jack bruce RIP

Saturday's BBC radio midnight news led with the announcement that Jack Bruce had died. It had previously been put up on Sky's rolling ticker earlier in the day but outside of that there was nothing obvious on the passing of one of the UK's leading musicians. It seems when the rock and roller reaches a certain age his stock reduces considerably in news worthiness until reaching that dangerous age of 70 their death is expected anyway. And if in life you've been fortunate/unfortunate enough to claim your 15 minutes of fame then it's certain that on your demise that stock will be reduced to just the 15 seconds when it comes to announcing your lifetime achievements. Anything longer is usually determined by how much filthy lucre the taxman has been able to drain from you. In other words your commercial success is worth great respect. You might even get a knighthood if you've really sold big overseas.
And be sure, in just those 2 blitzing years of Cream's life, Ginger, Jack and Eric certainly shifted some units. 35 million of them to be precise. But despite this avalanche of sales the journey of Cream was going to be inevitably short lived. The chemistry between Ginger and Jack was nothing short of dangerous, on and off the stage and Eric has said many times he just had to stand back, mediate if possible, but in the main keep out of the way of likely flying fists, on or off the stage.
Maybe it was that explosive potential that made Cream what they were between 1966 and 68, maybe it was the letting loose out of musical frustration or the joy of the musical freedom that made them far less a pop group and more akin to a full blown improvising jazz combo. Rarely playing anything the same twice and joyously tearing into their biggest numbers. They were unpredictable, demanding and simply a mind blowing stage act. Go and watch Cream's 1968 Farewell Concert at the Albert Hall and see if any band today come close to the shear energy and power these three guys could put out.
The seated audience watched intently until during mid way through the bands hi-octane jams individuals could no longer contain themselves and burst into a frenzy of freak dancing as if posessed by another world entirely.
The later 2 reunion concerts were quite good because they were well seasoned veterans by then but also seemed more the result of agreed group therapy for them to even be performing together and hence lacked that violent confrontation the music had in the 60's.
Then the sound of Bruce's soaring and plaintiff vocals reaching notes barely possible for most rock singers and against the wall of sound that the band produced has rarely been heard or matched since. Many have tried but don't have the lung power or that wall. Either way those bands go their own way and producxe a less volatile end result. Today Muse go for a similar approach and many like what they hear, (very big on the continent), but Muse are not improvisers and risk takers. They produce' a show. Cream took a show apart.
And although Cream were full of blues they were really the first to be put in the record rack as 'progressive' music. Er.. that's not 'prog rock'.

Maybe it was that Jack Bruce was classically trained as a cellist that shaped his vocal style. The cello is not overly associated with the most cheerful of sounds, but a natural slow blues meloncholy. Just listen to Wheels Of Fire's "As You Said" to hear Bruce singing with his cello to get a better idea of where his songs have often begun.
And then there's that bass playing. His early years playing jazz double bass must have given those fingers the strength and dexterity to make an electric bass perform in the way Bruce could do. In Bruce's mitts the bass became virtually a lead instrument, inter playing with Baker's ever evolving kit playing and Clapton's weaving lead lines. This again is usually only heard with jazz players. For rock musicians in 1966, it was unheard of.
Even Hendrix payed deference to the bands style and songs in that famous LuLu show appearance in 1968 when halfway through 'Hey Joe' he unexpectedly announced he'd had enough of playing that and dedicated a version of "Sunshine Of Yor Love" to the band, sending presenter and TV crews into a tail spin.
Cream, although now ex-Cream had been recognised by all media circles as the first Super Group. An expression much bandied around in following years but rarely produced anything very "super" in the way of recordings. It was a time when a certain amount of freedom was being experienced for rock musicians, similar to how jazz groups had always seen their personal change over the years, reforming into new groups. But with rock musicians this was a new thing. The music press loved it, the rock audience less so.

