Since his time in John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra (1971-1973), drummer Billy Cobham has been one of the great heroes of electric fusion jazz. "Total Eclipse" was his third leader album within a few months, and once again he had composed all the pieces himself.

Already the opening 'suite' called "Solarization" (11 minutes long) shows a wide and quite sophisticated stylistic spectrum. Cobham's music jumps from high-energy jazz rock with turned-up guitar and thundering drum salvos to idiosyncratic piano or brass improvisations. There are also smooth electric Latin grooves or gripping funk numbers.

Cobham's hand-picked band is full of virtuosos. The names of the three-man horn section alone - Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Glenn Ferris - are a highlight in themselves. And the then 30-year-old bandleader himself embodied the ultimate in jazz-rocking drumming technique - the density of his beat sequences is still sensational today. With this album, the exceptional drummer thrilled all fans of high-class fusion sounds in the vein of Weather Report or Return To Forever.

Billy Cobham (dr, p, arr); Mike Brecker (fl, ss, ts); Randy Brecker (tp, fgh); Glenn Ferris (tb); Milcho Leviev (keyb); John Abercrombie, Cornell Dupree (g); Alex Blake (b); David Earle Johnson, Sue Evans (perc)

Recording: 1974 at Atlantic Recording Studios and Electric Lady Studios, New York, N. Y. by Ken Scott

Production: Billy Cobham & Ken Scott

This Speakers Corner production was made using 100% pure analog master tape and mastering. All licenses and GEMA fees have been paid.

Solarization
A2 Lunarputians
A3 Total Eclipse
A4 Bandits
B1 Moon Germs
B2 The Moon Ain'T Made Of Green Cheese
B3 Sea Of Tranquility
B4 Last Frontier