Espoo Espoo – Esbo
—  City  —
Espoon kaupunki Esbo stad
Skyline of Espoo
Coat of arms Official logo of Espoo Logo
Location of Espoo in Finland
Coordinates: 60°12′20″N 024°39′20″E / 60.20556°N 24.65556°E / 60.20556; 24.65556Coordinates: 60°12′20″N 024°39′20″E / 60.20556°N 24.65556°E / 60.20556; 24.65556
Country	Finland
Region	Uusimaa
Sub-region	Greater Helsinki
Charter	1458
City	1972
Government
• City manager	Jukka Mäkelä
Area(2011-01-01)[1]
• Total	528.14 km2 (203.92 sq mi)
• Land	312.26 km2 (120.56 sq mi)
• Water	215.88 km2 (83.35 sq mi)
Area rank	221st largest in Finland
Population (2012-01-31)[2]
• Total	252,730
• Rank	2nd largest in Finland
• Density	809.36/km2 (2,096.2/sq mi)
Population by native language[3]
• Finnish	83.6% (official)
• Swedish	8.3% (official)
• Others	8%
Population by age[4]
• 0 to 14	19.7%
• 15 to 64	69.8%
• 65 or older	10.5%
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Municipal tax rate[5]	17.75%
Website	www.espoo.fi (Finnish) (Swedish) (English)

Espoo (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈespoː]; Swedish: Esbo, [ˈɛsbo]) is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is 252,730 (31 January 2012).^[2] It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen. Espoo is the only municipality in Finland to fully enclose another municipality. The city is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, in the region of Uusimaa.

Other bordering municipalities of Espoo are Nurmijärvi and Vihti in the north and Kirkkonummi in the west. The national park of Nuuksio is situated in northwest Espoo.

Espoo encompasses 528 square kilometres (204 sq mi), of which 312 km² (120 sq mi) is land.^[1]

Espoo has several local regional centers. Espoo is thus divided into seven major areas (Finnish: suuralueet, Swedish: storområden): Vanha-Espoo (with administrative center), Suur-Espoonlahti, Pohjois-Espoo, Suur-Kauklahti, Suur-Leppävaara, Suur-Matinkylä and Suur-Tapiola.

The Helsinki University of Technology is based in Otaniemi, Espoo, along with a thriving science community that includes numerous startups and organizations such as VTT – the Technical Research Center of Finland. Nokia, the telecommunications company, is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, along with other high-tech companies such as KONE, Tekla and Fortum.

The city of Espoo is officially bilingual. The majority of the population, 83.6%, speaks Finnish as their mother tongue, while a minority of 8.3% speaks Swedish. 8% of Espoo's population has a first language other than Finnish or Swedish.

History[link]

The first inhabitants in the area arrived about 9,000 years ago. A permanent settlement was established during the 12th and 13th centuries. The King's Road that passes through Espoo on its way from Stockholm via Turku to Viipuri dates back to the 13th century. The oldest preserved building in Espoo, the Espoo Cathedral, originates from the 1480s. The administrative center Espoon keskus has grown around the church and the Espoo railway station.

In 1920, Espoo was only a rural municipality of about 9,000 inhabitants, of whom 70% were Swedish speaking. Agriculture was the primary source of income, with 75% of the population making their living from farming. Kauniainen was separated from Espoo in 1920, and it gained city rights the same year as Espoo, in 1972.

Espoo started to grow rapidly in the 1940s and '50s. It quickly developed from a rural municipality into a fully-fledged industrial city, gaining city rights in 1972. Due to its proximity to Helsinki, Espoo soon became popular amongst people working in the capital. In the fifty years from 1950 to 2000, the population of Espoo grew from 22,000 to 210,000. Since 1945, the majority of people in Espoo have been Finnish speaking. In 2006, the Swedish speaking inhabitants represented barely 9% of the total population. The population growth is still continuing, but at a slower rate.

