Billy Cobham's Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat

August 4th - 9ht, 2014
Bechyne, South Bohemia
Czech Republic
 
GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED JAZZ FUSION PIONEER BILLY COBHAM ANNOUNCES THE WORLD'S FIRST IMMERSIVE LEARNING PROGRAM DEDICATED TO MASTERING THE ART OF THE RHYTHM SECTION.
 
Under Cobham's leadership and direction, joined by Spectrum 40 Band members Dean Brown, Gary Husband and Ric Fierabracci as lead faculty, this innovative musical discovery retreat for experienced instrumentalists takes place from August 4-10, 2014 in a picturesque hamlet outside of Prague, Czech Republic at the Chateau Resort Bechyne.
 
In a global first, drumming legend Billy Cobham presents a groundbreaking music ducational and experiential retreat designed to give experienced musicians rare opportunities to explore and expand their artistry, develop and refine their "band face" and focus on the all-important elements of teamwork and collaboration, taught by some of the world's most gifted musicians.
 
Set in the scenic South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, (120 kilometers south of Prague), Billy Cobham's Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat features a highly concentrated and collaborative curriculum taught by Cobham (drums); Dean Brown (guitar); Gary Husband (keyboards); Ric Fierabracci (bass); along with Ross Morgan (monitor engineer) and Franz Erl (Front of House engineer).
 
The vision for Billy Cobham's Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat grew organically from Cobham's life's work as a boundless musical explorer. Having seen fellow musicians struggle over the years over their obligations and objectives related to working within a group, Cobham was, in his own words, "profoundly inspired to create a supportive, unifying and inspiring environment that fosters a deep understanding of what it means to perform in support of the overall musical platform of the band, rather than simply playing within a group and performing from a competitive position for acknowledgement from the audience."
 
As part of the program, participants will delve deeply with the faculty and fellow musicians into concepts such as:
> Teamwork and collaboration within the Rhythm Section as the defining artistic elements that can shape extraordinary bands.
>Group synchronization: every musician within the Rhythm Section must be in agreement on tempo, treatment of the tempo, and how to address phrasing.
> Performance intangibles: all of this must be done as you play, in real time, and is never spoken about in advance of, or during, the performance-- otherwise there can be a loss of musical confidence and an overemphasis on intellectualizing.
 
Billy Cobham’s weeklong Art of the Rhythm Section Retreat takes place on the spectacular grounds of the Chateau Resort Bechyne, a countryside setting that Cobham says "creates the ideal environment for self-discovery, camaraderie and shared growth as artists—an absolutely beautiful and perfekt setting to realize our vision.”
 
Applications will be accepted until registration deadline of July 1, 2014, and is limited to 100 selected participants.
For more information, visit: www.billycobhamsretreat.com