#14 Stratus - Billy Cobham - By Profyousion
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009The driving drums and their trademark tonality underscore the Cobham technique. Add to this the distinctive fender-rhodes harmonics and driving bass line groove, and the stage is set for a “knock your socks off” performance. Stratus is definitely one of his best on the album.
Recorded in 1973, Spectrum is Billy Cobham’s debut effort as a bandleader.
Jazz purists of the time expressed a resistance to funk as viable part of the “straight ahead” jazz arena… fine, whatever! This is still undeniably jazz.
As pure funk, it’s too jazzy, and too jazzy and funky to be pure rock. Hence the “fusion” of all three, creating it’s own category.
#13 Honky Tonk - Miles Davis by profyousion
Saturday, February 28th, 2009The signature electronic riffs along with some hot lead/bass guitar licks of “spacejazz” that start this jam have me asking: “to what galaxy are we going”? For that style is the unknown of which I’m sometimes leery.
Have no fear fellow traveler’s, Miles and the crew have a destination in mind. A funk orbit of the planet “honky tonk” in the blues nebula.
Okay, enough of that!
#10 What It Is - Dave Weckl Band - by profyousion
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009PROFYOUSION’S VIDEO REVIEW dave-weckl
“What It Is” is a track by the Dave Weckl Band exemplifies what I like best about fusion. Maybe these cats hear music differently than us “ordinary” folks.
No intro, they jump right to a funky bass/drum groove. The bassline has an off kilter vamp like it’s behind the meter, producing a kind of jerky feel, which is also replicated by the drums. Laid on top is a throaty sax, along with subtle rhythm accents on synth.