Name[link]

The name Espoo probably comes from the Swedish name for the River Espoo, Espå (or Espåå), which in turn comes from the old Swedish word äspe, meaning a border of aspen, and the Swedish word for "river", å, thus "a river bordered by aspen". The name was first mentioned in 1431.

Demographics[link]

The population by nationality 1 January 2007 was 95.1% Finnish and 4.9% other nationalities. Religious affiliation was 77.4% Lutheran, 1.3% Orthodox, 1.3% other, 19.9% no religious affiliation.

Espoo contains many high income suburbs, and six out of the ten highest average income postal code areas in Finland are in Espoo.^{[citation needed]}

Politics[link]

Results of the Finnish parliamentary election, 2011 in Espoo:

• National Coalition Party 40.4%
• True Finns 14.6%
• Social Democratic Party 14.4%
• Green League 11.6%
• Swedish People's Party 6.7%
• Centre Party 4.3%
• Left Alliance 3.6%
• Christian Democrats 2.7%

As of February 2012, the 67-member City Council had 27 representatives from the National Coalition Party, 10 from the Social Democratic Party, 9 from the Green League, 7 from True Finns/Non-Aligned, 6 from the Swedish People's Party, 3 from the Centre Party, 2 from the Left Alliance, 2 from the Christian Democrats, and 1 from the For the Poor (Köyhien Asialla) Party.^[7]

Culture[link]

Espoo hosts a Museum of Modern Art called EMMA (Espoo Museum of Modern Art), built in a renovated old print house, the WeeGee house, named after an old book print company Weilin & Göös. The same building hosts also Finland's only Museum of Horology (Finnish: Kellomuseo, Swedish: Urmuseum) and a Toy Museum. In Tapiola (Swedish: Hagalund), is located the Espoo cultural centre, where numerous concerts and theater performances are held.

Espoo has several manors two of which are open to the public. The most important is Espoon kartano (Swedish: Esbo gård, Espoo Manor), mentioned first time in 1495, and belonging to the noble Ramsay family since 1756. The current main building dates from 1914, but a mill dates from the 1750s and Finland oldest walved stone bridge from 1777 is on the King's Road (Finnish: Kuninkaantie, Swedish: Kungsvägen) which passes by the manor. The main building can be rented for weddings and similar occasions. Guided tours on request for groups. The other manor open to public is Pakankylän kartano, located on the northern shore of Lake Bodom. The manor hosts a restaurant and club rooms, partly with original furniture open to the public, but meant original to Kaisankoti sanatory and old people's home located on ground of the manor.

The Metal band Children of Bodom comes from Espoo, Finland. They are named after the unsolved murder known as the Lake Bodom murders which took place at Lake Bodom, a lake in northern Espoo in 1960. The bands Norther and Kiuas also come from Espoo.

The educational department takes part in Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013 in Finland.

Sports[link]

At the 1952 Summer Olympics, the city's Westend Tennis Hall hosted the fencing events.

Espoo is home to several premier league sports teams. The Espoo Blues play at Barona Areena in the SM-liiga – professional ice hockey league. The club was established in February 1984 as "Kiekko-Espoo" and played their first season in 1984–1985 in the Finnish Second Division. In 1988 they achieved a place on the Finnish First Division and in 1992 they celebrated their promotion to the SM-liiga. The club and the team changed their name in 1998. The name came from the dominant colour of their home jersey. The full name of the club is Blues Hockey Oy.

The Blues are a contender for the title almost every year, but have yet to win the series. They have come second several times though, most recently in 2011.

Another sports club from Espoo, FC Honka, is a football club based in Tapiola in southern Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division (Veikkausliiga) for the first time in its history at the end of the 2005 season. The manager of the club is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto. Originally founded in 1953 as "Tapion Honka", it changed its name into FC Honka in 1975.

FC Honka is largely known in Finland for its extensive youth scheme with over 1000 young players playing in various age groups.

