This is a sample of Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor after he left the Stones. I like jazz rock so I enjoy this. Why did the whole thing fall apart?

Jack Bruce is an excellent bass player and and vocalist. Mick Taylor is still at the top of his talents.


I have listened to Mick Taylor's newer bands and am not impressed with where he is at now. He is surrounding himself with too many second and third-rate players and vocalists.

I think this is commercially viable music though . .on the par with Jeff Becks jazz rock stylings. What is Jack Bruce up to now?

taylor has had max middleton by his side for most of the last 20 years or more - i wouldn't call max second rate, but you are free to, of course. ry cooder was discovered by the stones, after all....

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mitchflorida
What is Jack Bruce up to now?

Why don't you google 'Jack Bruce' and find out?

I am really interested in hearing from Jack Bruce experts. Any fool can google someone's name.

This is after the MT period:

In 1977, Bruce formed a new band with drummer Simon Phillips and keyboardist Tony Hymas. The group recorded an album, called How's Tricks. A world tour followed, but the album was a commercial failure.[4] The follow-up album Jet Set Jewel was put on hold when Bruce was dropped by his record label, RSO. In 1979, Bruce toured with members from the Mahavishnu Orchestra, reuniting him with John McLaughlin, and introducing him to drummer Billy Cobham. A 3-CD collection of his 1970s BBC recordings called Spirit was released in 2008.

[edit] The solo years 1980s
By 1979, Bruce's drug habit had reached such a level that he had lost a lot of his money. In that year he married his second wife, Margrit Seyffer. She began to organise the business aspects of his career, and Bruce contributed as a session musician to recordings by Cozy Powell, Gary Moore and Jon Anderson to raise money. By 1980 his career was back on track with his new band, consisting of drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Clem Clempson, and keyboardist David Sancious. After releasing an album, I've Always Wanted to Do This at the end of 1980, they undertook a long tour to support the record, but it was not a commercial success and they disbanded. In the early 1980s, he also joined up to play with friends from the Alexis Korner days in Rocket 88, the back-to-the-roots band that Ian Stewart had arranged, and Bruce appears on the album of the same name, recorded live in Germany in 1980. They also recorded a "live in the studio" album called Blues & Boogie Explosion for the German audiophile record label, Jeton. That year he also collaborated on the Soft Machine album Land of Cockayne (1981).

In 1981, Bruce collaborated with guitarist Robin Trower and released two power trio albums, BLT and Truce, the first of which was a minor hit in the United States.[4] By 1983 Bruce was out of contract with the major record companies, and he released his next solo album Automatic only on a minor German label, Intercord INT 145.069. A European tour followed to promote the album enlisting Bruce Gary from The Knack (who had also played in Jack Bruce's 1975 band) on drums and Sancious from his 1980 release on guitar and keyboards.

In 1983 Bruce began working with the Latin/world music producer Kip Hanrahan, and released the collaborative albums Desire Develops an Edge, Vertical's Currency, A Few short Notes from the End Run, Exotica and All Roads are made of the Flesh. They were all critically successful, and in 2001 he went onto form his own band using Hanrahan's famous Cuban rhythm section. Other than his partnership with lyricist Pete Brown, the musical relationship with Hanrahan has been the most consistent and long-lasting of his career.

In 1985 he sang lead and played harp on the song "Silver Bullet" with Anton Fier's Golden Palominos. It appears on the album "Visions of Excess".

In 1986 he re-recorded his famous Cream song "I Feel Free" and released it as a single to support an advertising campaign for the Renault 21 motor car.

A solo album, Somethin Els, recorded in Germany between 1986 and 1992, saw him reunited with Eric Clapton and received, belated, but widespread critical acclaim.

His German TV concerts of this 1980s period have been collected on a two-DVD set, Live at RockPalast.

[edit] The solo years 1990s
In 1989, Bruce began recording material with Ginger Baker and released another solo album, A Question of Time.[4] Baker and Bruce toured the United States at turn of the decade. Bruce played at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1991, and invited Irish blues rock performer, Rory Gallagher (who had a long-standing relationship with Bruce, having supported Cream's farewell concert, in the band, Taste in 1968) to perform a song with Bruce onstage. In 1993 Baker appeared, along with a host of former Bruce band colleagues, at a special concert in Cologne to celebrate Bruce's 50th birthday. A special guest was another Irish blues-rock guitarist Gary Moore. The concert recordings with Moore were released as the live double album Cities of the Heart. On the back of this successful gig Bruce, Baker and Moore formed the power trio BBM, and their subsequent (and only) album Around the Next Dream was a top ten hit in the UK.[4] However, the old Bruce/Baker arguments arose again and the subsequent tour was cut short and the band broke up. A low-key solo album, Monkjack, followed in 1995, featuring Bruce on piano and vocals accompanied by Funkadelic organist Bernie Worrell.

Bruce then began work producing and arranging the soundtrack to the independently produced Scottish film The Slab Boys with Lulu, Edwyn Collins, Eddi Reader and The Proclaimers. The soundtrack album appeared in 1997. In 1998 he returned to touring as a member of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band, which also featured Peter Frampton on guitar. At the gig in Denver, Colorado the band was joined on stage by Ginger Baker, and Bruce, Baker and Frampton played a short set of Cream classics.

