Jack Bruce

AKA: John Symon Asher Bruce 
Born: May 14, 1943 in Glasgow, Scotland

     From: Frank Zappa: Guitarist (1997 Interview with Steve Rosen)
Steven Rosen: What about playing with Jack Bruce on Apostrophe (')?
Frank Zappa: Well, that was just a jam thing that happened because he was a
friend of Jim Gordon.  I found it very difficult to play with him; he's too
busy.  He doesn't really want to play the bass in terms of root functions;
I think he has other things on his mind.  But that's the way jam sessions go.

     From: AMG
Although some may be tempted to call multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and
composer Jack Bruce a rock & roll musician, blues and jazz are what this
innovative musician really loves. As a result, these two genres are at the
base of most of the recorded output from a career that goes back to the
beginning of London's blues scene in 1962.  In that year, he joined Alexis
Korner's Blues Incorporated.
 
Bruce's most famous songs are, in essence, blues tunes: "Sunshine of Your
Love," "Strange Brew," "Politician," and "White Room." Bruce's best-known
songs remain those he penned for Cream, the legendary blues rock trio he
formed with drummer Ginger Baker and guitarist Eric Clapton in July, 1966.
Baker and Bruce played together for five years before Clapton came along,
and although their trio only lasted until November 1968, the group is
credited with changing the face of rock & roll and bringing blues to a
worldwide audience. Through their creative arrangements of classic blues
tunes like Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," Skip James's "I'm So Glad,"
Willie Dixon's "Spoonful," and Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," the
group helped popularize blues-rock and led the way for similar groups that
came about later on, like Led Zeppelin.
 
Bruce was born May 14, 1943, in Lanarkshire, near Glasgow, Scotland. His
father was a big jazz fan, and so he credits people like Louis Armstrong
and Fats Waller among his earliest influences. He grew up listening to
jazz and took up bass and cello as a teen.  After three months at the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music, he left, disgusted with the politics of
music school.  After travelling around Europe for a while, he settled into
the early blues scene in 1962 in London, where he eventually met drummer
Ginger Baker.  He played with British blues pioneers Alexis Korner and
Graham Bond before leaving in 1965 to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers,
whose guitarist was Eric Clapton. But in the one year he spent with Graham
Bond, he recalls performing upwards of 300 shows. This gave him time to
get his chops together without having to practice. With Manfred Mann, who
he also played with before forming Cream, Bruce learned about the business
of making hit songs. The group's reputation for long, extended blues jams
began at the Fillmore in San Francisco at a concert organized by
impressario Bill Graham. Bruce later realized that Cream gave him a chance
to succeed as a musician, and admitted that if it weren't for that group,
he might never have escaped London. After Cream split up in November 1968,
Bruce formed Jack Bruce and Friends with drummer Mitch Mitchell and
guitarist Larry Coryell. Recording-wise, Bruce took a different tack away
from blues and blues-rock, leaning more in a folk-rock direction with his
solo albums Songs for a Tailor (1969), Harmony Row (1971) and Out of the
Storm (1974).
 
In 1970 and 1971, he worked with Tony Williams Lifetime before putting
together another power trio with guitarist Leslie West and drummer Corky
Laing in 1972, simply called West, Bruce and Laing. After working with
Frank Zappa on his album Apostrophe in 1974, Bruce was at it again in '75
with the Jack Bruce Band, where members included keyboardist Carla Bley
and guitarist Mick Taylor. Again on the road in 1980 with Jack Bruce and
Friends, the latter version of the group included drummer Billy Cobham,
keyboardist David Sancious and guitarist Clem Clempson, formerly of Humble
Pie. In the early '80s, he formed another trio, B.L.T., this time with
guitarist Robin Trower before working with Kip Hanrahan on his three solo
albums.
 
Through three and a half decades, Bruce has always been a supreme
innovator, pushing himself into uncharted waters with his jazz and
folk-rock compositions.  Bruce's bluesiest albums would have to include
all of his work with Cream, the albums B.L.T. and Truce with Robin Trower,
some of his West, Bruce and Laing recordings, and several of his albums
from the 1980s and early '90s. These include Willpower, (PolyGram, 1988),
A Question of Time (Epic Records, 1989), which includes guest performances
by Albert Collins, Nicky Hopkins and Baker, as well as his CMP Records
live career retrospective album, recorded in Cologne, France, Cities of
the Heart (1993). Bruce's most recent release is 1995's Monkjack, an album
of his jazz piano compositions, which he performs with organist Bernie
Worrell, issued on the CMP Record label. -- Richard Skelly
 

     From: unknown
Mr. Bruce played in 60s bands including "Cream" with Eric Clapton and Ginger
Baker. Recently released a Cream-like album and single as part of the band
"BBM", for "Baker, Bruce, and Moore" with Gary Moore handling Clapton's old
role.

     From: unknown
Not only Aynsley Dunbar, but also Jack Bruce, is featured on the _Berlin_ 
album by Lou Reed.  Which means that two musicians connected with FZ is on
one of the true masterpieces in the history of rock'n'roll.