Espoo is the birthplace of 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen, former Dallas Stars forward Jere Lehtinen (three time NHL Selke Trophy winner), former Formula One driver JJ Lehto, professional downhill mountain biker Matti Lehikoinen, and 2009 European Figure Skating Champion Laura Lepistö.

Gallery[link]

• 

  The headquarters of Fortum, located in Keilaniemi, Espoo

• 

  The Helsinki University of Technology, in Otaniemi, Espoo

• 

  Nokia world headquarters in Keilaniemi, Espoo

• 

  The 55 districts of Espoo

• 

  Espoo Cathedral

• 

  Leppävaara railway station

• 

  Träskända Mansion in Espoo

International relations[link]

Twin towns – Sister cities[link]

Espoo is twinned with:

Nuuksio National Park in the autumn

See also[link]

• The UN's Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, signed in Espoo 1991 (text of Convention)
• Districts of Espoo
• Sello mall shooting

References[link]

• Espoon kaupungin taskutilasto 2007, issued by the City of Espoo, 2007

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Espoo

• 1952 Summer Olympics official report. p. 50.
• City of Espoo – Official website (Finnish)
• City of Espoo (Esbo) – Official website (Swedish)
• City of Espoo – Official website (English)
• Espoo Convention & Marketing Espoo for travellers (Finnish) (Swedish) (English)
• Helsinki University of Technology – located in Espoo (Finnish) (Swedish) (English)
• Helsinki.fi – Helsinki region in a nutshell (Finnish) (Swedish) (English)

v t e The major districts and districts of Espoo Pohjois-Espoo (Norra Esbo) Bodom Kalajärvi Lahnus Lakisto Luukki (Luk) Niipperi (Nipert) Perusmäki (Grundbacka) Röylä (Rödskog) Vanhakartano (Gammelgård) Velskola (Vällskog) Suur-Espoonlahti (Stor-Esboviken) Espoonlahti (Esboviken) Kaitaa (Kaitans) Latokaski (Ladusved) Nöykkiö (Nöykis) Saunalahti (Bastvik) Soukka (Sökö) Suvisaaristo (Sommaröarna) Suur-Kauklahti (Stor-Köklax) Espoonkartano (Esbogård) Kauklahti (Köklax) Kurttila (Kurtby) Vanttila (Fantsby) Suur-Leppävaara (Stor-Alberga) Karakallio (Karabacka) Kilo Laaksolahti (Dalsvik) Leppävaara (Alberga) Lintuvaara (Fågelberga) Lippajärvi (Klappträsk) Sepänkylä (Smedsby) Viherlaakso (Gröndal) Suur-Matinkylä (Stor-Mattby) Henttaa (Hemtans) Matinkylä (Mattby) Olari (Olars) Suur-Tapiola (Stor-Hagalund) Haukilahti (Gäddvik) Laajalahti (Bredvik) Mankkaa (Mankans) Niittykumpu (Ängskulla) Otaniemi (Otnäs) Pohjois-Tapiola (Norra Hagalund) Tapiola (Hagalund) Westend Vanha-Espoo (Gamla Esbo) Espoon keskus (Esbo centrum) Gumböle Högnäs Järvenperä (Träskända) Karhusuo (Björnkärr) Karvasmäki (Karvasbacka) Kaupunginkallio (Stadsberget) Kolmperä (Kolmpers) Kunnarla (Gunnars) Kuurinniitty (Kurängen) Muurala (Morby) Nupuri (Nupurböle) Nuuksio (Noux) Siikajärvi Vanha-Nuuksio (Gamla Noux)

v t e Municipalities of Uusimaa Municipalities Askola Espoo Hanko Helsinki Hyvinkää Ingå Järvenpää Karjalohja Karkkila Kauniainen Kerava Kirkkonummi Lapinjärvi Lohja Loviisa Mäntsälä Myrskylä Nummi-Pusula Nurmijärvi Pornainen Porvoo Pukkila Raseborg Sipoo Siuntio Tuusula Vantaa Vihti Former municipalities Bromarf Degerby Ekenäs Ekenäs landskommun Haaga Huopalahti Hyvinkään maalaiskunta Karis Kulosaari Liljendal Lohjan kunta Nummi Oulunkylä Pernå Pohja Porvoon maalaiskunta Pusula Ruotsinpyhtää Sammatti Snappertuna Tenala Uusimaa Finland

