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Jack Bruces' playing in Cream live

#21
jerry said:
I remember as a kid playing along with that record and loving the groove of 'Powerhouse Sod', I also remember being blown away by his ability to sing over that riff.
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The song above is on Live N Kickin' by West Bruce and Laing which was recently rereleased. If you haven't heard it, you should. Bruce is jamming all over it.

I also saw him live a few years ago on an all-star tour with Christopher Cross, Mark Farner, Todd Rundgren and others doing Beatles songs of all things. Bruce replaced the Ox and led the bands at times, brilliantly. He did a few Cream songs and he was all over it just like in Cream. He played with the joy of a child, even at 60.
 
#25
lmfreeman9 said:
The song above is on Live N Kickin' by West Bruce and Laing which was recently rereleased. If you haven't heard it, you should. Bruce is jamming all over it.

I also saw him live a few years ago on an all-star tour with Christopher Cross, Mark Farner, Todd Rundgren and others doing Beatles songs of all things. Bruce replaced the Ox and led the bands at times, brilliantly. He did a few Cream songs and he was all over it just like in Cream. He played with the joy of a child, even at 60.
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I saw him w/ Ringo Starrs Allstars and he absolutely stole the show with his rendition of 'Golden Slumbers' which would've had McCartney shaken.

I've also read that when Bruce accepted Clapton's invitation to reunite Cream he actually was so sick he couldn't talk. And yet when I heard them at MSG his voice absolutely filled the place.
 
#27
Cream first of all was very inspirational to me. Especially since they were a 3 piece but they still sounded so full and tight. Its just cool. In 3 pieces especially each member has to pull a little more weight. And Cream is a prime example of that.

Second of all, I've seen their newer live recordings and dvds and i have to agree they didn't play with as much enthusiasm or energy but what do you expect? I mean all those guys are like...really old and they don't get along anyways lol. but they were still very tight and sounded great. :D
 
#28
Mr. Kitty said:
Cream first of all was very inspirational to me. Especially since they were a 3 piece but they still sounded so full and tight. Its just cool. In 3 pieces especially each member has to pull a little more weight. And Cream is a prime example of that.

Second of all, I've seen their newer live recordings and dvds and i have to agree they didn't play with as much enthusiasm or energy but what do you expect? I mean all those guys are like...really old and they don't get along anyways lol. but they were still very tight and sounded great. :D
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Here's a different take from a guy who saw them in 1968 and at the MSG reunion. They've evolved. These aren't the same kids strung out on dope and they play now with the restraint that their maturity has taught them. What they lack in so-called 'energy' (and volume) they make up for in dynamics.If you listen more carefully you'll hear some gems.

Here check this out. These guys prove (in the same song) that trio doesn't necessarily mean that you can't leave lots and lots of space AND add some great stuff too. IMO this Clapton at his absolute best. Possibly the best solo I've ever heard from him. And listen to how Bruce outlines the harmony during the solo. Amazing.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X5IdtqFf95g&feature=related
 
#29
The Golden Boy said:
I'm not a fan of the "frustrated guitarist" school.
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That's nice. But Jack Bruce was never a frustrated guitarist, but a serious, brilliant musician of many talents. He pushed boundaries and created some earth-shaking music. That frustrated guitarist label hardly fits someone who wrote string quartets as a boy, revolutionized the electric bass and knows blues, classical, jazz AND rock and roll forms better than most mere mortals. Just because he did more than most bassists doesn't mean he had any frustrated ambitions as a guitar hero. In fact he can play the guitar pretty well, along with the many other instruments he excels at.

I should actually clarify what I said before, he's done PLENTY of fiery and inspirational stuff without Cream, I just tend to prefer his style on the Gibson, with or without Baker and Clapton. Fits in better with what I love about Jack. And he's much more than just a bassist.

In the capacity of a "mere" bassist though, how about this one with Buddy Guy, and the late Dick Heckstall-Smith and Buddy Miles!

 
#30
whacker said:
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like I've read where the solo on "Crossroads" has a bit of editing done to it (or the track in general), mostly at the end when the song goes back into the last verse. Like it was originally longer or something. Comments?
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I have heard there is a splice/edit on Clapton's guitar solo.

