Billy Cobham was born on May 16, 1944, in Panama and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He began his music career at the age of eight in a drum and bugle corps. After his military service, he played with various bands, including Horace Silver's and Miles Davis' fusion ensemble. In 1971, he co-founded the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Cobham released his groundbreaking solo album Spectrum in 1973. In the following years, he created innovative fusion music and collaborated with renowned artists. Later, he became socially involved, working with UNICEF in Brazil. Cobham taught drumming online and released several albums. He celebrated the 40th anniversary of Spectrum with a tour and released Tales from the Skeleton Coast as a tribute to his parents.

On this evening Billy Cobham will be awarded the German Jazz Trophy. There will be a laudatory speech by drummer Obi Jenne. Afterwards, you can look forward to a special concert by the award winner.