v t e Olympic venues in fencing 1896: Zappeion 1900: Tuileries Garden 1904: Francis Gymnasium 1908: Franco-British Exhibition Fencing Grounds 1912: Östermalm Athletic Grounds 1920: Gardens de la Palace d'Egmont 1924: Stade de Colombes 1928: Schemzaal 1932: 160th Regiment State Armory 1936: Haus des Deutschen Sports, Tennis Courts 1948: Wembley Palace of Engineering 1952: Westend Tennis Hall 1956: St Kilda Town Hall 1960: Palazzo dei Congressi 1964: Waseda Memorial Hall 1968: Fernando Montes de Oca Fencing Hall 1972: Messegelände, Fechthalle 1, Messegelände Fechthalle 2 1976: Winter Stadium, Université de Montréal 1980: CSKA Football Fieldhouse 1984: Long Beach Convention Center 1988: Olympic Fencing Gymnasium 1992: Palau de la Metal·lúrgia 1996: Georgia World Congress Center 2000: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre 2004: Fencing Hall 2008: Olympic Green Convention Center 2012: ExCeL, Copper Box 2016: Deodoro Arena

vep:Espoo

Tom Russell
Russell performing at Club Passim in 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Thomas George Russell
Born	1947/1948 (age 64–65)[1] Los Angeles, California, United States
Origin	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Country, folk
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Labels	Shout Factory
Associated acts	Hardin & Russell
Website	tomrussell.com

Thomas George "Tom" Russell (born March 5,^[2] 1947/1948^{[1][3][dubious – discuss]}) is an American singer-songwriter. Although most strongly identified with the Texas Country music tradition, his music also incorporates elements of folk, Tex-Mex, and the cowboy music of the American West. Many of his songs have been recorded by other artists, including Johnny Cash, k. d. lang, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Nanci Griffith, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Iris Dement, Dave Alvin, and Suzy Bogguss. Tom has also done collaborative work with renowned cowboy poet Paul Zarzyski. They have worked together on a few songs which have appeared in Tom's works over the years. ^[4]

In addition to his music, Russell also paints folk art, and has published a book of songwriting quotes (co-edited with Sylvia Tyson), a detective novel (in Scandinavia),and a book of letters with Charles Bukowski (Tough Company; Mystery Island Press).

Early life and career[link]

Russell was born in Los Angeles in the late 1940s.^[3] He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a master's degree in Sociology of Law (criminology).^[3] In 1969, he spent a year teaching in Ibadan, Nigeria during the Biafran War.^[3] He has also lived in Spain, Norway, and played music at a circus in Puerto Rico. He began his musical career in earnest in the early 1970s in Vancouver playing strip bars, then later relocated to Texas and formed a band with singer-pianist Patricia Hardin. In 1977, they moved to San Francisco, performing regularly in clubs there as Hardin & Russell, during which time they recorded the second of their two studio albums. They eventually split in 1979, at which point Russell drifted out of the music industry for a while.

While working as a taxi driver in Queens, Russell met guitarist Andrew Hardin (no relation to Patricia). After hearing his songs, Hardin convinced him that they should form a new band. Shortly after this, Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead was a passenger in Russell's cab. Russell sang him his song Gallo Del Cielo. An impressed Hunter invited Russell and Hardin first to join him on stage at New York's Bitter End, and then to become his regular opening act. Hardin remained Russell's full-time sideman until April, 2006.