     From: unknown
Appeared on several albums, some of which are:
 - tony williams: lifetime (w/john mclaughlin) 

He has several solo albums, the most recent being "Monkjack", 
where he plays piano throughout with hammond organ contributions
from Bernie Worrell (of Parliment/Funkadelic fame).

     From: Walter Norton (Cpt Wyzgye@aol.com) 
Jack Bruce did an outstanding job as vocalist some years ago on 
an album called "Road Games", by Allan Holdsworth.(I.O.U.)  
This effort was produced by Ted Templeman supposedly at the request of
Holdsworth fan Eddie Van Halen.  Other players were: 
Bass: Jeff Berlin
Drums: Chad Wackerman

     From: Peter Lawes(plawes@geometric.com) 
He lives in rural Suffolk, England.  My neighbour is a plumber (who also
knows his music) and he did some work for him.

     From: rick sanders (rick@ricksan.demon.co.uk)
Jack Bruce did a fantastic guest vocal job on a track called Something
Else Is Working Harder on the 100% magnificent Golden Palominos album
'Blast of Silence' (1986). Well worth seeking out.

Discography:

(all credits for bass unless otherwise specified)

1969 Jack Bruce- Songs for a Tailor
1970 Jack Bruce- Things We Like
1971 Jack Bruce- Harmony Row
1974 Jack Bruce- Out of the Storm
1977 Jack Bruce- How's Tricks
1980 Jack Bruce- I've Always Wanted to Do This
1981 Jack Bruce- Bruce Lordan Trower (B.L.T)
1982 Jack Bruce- Truce
1990 Jack Bruce- A Question of Time
1993 Jack Bruce- Somethin' Else
1994 Jack Bruce- Cities of the Heart
1994 Jack Bruce- Jack Bruce & Friends
1995 Jack Bruce- BBC Radio 1 in Concert [live]
1995 Jack Bruce- Monkjack
1997 Jack Bruce- Sitting on Top of the World

1972 Jack Bruce- At His Best
197  Jack Bruce- Pop Giants No 14
1980 Jack Bruce- Greatest Hits
1989 Jack Bruce- Willpower: A Twenty-Year Retrospective
1995 Jack Bruce- Collection
1996 Jack Bruce- The Jack Bruce Collector's Edition
1996 Jack Bruce- Collection & Moonjack

