Great songwriter/composer, listen to his solo albums, as for his bass playing listen to the live Cream recordings, the interplay between him and Baker, well ahead of his time, groundbreaking, his vocal capabilities are very musical, he has an intensity about him that isn't matched by many, listen to Were Going Wrong, live and studio, fantastic musician.
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Jack Bruce
- Thread starter Flyboyandy
- Start date
Cream, to me, was Jack Bruce. Unique vocals and amazing bass lines. No doubt Clapton and Baker were required in the trio, but, what Bruce did, for me, was open bass up as an insturment as creative as a keyboard, guitar, etc. Where Entwistle was mostly remembered as the "Hook" in My Generation, Bruce was functional as a melodical? component playing in sync with Clapton. Bruce could almost make it work IMHO singing to his bass lines and still be something you could listen too. Needless to say, I'm a major fan of Bruce today, no different as a kid playing bass when Cream hit the scean.
Two of my favorite Bruce tunes off of two brilliant albums, these blew away my young teenage mind at the time.
Judging Jack Bruce's impact from a single concert recording made near the end of his life is just silly.
Geddy Lee has repeatedly said in interviews over the years that JB was one of his greatest influences when he was young. Better testimony than that I don't think you'll find.
Does a bear crap in the woods? If you can find any of the following recordings: from the Goodbye Cream LP , Crossroads and I’m so Glad. Both are live cuts; from the West, Bruce, and Lange LP, The Doctor, Shake my Thing, and Pleasure (make sure you play this extremely loud); the entire critically acclaimed LP Harmony Row. Be prepared, it’s a fairly unique style, but the dude could play. Much better than his vocals.
We have to thank TalkBass for stuff like this! Personally and totally subjectively, Theme From An Imaginary Western is one of my favorite tunes. I actually had no idea it was written by Jack Bruce apparently in 1964 with Pete Brown writing the lyrics later. Presented to Eric Clapton, Clapton felt it sounded too much like The Band... Well, nobody bats a 1000...
Jack Bruce was such a TALENT. It goes without saying for the countless number of us who have (thankfully) "gotten him"... Wow!!
2005 concert notwithstanding, the only way to listen to legends like this is to try a place yourself in their time, what had happened in the scene prior and around them... Then you can listen to Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Jack Bruce, and all the others and come away with a true sense of AWE!!
The song makes me cry even without the dedication to Felix.
Great song, but didn’t release this first on the Song for a Taylor LP, which predated the Mountain version? One of my altimeter faves.
Being honest, not being much of a Jazz kind of guy, this one was a bit of a let down, but it still in my collection.
I think Cream with Jack Bruce was always a favorite. I loved emulating his ensemble playing with Clapton and was glad I too played a Gibson since the riffs were easier play on the 30.5 inch neck.
I've worked with Jack and Pete Brown for years. Jack was gracious enough to let me play bass on a track while he sang. I was impressed with his self awareness. Everybody was acting like HE was God, but he knew when he was on and when he wasn't, despite the sycophants. They were originators, and I dare you to play a reunion concert while sick as a dog... On a million drugs in order to keep your body from rejecting a new liver transplant. Singing and playing while you can barely stand? Yeah, Jack was a character, but he was a good bloke and an originator.
I get where you're coming from though, I was never a Cream fan, but after meeting him several times and working with him... I get it...
Yes, he deserves the kudos...
In fact, I have heard a lot of stories about them back in the day... Clapton was equivalent to the Pope in that band IMO...
I get where you're coming from though, I was never a Cream fan, but after meeting him several times and working with him... I get it...
Yes, he deserves the kudos...
In fact, I have heard a lot of stories about them back in the day... Clapton was equivalent to the Pope in that band IMO...
Jack Bruce was a juggernaut player. His sound was off because he wasn’t using his 1960s Gibson EB. He never sounded better than with that bass. Of course, that is my steadfast opinion.
Jack was a great bassist. Electric or upright.
Decades ago I heard some BBC jazz upright recording he did before Cream in the 60’s.
He had ‘the sound’.
Decades ago I heard some BBC jazz upright recording he did before Cream in the 60’s.
He had ‘the sound’.
I believe he influenced Jack Casady and Chris Squire so his influence is even bigger than just him.
I met Mr. Bruce when I was working at a NYC recording studio in the early 2000s... He clearly wasn't 100% at all times, but was pleasantly irascible and amusing, and was clearly at ease being "Jack Bruce".
I gave him space as he was clearly other-directed, but he was nice enough to me.
Personal highlight: Being tasked to "take some cases" to his hotel, and finding they were his Gibson and his Warwick.
That was a semi-stressful cab ride.
I gave him space as he was clearly other-directed, but he was nice enough to me.
Personal highlight: Being tasked to "take some cases" to his hotel, and finding they were his Gibson and his Warwick.
That was a semi-stressful cab ride.