Tom Russell Band[link]

Between 1984 and 1994, the Tom Russell Band, (composed of Russell on acoustic guitar and vocals, Andrew Hardin (guitar, bass), David Mansfield (slide guitar), Fats Kaplin (pedal steel, fiddle, harmonica, accordion), Lee Thornburg, Tom Timko (horns), Skip Edwards (keyboards), Hank Bones, Dusty Wakeman, Billy Troiani (bass), Steve Holley, Charlie Caldarola, Mike Warner, and Jeff Donovan (drums), released four albums on Philo records. These albums blend elements of folk, country, and rock music, and often featured songs inspired by the American Southwest, blue-collar American life, and events from his own life (for instance the track Road to Bayamon, a regular concert favorite, draws on his experiences playing in Puerto Rico). His storytelling approach was also showcased in songs such as Haley's Comet, which has also been recorded by co-writer Dave Alvin and tells of the last, sad days of Bill Haley.

Russell worked on the New York country music circuit of the 1980s and 1990s, along with other local musicians such as Larry Campbell, Larry Eagle, Kenny Davis, Tommie Joe White, Dave Sonnenborn, Bruce Kirschner, Billy and Brucie Lang, John Widgren, and many more. Largely due to several of the Manhattan nightclubs, such as City Limits, O'Lunneys, Cody's, The Rodeo Bar, The Lone Star Cafe and others, becoming meeting places for all of these artists, an intermingling of the bands took place. Russell was one of the "purer" of these bands, almost always featuring the same line-up.

The Man From God Knows Where[link]

In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing new material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane" become a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. However, his most significant album of the 1990s was the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.

Drawing on the music of Norway and Ireland in addition to American folk and country, the album is a song cycle tracing the journeys of Russell's ancestors from Europe to America, and the struggles they encountered there. Recorded in Norway near the spot where his great-grandfather was born in 1847, the album features singers Iris DeMent, Dolores Keane, and Dave Van Ronk playing the roles of Russell's various ancestors and telling their stories. The title came from the epitaph of another Tom Russell, an Irish activist executed in 1803.

Recent work[link]

Russell's albums in the 21st century have been heavily influenced by his current home city, El Paso. Albums such as Borderland feature a strong Tex-Mex influence and feature songs of life on both sides of the border.

In 2005 Russell released Hotwalker, the second part of his Americana trilogy (the first part being "The Man From God Knows Where"). It was another conceptual work largely inspired by his correspondence with author Charles Bukowski. Subtitled "A Ballad for Gone America", the album features songs and spoken word pieces, many of the latter delivered by another friend of Bukowski, circus midget Little Jack Horton. The sampled voices of Lenny Bruce and Edward Abbey are also heard on an album which takes the form of a musical collage lamenting the passing of the America of Russell's childhood and the Beat generation.

In addition to working on new music, Russell also exhibits his original artwork and organizes an annual trans-Canadian music train, which combines song-writing and -singing workshops with live concerts aboard a vintage long-distance streamline train. This train trek was depicted in Russell's 2005 concert/documentary, "Hearts on the Line", produced by Canyon Productions, which features a concert with Russell and Andrew Hardin videotaped at Capilano College in Vancouver as well as behind the scenes footage of the music train experience.

In 2006, Russell released Love and Fear, a collection of original songs that were inspired by the highs and lows of his relationships with women. This was followed in 2007 by "Wounded Heart of America", a tribute album of Tom Russell songs covered by other artists, including Joe Ely, Suzy Bogguss, Dave Alvin, Jerry Jeff Walker, and beat poet legend Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Two new songs, "Who's Gonna Build Your Wall" and "The Death of Jimmy Martin", are also included on the album.

In 2008, Russell's new record company, Shout Factory, released a 2 CD retrospective album "Veteran's Day: Anthology" and Russell and Canyon Productions, Inc. released a DVD featuring Russell and Ian Tyson discussing the art of songwriting called "Mano a Mano." Russell is also working on a documentary film project called California Bloodlines and is currently touring, painting and writing new songs.

