Spectrum cover

Spectrum

Released

Recorded in a couple days by an insane lineup — Miles/Mahavishnu drummer Cobham and future Miami Vice composer Jan Hammer made up the core, but they were supplemented by Deep Purple/James Gang shredder Tommy Bolin, session legend bassist Leland Sklar, and a host of others — this dizzying display of musicianship takes all that talent and harnesses it into one of the great jazz fusion records of all time. Cobham’s kit (mic’ed to the max by Beatles engineer Ken Scott) is the centerpiece, the other players following his lead into the ultraviolet range. It’s not difficult to understand why songs like “Quadrant 4” and “Stratus” blew open their listeners’ third eyes.

Jeff Treppel

Recommended by

Suggestions
Spirit cover

Spirit

Spirit
Lingua Franca cover

Lingua Franca

Brad Shepik, Matt Kilmer, Peter Epstein
Sorrow Tears and Blood cover

Sorrow Tears and Blood

Africa 70, Fela Kuti
Young Blues cover

Young Blues

Larry Young
Luar cover

Luar

Gilberto Gil
Absolutely Free cover

Absolutely Free

The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa
Bridges cover

Bridges

Brian Jackson, Gil Scott-Heron