In any event, IMOHO, "Crossroads" is more "Jazz" than what gets passed off as Jazz by today's standard.
 
#31
Hey, the Jack Bruce Fan Club is alive and kickin'!

My brother Pedro says it all, pretty much. The key factor in Cream is the collective improvisation. They're coming much more from the camp of Charles Mingus, Miles, etc. than from Muddy, Wolf, etc. It's NOT a turgid rhythm section regurgitating the same thing over and over so they don't confuse the guitarist who's wanking away with pentatonic abandon while totally ignoring the rhythm section.

Jack's non-Cream performances reflect the people he's playing with at that moment. And if you're not hearing his counter-point and his constant exploration of the music while INTER-acting with the others, then I'm guessing you haven't heard the right stuff. Because despite his reputation for "over playing" or "frustrated guitarist..." it ain't true. For every "Crossroads" or "Spoonful" there's more stuff like "Badge", "Politician", "Sunshine..." etc. He's very good at playing what the song needs.

Listen to his 50th birtday concert recordings. There's stuff with Dick Heckstall-Smith that challenges the assumptions in the very first post, as well as his other stuff.

And that voice....

jte
 
#32
McHaven said:
The entire band just pushed each member's abilities so far. They were all such independent players, and add in the fact that they couldn't stand each other half the time, and you've got people trying to step all over each other's spotlight.
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+1. Same reason the Police were so good and interesting.
 
#33
An absolute treat that may be out there if you can find it....

When Cream was recorded live, the recording companies lacked the technology to capture their sound. They were used to recording small combos, mostly jazz-type setups. As a result, they required the band to reduce the number and volume of their amps for their live shows to be recorded. This literally sucked the life out of much of their music. Example: a lot of the natural sustain that Clapton counted upon was no longer present, so notes would decay faster, leaving him silent in odd places vis a vis where he was used to beginning the next passage of his solos. The live recordings were great, but still nothing like the band live in its heyday.

If you can find a copy of the band's show from the Grande Ballroom in Detroit in October 1967, you will hear live Cream at its finest. I have no idea, of course, where a person would find such a thing as this, as I do not believe it has ever been officially release, but it is heavily rumored to exist, covering two discs. Rumor is there was an initial version that surfaced 7 or 8 years ago then a better version from a separate source tape a couple of years later.

Supposedly, there is some tape hiss, as there was in those days, but if you put on your headphones and sit back, you will be transported to another time. The bass and lead are way out front, and Jack's vocals are easily heard as well.

Just an idea.
 
#36
Sneckumhaw said:
In the capacity of a "mere" bassist though, how about this one with Buddy Guy, and the late Dick Heckstall-Smith and Buddy Miles!

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Wow - THANK YOU for sharing that clip! Jack's in top form there... especially that run around the 1:53 mark! :eek:

A few years back I stumbled across a great deal for a friend's '70 EB-0 (I know, not an EB-3, but close enough! :spit:), and I jumped on it for one reason & one reason only. So I could pretend to be "you know who"... :D

Has anyone heard the story about how Jack almost ended up playing for Marvin Gaye? I have the story in one of my magazines at home. I'll try to dig it up tonight & post it here (if anyone's interested, that is).
 
#37
Buskman said:
Wow - THANK YOU for sharing that clip! Jack's in top form there... especially that run around the 1:53 mark! :eek:

A few years back I stumbled across a great deal for a friend's '70 EB-0 (I know, not an EB-3, but close enough! :spit:), and I jumped on it for one reason & one reason only. So I could pretend to be "you know who"... :D

Has anyone heard the story about how Jack almost ended up playing for Marvin Gaye? I have the story in one of my magazines at home. I'll try to dig it up tonight & post it here (if anyone's interested, that is).
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My god.. if he and the drummer would have rushed any more I would have had to put a seatbelt on. Do you guys really think that was good:confused:

Edit: Hey, we all like what we like. I love Van Morrison, and he can sing WAY out of tune on occasion!
 

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