In 2009, Shout! Factory released Russell's album "Blood and Candle Smoke" featuring twelve original songs. The album was recorded in Tucson, AZ at Wave Lab Studios with members of Calexico providing a world music beat to many of the songs. The album was produced by Tom Russell and Craig Schumacher, who has worked with Neko Case, Iron & Wine and Calexico. 2011 saw Russell release both a new album, "Mesabi" and a DVD, "Don't Look Down".

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Guest singles[link]

Compilations[link]

• Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard (1994) (Russell covers "Tulare Dust" and "They're Tearin' the Labor Camps Down"
• Beyond St. Olav's Gate (1979 - 1992) (1994) A collection culled from several Russell albums released between 1979 and 1992 (Round Tower label)
• The Early Years at Kerrville (2003) ("Second Time Around" and "Joshua Tree" both with Patricia Hardin)
• Kerrville Folk Festival Highlights (2003) ("Mineral Wells")

DVDs[link]

• Hearts on the Line (2005)
• Mano a Mano (2008)
• Don't Look Down (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Russell

• Official website
• Hightone Records

Billy Cobham
Cobham performing at WOMAD, July, 2005
Background information
Birth name	William E. Cobham
Born	(1944-05-16) 16 May 1944 (age 68) Panama
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, post-bop, jazz funk, rock music
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, bandleader, instructor
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1968–present
Labels	Atlantic, Columbia, CTI, Elektra, GRP
Associated acts	Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jack Bruce, New York Jazz Quartet, Jazz Is Dead, Bobby and the Midnites, Mark-Almond
Website	www.billycobham.com

William C. Cobham (born May 16, 1944 in Panama) is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who permanently relocated to Switzerland during the late 1970s.^[1]

Coming to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Allmusic's reviewer claims Cobham is "generally acclaimed as fusion's greatest drummer with an influential style that combines explosive power and exacting precision.^[1]

Biography[link]

Early life and career[link]

Born in Panama, Cobham's family moved to New York City during his early childhood. A drummer from his youth, Cobham attended New York's High School of Music and Art, graduating in 1962.^[1]

He played in a U.S. Army Band from 1965 to 1968. Following his discharge, Cobham joined an ensemble led by pianist Horace Silver for about a year, also playing or recording with saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, organist Shirley Scott, and guitarist George Benson.^[1]

Jazz fusion work[link]

Cobham branched out to jazz fusion, which blended elements of jazz, rock and roll and funk, playing and recording with the Brecker Brothers (notably in their 1970-founded group Dreams), and guitarist John Abercrombie, before recording and touring extensively with trumpeter Miles Davis. Cobham's work with Davis appears on A Tribute to Jack Johnson, among other recordings. Cobham is also one of the first drummers to play open-handed lead: a drummer that plays on a right-handed set but leads with his left hand on the hi-hat instead of crossing over with his right (and also has his ride cymbal on the left side, instead of the traditional right). He typically plays with multiple toms and double bass drums and was well known in the '70s for his large drum kits.

In 1971, Cobham worked on guitarist John McLaughlin's album My Goal's Beyond.^[1] McLaughlin and Cobham co-founded Mahavishnu Orchestra, a definitive jazz fusion ensemble. Cobham toured extensively from 1971 to 1973 with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, who released two studio albums and one live album. The original studio versions of tunes on the live album were later released as The Lost Trident Sessions in 1999.

In May 1973, while still with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cobham recorded his first solo album, Spectrum with keyboardist Jan Hammer, from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, guitarist Tommy Bolin, who later played with hard rock band Deep Purple, and bassist Lee Sklar. Just before the Mahavishnu Orchestra's last touring leg, in late 1973, Cobham recorded and toured with guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin, in concerts which featured material from their album Love Devotion Surrender, and Cobham's own material. As bandleader and composer, Cobham recorded a number of other ground-breaking fusion records during the '70s, Total Eclipse, A Funky Thide of Sings, and Crosswinds. You can also hear his '70s playing well represented on George Duke and Billy Cobham European Tour Live. It was on this tour that Billy reported (in a Down Beat interview) experiencing astral projection during shows, wherein he found himself hovering above and in front of his drums, watching himself play in ways he'd never thought of or executed previously.

