JACK BRUCE
In the late Fifties and early Sixties, the bass guitar was a simpler, safer beast. You listened to your guitarist and plunked away at your root notes, taking care not to step on the drummer’s toes, of course. That was just the way it was, and that was the way it would always be—that is, until the bass guitar’s role was changed forever by a small group of pioneering players, including Paul McCartney and the late John Entwistle. And, of course, Jack Bruce.
Born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1943, Bruce brought an acute melodic awareness to the bass guitar from the moment he picked one up. By the time he was 30 he was a veteran of Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organization—an incarnation of which featured the young John McLaughlin—John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, innumerable sessions and, of course, Cream, in which he created a mesmerizing, blues- and jazz-laced rock spectacle alongside drummer Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton.
After Cream split in 1968, Bruce releases a string of solo albums which demonstrated his trademark blend of jazz, rock, blues, and—latterly—world and ethnic influences. He also participated in a number of highprofile tours in Ringo Starr’s band and elsewhere, as well as working with Gary Moore and Ginger Baker in the BBM project.
In April and May 2003, Bruce’s solo albums Songs For A Tailor, Things We Like, Harmony Row, Out Of The Storm, How’s Tricks?, Jet Set Jewel, Jack Bruce And Friends Live At The Free Trade Hall, Manchester, and a compilation, An Introduction To Jack Bruce were reissued on CD, along with a Cream album, Live At The BBC. Jack was on fine form when we spoke to him that year, and why not? He was in the autumn years of a life well lived.
Are you pleased with the reissues, Jack?
Of course. It’s nice to have them out, but it’s especially nice to out at last because I never thought it would come out. I thought its time had come and gone. Basically it wasn’t a commercial enough album for what the suits wanted: Rod Stigwood was selling out to Polygram at the time, and I guess they wanted the Bee Gees.
