For Y'all Paradox - 1996 Paradox

Drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Bill Bickford, as well as bassist Wolfgang Schmid shape a creative fusion trio on Paradox. The outcome is a powerhouse add-on to Cobham's discography. The music ranges from the roiling heavy metallic sludge of Bickford's "Four More Years," to the full-on funk of Schmid's "Fonkey Donkey," to Cobham's calmly lyrical "Walking inwards Five." Schmid is the principal writer, followed past times Bickford, thus Cobham. The best agency to educate the scene is amongst Paradox's version of "Quadrant 4." The original was the defining rails on Cobham's 1973 debut release, Spectrum. Coming on the heels of Cobham's operate amongst John McLaughlin's original Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spectrum is 1 of the essential documents of fusion's classic era. The original "Quadrant 4" was a showcase for the belatedly Tommy Bolin -- a bona fide stone star of James Gang fame. The melding of Bolin's speed-freak boogie amongst Cobham's pummeling whirlwind got the attending of jazz as well as stone fans alike, achieving nearly "hit single" condition inwards both camps. For their version nearly a quarter-century later, Cobham as well as society notch the measuring dorsum a bit, getting to a greater extent than heft as well as torque without losing whatever of the original's guitar god flash (Schmid nearly steals the present amongst his ain axe-slinging).

While Paradox is a tripartite accomplishment, it is also a personal render to shape for Cobham, who, after the hope of his early on solo career, became involved inwards many forgettable projects (does anybody recollect Bobby & the Midnites?). Paradox doesn't gibe the howling, apocalyptic thunder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, only it is the equal of Cobham's ain triumphant kickoff release.

Paradox was 1 fine ability fusion trio. Bassist Schmid is a known quantity inwards Germany. His kickoff marks were made inwards Klaus Doldinger's grouping Passport. He has won many German linguistic communication music awards. New York guitarist Bill Bickford spent a decade inwards the band DeFunkt. Billy Cobham is Billy Cobham. The beat department of Cobham as well as Schmid start "Shoes inwards Seven" amongst a rocking beat out similar inwards audio as well as utilisation to Cobham's previous plough inwards the historic "Right Off" from Miles Davis's Tribute to Jack Johnson. Bickford goes amongst the period of time past times throwing inwards roughly real effective funky tike ninth chords. As Bickford solos it appears he is indeed paying tribute to "Right Off" equally he mimics John McLaughlin's guitar sound. His chord cognition seems to live real advanced. Cobham has engaged inwards many guitar/drum "duels" over the years. There is 1 of those on this cutting equally well. However, Bickford arms himself amongst exclusively chords. It would seem he would live outmanned equally Cobham commonly goes into battle against single-note gunslingers who tin shoot faster than the speed of sound. Instead Bickford matches every drum beat out amongst every chord change. (Or is it the other agency around?) It is quite an impressive feat either way. It is musical, too. Who knew that Billy Cobham was rocking things out 1 time again inwards a fantastic jazz-rock trio inwards the middle of the somewhat fusion-stale 1990s?

Before fusion engaged inwards a seemingly unbreakable dearest thing amongst elevators, it amplified stadiums globally amongst joyous eruptions of lacerating electrical guitars as well as orchestral keyboards intertwined amongst blaring horn sections. Underneath those plugged-in audio collages were molten hotbeds of relentless stone as well as mitt percussion that propelled all the pyro-madness amongst funk-informed grooves. Recalling the glory slickophonic years of fusion-rock, Paradox thumps mightily amongst the same frenetic electricity, extroverted pyrotechnics as well as herculean strength that elevated the careers of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, as well as Weather Report to stone star status. Comprised of fusion veterans, drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Wolfgang Schmid, as well as guitarist Bill Bickford, this all-star trio stomps similar a thumperasaurus monster abruptly awakening from a deep sleep. The combined steroid ability of Cobham's muscular backbeats as well as nasty drum fills, Schmid's thick elastic basslines, as well as Bickford's electromagnolia guitar musings are a forcefulness to live reckoned. From the opening "Fonkey Donkey" which strangely gallops amongst a subversive nod to Ornette Coleman's rowdier electrical years, to Cobham's '70s classic, "Quadrant 4," which features the drumming juggernaut hammering roughly of his best soloing inwards recent years, this trio goes for broke amongst nearly every note. Although subtlety isn't a original gene inwards their repertoire, the relative soft "Walking In Five" as well as "Late Nite" offering brief moments of quieter pleasures. Light years from beingness a classic inwards whatever sort, Paradox does all the same furnish ample bear witness that the '70s jazz era was non a consummate waste.

Track listing:

1 Fonkey Donkey (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 5:14
2 Four More Years (Bill Bickford) 8:52
3 Quadrant iv (Billy Cobham) 5:28
4 Myohmyohyeoye (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 9:25
5 Walking In Five (Billy Cobham) 6:35
6 Jam O'James (Bill Bickford) 5:21
7 Late Nite (Bill Bickford) 9:03
8 Shoes In Seven (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 4:58
9 Five In (Wolfgang Schmid-Grandy) 6:17

Personnel:

- Billy Cobham / drums
- Wolfgang Schmid / bass
- Bill Bickford / guitars