Jack Bruce solo material?

[josephbass86]

I’ve always liked Jack in Cream, but never checked out his solo stuff. My friend played me Songs For A Tailor and I loved it, but I heard some other stuff and it wasn’t that great IMO (not sure which album).

Was wondering if any of the more hardcore JB fans could point me to his best solo material.

 

[Michedelic]

I’ve always liked Jack in Cream, but never checked out his solo stuff. My friend played me Songs For A Tailor and I loved it, but I heard some other stuff and it wasn’t that great IMO (not sure which album).

Was wondering if any of the more hardcore JB fans could point me to his best solo material.

The following album, Harmony Row, from 1971, was just brilliant and eclectic. He really blossomed as a songwriter and keyboardist, away from the format restraints of Cream, and the backing from Chris Spedding and Jon Hiseman was supportive but not overstated. The thing is, he’d do a proper solo album, and then get distracted with other projects totally unrelated, but I guess that shows that he wasn’t content with resting on his laurels. Things We Like is a little out of context; recorded in 1968(released 1970)with Hiseman, John McLaughlin, and sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith, features Jack on upright bass, essentially a free form jazz album, but also released that year was his work with the proto-fusion Tony Williams Lifetime. I was disappointed with the West, Bruce, and Laing stuff, it seemed like a step backwards recreating a Cream type sound when that sort of thing was becoming a bit tired, but he returned with Out Of The Storm, a solid effort recorded with guitarist Steve Hunter and drummers Jim Gordon and Jim Keltner. After that, subsequent albums offered up mixed results. Sadly, an early 70’s band line-up that featured Mick Taylor from the Rolling Stones, jazz pianist Carla Bley, drummer Bruce Gary(who went on to The Knack)and another keyboardist, Ronnie Leahy from Stone The Crows, never recorded but toured and did TV dates. Jack also contributed to other projects in that time period, and played some killer stuff on the sessions for Lou Reed’s Berlin album, especially on this track(with Steve Hunter)...

 

[jerry]

I'll second the Harmony Row nod. One of my longtime favorites from Bruce's catalog, not just from him as a bassist but as a total musician. Bruce's piano playing is excellent on that album and his stacking of harmony vocals is outstanding. Amazing artist!

 

[JimK]

Michedelic gave some great info.

When I went on my Free Jazz kick in the early 2000s, I hadda buy Things We Like. Glad I bought it when I did. Back in the day, I woulda been pissed!
Out Of The Storm I got on my 17th birthday. That was my 1st JB solo album.
Picked up the cd awhile ago. Interesting details in the booklet. Example: Jim Keltner always gets a lotta props (hired at triple rate for this recording). Producer Andy Johns sez he discovered Keltner couldn't play some of these songs so Jim Gordon was called in. That just blew my mind!

Went back later & picked up Tailor & Harmony Row.
I have all 3 of the WB&L albums.
I do have a live album with Carla Bley & Mick Taylor, Live '75.
I also have Live At The Bottom Line, 1980 with David Sancious, Billy Cobham, & Clem Clemson (Humble Pie). Weird, huh?
I need to revisit both.

 

[JimK]

You guys remember this one?

 

[Michedelic]

You guys remember this one?
View attachment 4256759

Yeah, that was a budget-ish exploitation compilation series, just a smattering of tracks already available on various solo albums by Jack, Ginger, and Eric; typical record company stuff...OK, I suppose, for the unitiated to jump into, but just thrown together and no rarities.
The TWL stuff is out there, Jack at his fiercest...

One of the many projects he involved himself in...

 

[jerry]

The Kip Hanrahan projects are some of my favorite work of Bruce's.

 

[JimK]

Yeah, that was a budget-ish exploitation compilation series, just a smattering of tracks already available on various solo albums by Jack, Ginger, and Eric; typical record company stuff...OK, I suppose, for the unitiated to jump into, but just thrown together and no rarities.
The TWL stuff is out there, Jack at his fiercest...

One of the many projects he involved himself in...

True...& I dislike "Greatest Hits" albums. But when you only have $4 a week to buy LPs...sometimes you hadda do it! Actually, I had Heavy Cream. The Jack Bruce set is a recent Ebay buy.

 

[josephbass86]

Wow, thanks for all the recommendations. Harmony Row and the Kip Hanrahan stuff is really my jam!

I never heard Bruce with Lifetime, that one track posted reminded me of the more ballsy jammy moments of 70s era King Crimson (Wetton/Bruford-era).

I remember reading a Guitar Player interview with Bruce where he said one of the most difficult things he ever had to do musically was a Lifetime song where he was playing in one key but singing in another.

 

[josephbass86]

I wonder if this was the song with the different keys for vocals and bass?Regardless, some impressive vocals from Jack here.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I also have Live At The Bottom Line, 1980 with David Sancious, Billy Cobham, & Clem Clemson (Humble Pie).

Didn't they do a studio album with that same lineup? I have this vague recollection of when I was DJing for a college radio station, seeing that album in the "new" box, and spinning something off it during my midnight-2:00AM shift in the early 80s ...but I have absolutely no memory of what the music sounded like, or whether that might've just been the same live album you're referring to.

Edit: Found it... I've Always wanted To Do This

 

[JimK]

Didn't they do a studio album with that same lineup? I have this vague recollection of when I was DJing for a college radio station, seeing that album in the "new" box, and spinning something off it during my midnight-2:00AM shift in the early 80s ...but I have absolutely no memory of what the music sounded like, or whether that might've just been the same live album you're referring to.

Edit: Found it... I've Always wanted To Do This

Did not know about this! I stumbled upon the live album while browsing on Dusty Groove's website awhile back.

 

[jerry]

If you are a total Bruce nut like I am, they released this set a couple years back that is 5 CDs and two DVDs that feature his 80's bands along with a one CD of a solo concert he gave.

 

[weird_hermiston]

Another Bruce fan here (hence the username)! That rockpalast set is fantastic, I got it a few weeks ago. I also love his 50th birthday concert for the variety of solo material he performs.

 

[dougjwray]

Carla Bley's "Escalator Over the Hill" features Jack in a vocal duet with Linda Ronstadt (!) He sings beautifully in other places in the work, too, and there's a trio composed of him, John McLaughlin and Paul Motian. It's a big, messy, fascinating album, with many other great musicians.

 

[dougjwray]

"Harmony Row" is my favorite Jack Bruce solo album, and he claimed to have written all of the music in a single day sitting at the piano! He was a true genius.

 

[josephbass86]

"Harmony Row" is my favorite Jack Bruce solo album, and he claimed to have written all of the music in a single day sitting at the piano! He was a true genius.

That’s impressive. Of all his solo stuff I’ve listened to I think this is his best. Some of his best singing is on it too.

 

[weird_hermiston]

Harmony Row is my favorite too, and Tailor and Out of the Storm are just below it. I think Harmony Row was Jack’s favorite too?

 

[dougjwray]

Yes, I've read several times over the years that Harmony Row was Jack's favorite.

 

[DavyR]

Always love the bass on "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune". Ha!