Greetings from Koh Phangan, Thailand.
My third book, “Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s: Billy Cobham on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation” is getting uniformly rave reviews (see below). It was a labor of love to tell the story of one of the planet’s legendary artists in a unique style, overlaying six days of backstage interviews and observations with six decades of stories of Bill’s musical life. Music fans are loving the book. Bill just told me they are selling big time during his current weeklong Blue Note New York gig with Ron Carter and Donald Harrison.
Here are three easy ways to support the project if you are so inclined. Each would take under five minutes.
- Post a review. Hopefully, you have read the book cover to cover but even if you have only checked it out briefly (you can read sections for free on Amazon), reviews are tremendously important. I currently have seven reviews on the U.S. site, all of them five out of five stars; with more five-star reviews on other Amazon sites (UK, etc.). I would love yours as well. Read these — they will give you a good sense of the reading experience.
- Buy the book.$19.95 paperback, $9.95 Kindle e-book. The best way to support DIY art is to consume the art.
- Post on your social media feed. Something like, “Hey my friend Brian Gruber is getting rave reviews for his new book on Billy Cobham, jazz fusion and the act of creation. If you love jazz, fusion, drums, artist histories, or the Miles Davis/ Mahavishnu Orchestra era of musical experimentation, you will love this book. Check it out. Interviews with some of the greats of the genre.” https://www.amazon.com/Six-Days-Ronnie-Scotts-Creation/dp/1717493009/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536902143&sr=1-1
That’s it. Thanks for your attention. A new book is in the works for release next year. Come visit Phangan soon.
Book blurb and reviews
Few musicians have transformed a genre like Panama-born, New York-raised Billy Cobham. “Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s: Billy Cobham on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation” is a one-of-a-kind oral history of a legend’s life work. From his early days with Horace Silver and Dreams to the epochal Bitches Brew sessions with Miles Davis to the breakthrough Mahavishnu Orchestra and beyond, here is a first-ever deep dive into six decades of musical innovation. The book’s setting is six days at iconic London jazz club Ronnie Scott’s, as Britain’s hottest arranger Guy Barker orchestrates and leads a big band performing Cobham’s greatest works. Jazz greats such as Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, and Jan Hammer, family members, club owners, critics and superfans provide colorful insights and remembrances. Readers are given an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look into rehearsals, performances, adjustments and preparations between shows, and the evolution of a sold-out six-day run.
“Brian Gruber’s fantastic new book… gives us a rare, behind the scenes look at the making of a six-night performance… Gruber virtually puts the reader in the cafe, the nightclub, or in the car alongside him and Cobham. There are so many fantastic stories and so much musical history… Brian Gruber’s “Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s: Billy Cobham on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation” will certainly stand the test of time alongside some of the greatest tomes ever penned about jazz musicians.” – Eric “Doc” Smith, BeyondChron.
“The book is a massive undertaking… Despite being raised a generation and culture apart from Bed-Sty raised Panamanian born William Emanuel Cobham, Jr., Gruber manages to pull off a remarkable feat of music journalism… The interviews with Cobham cover a galaxy of subjects; from the cruel realities of the New York public school system, to the rhythmic complexity of a woman sashaying when walking or the sonic intricacies of live performance…There is so much information in this book that any serious student of Jazz, Fusion or music history will reap a bountiful harvest…A nice touch is the Spotify Soundtrack for each chapter of the book that contains some very unexpected musical gems. Hats off to Brian Gruber who accomplished what few could have written with such elaborate authority.” – Tee Watts, Cadence Jazz Magazine
“An interesting concept… his questions are knowledgeable and penetrating… rather than dallying in the kind of film-flam that obfuscates the detail, memories and opinions that make a biography breathe… Fast paced with anecdotes pouring from every page, it wraps with Cobham describing his dream line-up to play with. Want to know who? Then go grab a copy.” – Jon Newey, editor-in-chief of Jazzwise, the UK’s biggest selling monthly jazz magazine and the leading English language jazz magazine in Europe.
“The mark of a good read is something that conjures up pictures and just in that description, you’re already putting yourself backstage and seeing these conversations happen… an absolutely fascinating read. Any fan is obviously going to enjoy this.” – Nigel Williams, Jazz FM, the UK’s “home of jazz, soul and blues.”
“Remarkably, Brian Gruber’s book is the first written on this legendary musician and although not a biography, it’s certainly biographical, overlaying six days at Ronnie Scott’s with six decades of Billy’s remarkable life and career… It’s a fascinating read… Cobham opens up and discusses several topics that I have not previously seen him discuss. It’s a terrific insight into the musical and personal life of this game-changing, world class drummer and is an essential read for fans of Cobham, Jazz, fusion and the culture of the 60s and 70s.” – Brent Keefe, Drumhead magazine.
“Well-written and thought-provoking, Gruber’s book builds into a challenging document of a half-century of cutting-edge musical exploration.” Five stars (highest rating). – Geoff Nicholls, Rhythm magazine.