After Cream's demise, Jack Bruce unlike Clapton and Baker persued countless other musical styles and never seemed bothered as to whether they gained commercial success or not. Although it's completely understandable that Clapton wanted the calmer waters of touring with Delaney and Bonnie before stepping back into his own group again.
Artistically Jack Bruce's many projects were fabulous explorations. His outstanding work on Carla Bley's 'Escalator Over The Hill' in the early 70's. Michael Mantler's setting of music to Samuel Beckett's words with the album 'The Answer'. Working with Tony Williams Lifetime again, not to mention his own considerable solo albums and his continuing partnership with his lyricist Pete Brown, who'd previously co-written "Sunshine Of Your Love" "White Room" etc.
Hugely respected amongst other musicians, some say Jack Bruce was the greatest electric bass player of all time. Certainly rock bass player.

It's really difficult to pick just one clip of Jack Bruce's music because he's made so much, and really good stuff too, but his first solo album 'Songs For A Taylor' was a milestone in an outstanding career and the one track from that solo album that seems to summarise his shear energy and aspiration to explore the most he could in music would have to be "Rope Ladder To The Moon", with Jack's soaring vocals, Pete Brown's amazing lyrics and of course that incredible bass playing.

So long Jack... you made a difference.

carla bley and escalator over the hill

This November 22nd sees a rare appearance in the UK of Carla Bley performing as part of a concert at London's Barbican Centre playing the music of Nina Rota. Along with Carla is, Nitin Sawhney, Mike Gibbs, Karen Mantler, John Etheridge, and it has to be said in this company, the unexpected figure of Marc Almond, Still, that can only be a good experience for the pop singer. A challenge it should be.

Carla Bley, is more than use to challenges, she'll always be remembered here for the titanic project she put into action with jazz composer Paul Haines back in 1971. Such was the enormity of their concept 'Escalator Over The Hill' it had some 150 credits to those involved. Although baffling was the inclusion of "Mice" and "Worms" and "Fish" plus a few disembodied additions like "First Viola Trousers" and "House", but then nothing surprised once you saw this box-set such was the impossible balminess of 'Escalator Over The Hill'.
It consisted of 3 vinyl albums and was one of the first box-sets to be published in the 70's, and although it was issued under the JCOA label (Jazz Composers Orchestra Association Inc.) the Opera, as it was known, but was actually called in typical abstract fashion "A Chronotransduction by Carla Bley and Paul Haines" had some outstanding musicians from rock, blues and jazz and could as easily be described as 'progressive' as any other genre. One look at the above photo of Carla Bley laughing at Jack Bruce's vocal delivery as only he could also shows what shear joy they had in being let loose on the music.

The seemingly impossible job of recording so many people for 'Escalator Over The Hill' began in 1968 and ended in 1971 and the logistics of the operation amounted to sending the tapes around the world to where the involved artists were to contribute their parts and passed on to the next until they were finally mixed back in New York where the whole thing had begun. And remember in those days no internet so this was all passed by hand.
You have to shudder at the idea of moving the cargo of these artists work on something as flimsy as recording tape. One step near an unexpected electric current and you've just damaged or lost the content.
But arrive in New York it did and once there Carla Bley and Michael Mantler began mixing and editing the whole lot together. Along with photographs from the many recording sessions a complete copy of all the lyrics for the songs and the players parts, like a film script would be, the booklet was compiled. The end result looked like a less flashy theatre programme, fitting in to the 12 x 12inch box.
It was intriguing to say the least. The musical contents to this 'play' was something way beyond mainstream listeners and to this day is not for the uneducated ear.
Resembling something more like a modern Kurt Weill 'Threepenny Opera' the music twisted and turned in unexpected and challenging ways. Jazz critics were just plain confused, and then condemned it. Rock critics were confused and then scared to even interpret what was going on in case they sounded complete idiots, then condemned, or ignored it. After all if you don't understand something the best option is stick your head in the sandbox and it might go away. The music press more or less did this.
What they missed though was a unique experiment of musical freedom and way ahead of it's time in practice and concept. It was world music in every sense. It seemed to have no boundaries and limitations. It was a truly progressive music.