In the 1970s, Cobham recorded extensively for the fusion-oriented CTI Records, founded by producer Creed Taylor. Also during that period he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976 Cobham played drums on the album To the Heart by Mark-Almond (Jon Mark, Johnny Almond).^{[citation needed]}

1980s work and later[link]

In 1980, he worked with Jack Bruce, in a band named Jack Bruce & Friends. In 1984 he played with Dave Garland and Bobby Cochran in the band Bobby and the Midnites (which was the primary side project for Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead). Last, Cobham recruited Kenny Gradney (of Little Feat) and together recorded the album Where the Beat Meets the Street. In 1998, he joined up with Grateful Dead cover band Jazz Is Dead.^{[citation needed]}

In 1994, he joined an all-star cast at the Los Angeles Greek Theatre and the results appeared on Stanley Clarke, Larry Carlton, Billy Cobham, Najee and Deron Johnson Live at the Greek. The concert was predominantly Clarke's music but all the musicians contributed material. A number of solo albums followed (as of July 2005, Cobham has released over 30 recordings under his own name), and continues to record, perform and teach.

In 2006, Cobham released Drum n voice 2. This was a return to the 1970s jazz-funk sound, with guests including Jan Hammer, Buddy Miles, John Patitucci, Jeff Berlin, Dominic Miller, Mike Lindup, Airto Moreira, Frank Gambale, Brian Auger, Guy Barker and the band Novecento. The CD was produced and arranged by Pino and Lino Nicolosi for Nicolosi productions.^[2][3]

Cobham was announced as a patron and visiting artist of top London drum college Drumtech in June 2008.^[4]

Billy Cobham performing on Réunion in October 2006

In 2009, Cobham released Drum n voice 3. Guests included Chaka Khan, Gino Vannelli, George Duke, Alex Acuna, Bob Mintzer, Brian Auger, John Scofield and Novecento. The CD was produced and arranged by Pino and Lino Nicolosi for Nicolosi productions.

Billy Cobham performed with John McLaughlin at the 44th Montreux Jazz Festival, in Montreux, Switzerland, on Friday, July 2, 2010, for the first time since the band split up.

As of March 2010, Cobham had begun working on a new project with acclaimed Jordanian guitarist Kamal Musallam.^[5]

In August 2011 the album Rock the Tabla was released. Featuring Billy Cobham, A.R. Rahman, Hossam Ramzy, Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Manu Katché.^[6]

In December 2011, Cobham began teaching drums online at the Billy Cobham School of Drums, a school within the ArtistWorks Drum Academy.

Sampling[link]

He has been sampled by Massive Attack in their tune "Safe from Harm", centered on the beat and bassline of Cobham's "Stratus", from his debut album Spectrum; by Souls of Mischief's "93 'til Infinity", based on the bassline and keyboards of "Heather", from 1974's Crosswinds, and by DJ Shadow on "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain",^[7] which uses elements of "A Funky Kind of Thing" from 1975's A Funky Thide of Sings. Cobham is also covered extensively by "hyperfunk" jam-band RAQ.

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

• 2002: Glass Menagerie
• 2004: Live Palais des Festivals Hall Cannes 1989
• 2005: Billy Cobham - Culturemix: New Morning Paris Concert
• 2005: Billy Cobham - Drums for the Soul - Solo Concert - Drums and Percussion Paderborn
• 2005: Billy Cobham's Glass Menagerie: Live in Riazzino
• 2007: Billy Cobham Live At 60
• 2007: Cobham Meets Bellson
• 2007: Cobham: Crosswinds
• 2009: Live in Cannes

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Billy Cobham

• Billy Cobham homepage
• Billy Cobham management
• Interview with Billy Cobham
• Billy Cobham Drummerworld.com page
• Billy Cobham Interview about working with A.R. Rahman and Hossam Ramzy
• Billy Cobham School of Drums