Jack Bruce Influenced Bassists

The Owl · #1 10-10-2006, 11:08 AM

No doubt that quite afew of us on TB dig Jack Bruce's unique bass stylings, but I'm not sure if the idea of players that bore Jack's influence has been approached much.

I'll lead off with a Brit by the name of Mark Clarke, whose playing definitely fell in the Bruce camp to a large degree (even for a time playing a Gibson EB series bass through 2 Marshall bass stacks) and even having that big fuzzy and thunderous RRROOOOOAAARRRR!! However, his lines were a bit different that Jack's. Mark logged in time with Colosseum (led by drummer Jon Hiseman, playing a kind of prog-rock/heavy blues hybrid), Tempest (think a proggier version of Cream, featuring a then unknown Allan Holdsworth on guitar), Uriah Heep and even Richie Blackmore's Rainbow. Outside of Colosseum reuniting occasionally, I have no clue what Mark's been up to otherwise.

Mark, a lot like Jack was also blessed with a great singing voice and songwriting ability, but his voice sounds NOTHING like Jack at all.

Any thoughts, comments or other JB influenced players out there?

dhadleyray · #2 10-10-2006, 11:27 AM

I actually know Jack and work with Pete Brown. I know John Hiseman and have done records with Dick Heckstall Smith and Clem...

Sooo...

I think Jack's influence on me personally, was the fact he sang and wrote the Cream stuff. I personally hated his tone, but for the 60's, I guess that's the way it was with the equipment.

Dick died recently, and since I played on his last album (every track..) "blues and beyond", I did the memorial concert with Colloseum, Jack, Gary Moore, and Pete. I think Mark was there, but I'm not sure..

Anyway, here is a photo, I've looked, but I can't seem to find the bassist! doh!

It was funny, Chris Farlowe couldn't be bothered going upstairs, so we shared our dressing room with him.. A real nice guy, too..

brianrost · #3 10-10-2006, 11:57 AM

Felix Pappalardi should be at the top of the list.

Jeff Berlin as well.

superbassman2000 · #4 10-10-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Owl

Any thoughts, comments or other JB influenced players out

me

nysbob · #5 10-10-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

me

Yep, me too.

Matt Till · #6 10-10-2006, 01:28 PM

Right here... Jack's work with Cream actually had a pretty big influence on my wanting to "Hippie up" my band King Bowman.

deaf pea · #7 10-10-2006, 02:21 PM

me too!

bigtexashonk · #8 10-10-2006, 03:08 PM

The late but always great Allen Woody.

jerry · #9 10-10-2006, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianrost

Felix Pappalardi should be at the top of the list.

Jeff Berlin as well.

Those are the two I thought of when I saw this thread as well. Berlin almost always mentions Bruce as a influence in interviews.

dhadleyray · #10 10-11-2006, 02:29 AM

you mean people actually liked that distorted, no bottom end, clipping tone? I thought Jack was influential regarding being a total musician, but he was hardly a "in the pocket" bassist. As a rocker/jazzer, I can see the influence, but as a funk player you really wouldn't mention Jack would you?

He's always been cool with me at session dates or parties, and I'm thankful to have played bass, while he sang, on record, but when I'm asked if he's an influence, I always say "no." I didn't even know who he was until the girl singer of a band I was in said, the bassist was singing that stuff (that was 1984, and I was still a teenager...).

Personally, I think Jack and Ginger are miffed at how successful Clapton was. I'm sure it dampened their egos a little... IMO.

Influential, definitely.. but, my question is..

In todays environment, wouldn't you say he "overplayed" a lot?

I'm not being disrespectful, I just feel that you couldn't play like that in most situations and he was in a more open time back in the 60's. I guess that was the vibe, and Jack can certainly "turn it on" or "off" when he wants.

Anyway, here's a more recent pic. for you TBer's..

brianrost · #11 10-11-2006, 08:39 AM

Yeah, I'll come forward as someone who LOVES Jack's tone. You can tell it's him within 2 or 3 notes.

dhadleyray · #12 10-11-2006, 09:51 AM

Yeah... NOW, but I find that stuff of him from the 60's just plain old distorted, with no bottom end... Didn't he mostly use guitar amps?

The Owl · #13 10-11-2006, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhadleyray

Yeah... NOW, but I find that stuff of him from the 60's just plain old distorted, with no bottom end... Didn't he mostly use guitar amps?

Yup, Marshall heads and cabs with Cream at least.

**Vorago** · #14 10-11-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhadleyray

In todays environment, wouldn't you say he "overplayed" a lot?

In todays environment, maybe, but, I see Cream more as a rock/fusion band with a jazz attitude then as a rockband pure sang.

Lazylion · #15 10-11-2006, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

...I see Cream more as a rock/fusion band with a jazz attitude then as a rockband pure sang.

Isn't there a famous quote from Jack to the effect that Cream was a jazz band, they just didn't tell Eric?

PS I loved him back in the day, and still enjoy his music now. I just bought Disraeli Gears (again) a couple of months ago.

jerry · #16 10-11-2006, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhadleyray

Yeah... NOW, but I find that stuff of him from the 60's just plain old distorted, with no bottom end... Didn't he mostly use guitar amps?

Well yeah, but like most great players you make the most of what you got. The distortion became a kinda trademark for Bruce, so when better bass amps became available[SVTs 360s etc] Jack had a mod done to his bass to still make it distort.

TenaciousE · #17 10-11-2006, 05:34 PM

Geddy Lee has said in interviews that Jack Bruce was one of his main influences (as well as Chris Squire and The Ox).

Eric

relayer66 · #18 10-11-2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenaciousE

Geddy Lee has said in interviews that Jack Bruce was one of his main influences (as well as Chris Squire and The Ox).

Eric

Yup. Both Chris and Geddy list Jack as a major influence, and they are probably the greatest that do. I think Jaco was also a big fan, though stylistically there isn't much in common there.
Oh yeah, and me. Jack was probably the first player, as 17 year old kid back in the early 80's, who I really "got", and I played along with every note!

emblymouse · #19 10-11-2006, 10:36 PM

Yeah, who is closer than Felix Pappalardi?

You can debate his tone quality, whether he overplayed or not, or if he's a groovemeister.
He's a singular voice on bass, and in the muddy 60's actually was one of the few who STOOD OUT. I'll bet his was the first electric bass guitar that a lot of people ever noticed. The fact that he did it using short scale basses and guitar amps is to his credit, I say. Hey, who was bending E strings before Jack?

brianrost · #20 10-12-2006, 09:06 AM

The Marshalls Jack used probably were bass amps, but like the Fender Bassman they weren't much different than the guitar models.