So here is the second track from side 5, most sides only consisted of only two or three separate tracks, some sides played all the way through as one.
In this piece 'Rawalpindi Blues' the musicians featured are Jack Bruce - vocals and bass, Carla Bley - piano and organ, Paul Motian - drums, and possibly one of the most ferocious guitar solos ever recorded by John McLaughlin.
The shear machine gun ferocity played by McLaughlin at or near his peak, combined with the power of Jack Bruce's rapid counter bass playing is simply a jaw dropping moment of two musicians in full flight. It very nearly makes the whole thing worth owning for that alone, if you can find a copy that is.
The second part of "Rawalpindi" and the band transforms into, as it's described the 'Desert Band' and is led by the improvisations of Don Cherry, trumpet, and the violin of Leroy Jenkins. Two master of their art.
"Escalator Over The Hill" is music that probably couldn't exist today just by the logistics alone. These recordings should not be buried in time. It was and is unique in every way.

we're going wrong - cream 1967

If ever a song captured what a young generation thought of the establishment in the 1960's it was through Jack Bruce's "We're Going Wrong", his only self written song included on Cream's 'Disreali Gears' the rest being penned by Pete Brown. Brown's influence must have been profound for Bruce with "We're Going Wrong" sitting easily amongst Browns song and lyric style.
Like many songs Bruce's original intent was simple and direct, writing the lyrics after he'd argued with his wife the night before, but as the documentary excerpt below infers the statement had gained a symbolic meaning for a new generations view of a world.
It's often overlooked in a nostalgic view of the "Swinging 60's" the era was also accompanied by the ever present heavy cloud of possible instant annihilation by the Cold War nuclear threat for the entire decade and beyond.

This clip retrieved from a BBC documentary in the 1960's is a hidden gem performance by Cream with Bruce producing the high range (falsetto) vocal of the original album track which in later performances he lowered to produce more power from the mid range voice. An excellent example of that power comes as recently as 2005 with Cream's Reunion Concert performance of the song and to this day Bruce still includes the song as part of his own bands set.

Sadly the film clip doesn't play out the song to its last chord possibly because of a voice over or maybe just because the tape ran out. Also the 1960's camera work is not exactly something to be desired with most of the shots showing close ups of Bruce, Clapton and Baker. Social documentary's of this type often did forget they were actaully musicians playing the stuff and get caught up in how they look rather than what they're actually doing.
The toff English BBC voice over of Patrick Allen (actor), at the beginning does not add to the artistry but it does represent a voice of the establishment in the 1960's viewing this new wild group of young men and the imposed serious statement the song had put to them.. "We're Going Wrong". Jack Bruce would probably have laughed at the misconception and irony.
But any production faults are purely insignificant when compared to the power and emotion of Bruce's voice and the superb accompaniment by Clapton and Baker at the height of their psychedelic era in 1967. It was dangerous, unconventional and utterly compelling.

jack bruce

Another great blues man tours the UK in March 2012.
Jack Bruce has too many credentials to list here but his 2008 album with Robin Trower (guitars) and Gary Husbands (drums) saw Bruce returning to the trio form for the first time in some years. In the days post Cream his early solo albums in the seventies included some remarkable songs that were a dark, brooding mix of power rock and blues, and with the meeting of Robin Trower some 30 years later he had just the guitarist who played with power and atmosphere to suit the depth of the new songs on Seven Moons. Here one called Distant Places of the Heart.
Bruce still at his best. Trower still with soaring lead playing. A match made in.. another world.

jack bruce

When Cream split up in 1968 Jack Bruce went on to begin his solo career.
Having previously worked with performance poet turned lyracist Pete Brown on some of Cream's most well known songs, 'I Feel Free', 'White Room' and 'Sunshine of Your Love' the partnership continued into Jacks first solo release. 'Songs For A Taylor' in 1969, and in following years the albums 'Harmony Row' and 'Out of the Storm'.
The combination of Browns evocative lyrics and Bruce's exraordinary vocal range created something unforgettable.
Here's a rare bit of footage of Jack Bruce playing guitar to their song 'Rope Ladder to the Moon' from 'Songs For A Taylor'.