still-prolific schedule of touring and recording at age 73. Masters such as Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, Jan Hammer, and Guy Barker, as well as club owners, jazz critics, and fans all get in on the action as the transformative early years of jazz fu- sion are explored, along with what drives Cobham to continue to create. Details of the full print and ebook release will be made public shortly.

For more information, visit: www.billycobham.com and find Billy on Facebook at Official Billy Cobham.

Billy Cobham's Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat @ Mesa Arts Center

FUSION LEGEND BILLY COBHAM AND THE MESA ARTS CENTER WILL PRESENT THE ACCLAIMED “ART OF THE RHYTHM SECTION” MUSICIAN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR ITS 3RD YEAR FROM JULY 22 THROUGH 28, 2018

Wed, 05/09/2018 - 6:43 am

Nancy Balik

Drumming legend and fusion pioneer Billy Cobham will bring his highly acclaimed Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat back to the Mesa Arts Center for its third year, offering a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program for guitarists, bassists, drummers, keyboardists, and for the first time, woodwind players. Geared for advanced rhythm section students, music educators and working professionals alike, this intensive program is designed to give experienced musicians a range of rewarding opportunities to delve into the finer points of working as a cohesive unit in the rhythm section, and develop stronger communications and teamwork skills.

Participants will be coached from a variety of perspectives, from Billy Cobham, who leads the program, and global educator Dom Famularo as moderator, to special guest coaches Ron Carter & Kenny Barron and Lee Oskar, along with the core coaching team, consisting of Billy’s Crosswinds Project Band: Fareed Haque (guitar), Tim Landers (bass), Scott Tibbs (keys) and Paul Hanson (bassoon/sax).

Billy Cobham remarks, “The unique format of the program allows participants to explore and expand their artistry, develop and refine their ‘band face’ and focus on the all-important elements of teamwork and collaboration, so that all types of rhythm section instrumentalists can benefit and learn from the perspective of each one of our coaches.”

Through a variety of learning experiences, including interactive lectures, discussions, demonstrations, playing exercises, and nightly jam sessions, participants will discover how to:

Gain and build trust among fellow Rhythm Section musicians in performance.

Stay in sync with yourself so that you can control what you play through your instrument while receiving information from your colleagues in the Rhythm Section.

Keenly listen in performance, interpret what is offered by your fellow players and offer effective musical ideas in return.

Control tempo and provide a sense of security in performance.

Present a more harmonious musical character through heightened awareness.

Remain in control of syncopated musical ideas within the performance.

Participants will enjoy a rare musical treat during this week-long program, “The Art of Three in Conversation and Song” with Billy Cobham, Ron Carter and Kenny Barron on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:30 pm in the Piper Theatre of the Mesa Arts Center, moderated by Dom Famularo. The week-long retreat comes to a grande finale with a full-length public concert by Billy Cobham and the Crosswinds Project Band on Saturday, July 28 at 7:30 pm, in the same venue.

Enrollment for the program is now open to advanced students, music educators and working professionals. For more information and to register, visit: www.billycobhamretreat.com. Check out: https://bit.ly/2JoaiVX

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