Generally acclaimed as fusion’s greatest drummer, Billy Cobham’s explosive technique powered some of the genre’s most important early recordings including groundbreaking efforts by and before he became an accomplished bandleader in his own right. At his best, Cobham harnessed his amazing dexterity into thundering, high-octane hybrids of jazz complexity and rock & roll aggression. He was capable of subtler, funkier grooves on the one hand, and awe-inspiring solo improvisations on the other.

After debuting as a leader with the classic Spectrum in 1973, Cobham released a steady flow of fusion-leaning albums, including 1974’s Total Eclipse (which hit number six on the jazz charts), 1981’s Stratus, and 1986’s Grammy-nominated Power Play. Along with increasing session and sideman work, Cobham has continued to record, exploring the music of on 1998’s Blue Light Rain, issuing small group dates like 2006’s Art of Four, and revisiting his fusion work as on 2010’s Palindrome and 2015’s Spectrum 40 Live.