1964 Williams, Tony- Life Time 
1965 Bond, Graham- Sound of 65 
1965 Bond, Graham- There's a Bond Between Us 
1966 Cream- Full Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals) 
1966 Taylor, Mike- Mike Taylor Trio 
1966 Cream- Fresh Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals) 
1967 Donovan- Wear Your Love Like Heaven 
1967 Manfred Mann- Soul of Mann 
1967 Cream- Disraeli Gears (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals) 
1967 Donovan- Gift from a Flower to a Garden 
1968 Cream- Wheels of Fire (Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Harmonica, Calliope, Cello,
      Keyboards, Recorder, Vocals) 
1968 Cream- Wheels of Fire [Studio] (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals) 
1968 Bley, Carla- Escalator over the Hill (Bass, Vocals) 
1969 Ardley, Neil- Dejeuner Sur L'herbe 
1969 Cream- Best of Cream [Atco/Polydor] (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals) 
1969 Cream- I Feel Free (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1969 Cream- Rock Sensation (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1969 Cream- Best of Cream [Arcade] (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1969 Velez, Martha- Fiends & Angels 
1969 Blues Incorporated- Blues Inc/Alexis Korner All Stars 
1969 Ardley, Neil- Greek Variations 
1969 Cream- Goodbye (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1969 Mayall, John- Looking Back 
1969 Williams, Tony- Spectrum: The Anthology (Bass, Vocals) 
196  Powerhouse Four- What's Shakin' (Bass, Vocals) 
1970 Bond, Graham- Solid Bond 
1970 Cream- Swlabr (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1970 Power, Duffy- Innovations 
1970 Williams, Tony- Tony Williams Lifetime 
1970 Cream- Live Cream, Vol. 1 (Bass, Vocals) 
1970 Williams, Tony- Turn It Over 
1972 Winwood, Steve- Winwood & Friends 
1972 Cream- Off the Top (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1972 Cream- Heavy Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1972 Keys, Bobby- Bobby Keys 
1972 Clapton, Eric- History of Eric Clapton (Bass, Vocals) 
1972 Cream- Live Cream, Vol. 2 (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1972 Korner, Alexis- Bootleg Him! 
1973 West Bruce & Laing- Whatever Turns You on (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1973 History of British Blues (Bass, Piano) 
1973 Mantler, Michael- No Answer (Bass, Vocals) 
1973 Reed, Lou- Berlin 
1973 West Bruce & Laing- Why Dontcha (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1974 Locomotiv G T- Locomotiv Gt (Harmonica) 
1974 West Bruce & Laing- Live & Kicking (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1974 Mantler, Michael- Jazz Composers Orchestra (Bass, Vocals) 
1974 Frank Zappa- Apostrophe (')
1975 Cream- Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1975 Cream- Portrait of Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1975 Cream- Best, Vol. 2 (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1976 Mariano, Charlie- Helen Twelve Trees 
1976 McLaughlin, John- In Retrospect 
1977 Bond, Graham- Beginning of Jazz Rock 
1977 Cream- Wheels of Fire [Live] (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1977 Cream- Best of Cream Live (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1977 Mayall, John- Primal Solos 
1978 Dudek, Les- Ghost Town Parade (Vocals) 
1978 Cream- Early Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1978 McLaughlin, John- Electric Guitarist 
1979 Marsden, Bernie- About Time, Too! 
1979 Manfred Mann- Semi Detached Suburban 
1979 Powell, Cozy- Over the Top 
197  Cream- Pop Giants (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
197  Cream- Pop History (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1980 Anderson, Jon- Song of Seven 
1981 B L T Bruce Lordan Tro- B L T [Bruce Lordan Trower] (Bass, Vocals) 
1981 Rocket Eighty Eight- Rocket 88 
1981 Korner, Alexis- Rocket 88 
1981 Korner, Alexis- Profile 
1981 Trower, Robin- B.L.T. 
1981 Rabin, Trevor- Wolf 
1981 Soft Machine- Land of Cockayne 
1982 Anderson, Jon- Animation 
1982 Moore, Gary- Corridors of Power (Vocals) 
1982 Trower, Robin- Truce (Bass, Keyboards, Vocals. Producer)
1982 Allison, Mose- Lesson in Living 
1982 Hanrahan, Kip- Desire Develops an Edge (Bass, Vocals) 
1983 Holdsworth, Allan- Road Games (Vocals) 
1983 Cream- Story of Cream (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1983 Cream- Story of Cream, Vol. 2 (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1983 Cream- Strange Brew: The Very Best of Crea (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1984 Bond, Graham- Graham Bond Organization 
1984 Nauseef, Mark- Wun-Wun (Bass, Vocals) 
1985 Ward, Bill- Ward One: Along the Way (Bass, Vocals) 
1985 Hanrahan, Kip- Vertical's Currency (Bass, Piano, Vocals) 
1986 Golden Palominos- Blast of Silence (Vocals) 
1986 Watts, Charlie- Live at Fulham Town Hall (Cello) 
1986 Frank Zappa- Apostrophe/Over-nite Sensation 
1987 Mantler, Michael- Live (Vocals) 
1987 Mantler, Michael- Many Have No Speech (Vocals) 
1988 Clapton, Eric- Crossroads (Bass, Piano, Vocals) 
1989 Cream- Live 1968 (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals)
1989 Watt Works Family Album- Watt Works Family Album (Vocals) 
1991 Cream- Strange Brew [Video] 
1992 Reed, Lou- Between Thought and Expression: The 
1992 Golden Palominos- History (1982-1985) (Harp, Vocals)
1992 Golden Palominos- History (1986-1989) (Vocals) 
1992 Symon-Asher- Three Color Sun (Arranger, Composer) 
1992 Hanrahan, Kip- Exotica 
1993 Boyz II Men- Cooleyhighharmony (Bass, Vocals) 
1993 McLaughlin, John- Compact Jazz 
1993 Mantler, Michael- Folly Seeing All This (Vocals) 
1993 American Clave- American Clave 
1994 Haines, Paul- Poems by Paul Haines Musics by Many 
1994 Mark Nauseef & Miroslav Tadic- The Snake Music
1994 Folk- Folk [Friedman] (Bass, Vocals) 
1994 Haines, Paul- Darn It! (Bass, Vocals) 
1994 Lucy's Fur Coat- Jaundice (Bass, Vocals) 
1994 BBM- Around the Next Dream (Bass, Cello, Vocals) 
1995 Winwood, Steve- Finer Things 
1995 Hanrahan, Kip- All Roads Are Made of the Flesh (Bass, Vocals) 
1996 McLaughlin, John- This Is Jazz, Vol. 17 
1996 West, Leslie- Blood of the Sun: 1969-1975 (Bass, Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer)
1997 Celebration of Blues: Great Slide G (Bass, Vocals) 
1997 Knights of the Blues Table (Bass, Harmonica, Vocals) 
1997 Jazz Fusion, Vol. 1 
1997 Powell, Cozy- Very Best of Cozy Powell 
1999 Anthony Hindson and Friends- It's A Curious Life (with Shankar and Scott Thunes)
1999 The New Gary Husband Trio- From The Heart (dbl)
     Mayall, John- 1969 (2) 1971 (3) 1971 (4) 1977 (5) 
     Jazz Club: Drums- Jazz Club: Drums 
     CMPler- Cmp-Ler (Vocals)


Additional informants:
Bas van der Heijden (basileus@wxs.nl)