[edit] The solo years 2000s

Bruce playing a fretless Warwick Thumb bass at the Jazzfestival Frankfurt, Germany 28 October 2006 Courtesy: Christian SahmIn 2001 Bruce reappeared with his most successful band of recent times featuring Bernie Worrell, Vernon Reid of Living Colour on guitar and Kip Hanrahan's three-piece Latin rhythm section. Hanrahan also produced the accompanying album Shadows in the Air, which included a reunion with Eric Clapton on a new version of "Sunshine of Your Love". The band released another Hanrahan produced studio album, More Jack than God, in 2003, and a live DVD, Live at Canterbury Fayre.

Bruce had suffered a period of declining health, and in the summer of 2003 was diagnosed with liver cancer. In September 2003, he underwent a liver transplant, which was almost fatal, as his body initially rejected the new organ.[11] He has since recovered, and in 2004 reappeared to perform "Sunshine of Your Love" at a Rock Legends concert in Germany organised by the singer Mandoki.

In May, 2005, he reunited with former Cream bandmates Clapton and Baker for a series of well-received concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall,[12] released as the album Royal Albert Hall London May 2–3–5–6 2005, and New York's Madison Square Garden.

In between the UK and US Cream dates he also played live with Gary Moore and drummer Gary Husband at the Dick Heckstall-Smith tribute concert in London.

Subsequent concert appearances were sparse due to recovery after the transplant, but in 2006 Bruce returned to the live arena with a show of Cream and solo classics performed with the German HR (Hessischer Rundfunk) Big Band. This was released on CD in Germany in 2007 to critical acclaim. 2007 also saw him make a brief concert appearance in opening a new rehearsal hall named in his honour at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow with Clem Clempson, keyboard player Ronnie Leahy and Husband.

In 2008, Bruce collaborated again with guitarist Robin Trower on the album Seven Moons. It also featured Husband. Unusually the lyrics were not written by Pete Brown or Trower's regular lyricist Keith Reid, but by the band.

In May 2008 Bruce was 65 years old and to commemorate this milestone two box sets of recordings were released. Spirit is a 3CD collection of Bruce's BBC recordings from the 1970s. Can You Follow? is a 6CD retrospective anthology released by the Esoteric label in the UK. This anthology is a wide ranging collection covering his music from 1963 to 2003 and, aside from his work with Kip Hanrahan, is a comprehensive overview of his career.

Improved health led to Bruce playing a series of live outdoor concerts across the US starting in July 2008 as part of the Hippiefest Tour. He was supported by members of the late Who bassist's The John Entwistle Band, and headlined at a tribute concert to the bassist.

In November 2008 he recorded a concert in Birmingham, England for Radio Broadcast with the BBC Big Band, where he again played the Big Band arrangements of his classic songs. In December he was reunited with Ginger Baker at the drummer's Lifetime Achievement Award concert in London. They played jazz classics with saxophonist Courtney Pine and for the first time in 40 years played the Graham Bond/Cream classic Traintime. The same month Jack, with guitarist Vernon Reid, played a series of Blue Note Club tribute concerts to The Tony Williams Lifetime in Japan. These shows were broadcast on television in Japan.

In spring 2009 a series of concerts were performed with Trower and Husband in Europe. Proposed dates in the US in April were cancelled due to a further bout of ill health. Bruce recovered and the band played summer concerts in Italy, Norway and the UK during 2009. This promoted the release of the Seven Moons live CD & DVD, recorded in February during the European leg of the tour in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

During the Scottish dates of the 2009 tour Bruce was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Glasgow Caledonian University for services to the culture of Glasgow and music in general.

August 2009 saw the release on compact disc of the 1983 Jack Bruce solo album, Automatic. This release means all of his solo albums from the 1969 debut Songs for a Tailor onwards are now available on CD for the first time. All of the discs up to and including How's Tricks have previously unreleased material added.

In October 2009, Bruce performed at the 50th Anniversary of Ronnie Scott 's Club with The Ronnie Scott's Blues Band. After garnering good reviews three further dates at the club were added in March 2010. Composing Himself: Jack Bruce The Authorised Biography by Harry Shapiro was released by Jawbone Press in February 2010. Shapiro has previously written respected biographies of Bruce collaborators Alexis Korner, Graham Bond and Eric Clapton.

In 2010 the official Jack Bruce website is preparing to release previously unissued Bruce performances via CD and download. The first issue, "Live at the Milkyway, Amsterdam 2001," features his Latin based band of the time and was due out during May.

Mick Taylor plays fantastically here, it is sad that did not continue to play in that direction, he must have suffered some kind of depression later,he was one of the best electric guitarists ever.

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windmelody
Mick Taylor plays fantastically here, it is sad that did not continue to play in that direction, he must have suffered some kind of depression later,he was one of the best electric guitarists ever.

He suffered of heavy duty drug using for many years to follow - that was his major problem.

Yes it is very good, but my understanding is that despite this video, Mick Taylor and Jack Bruce never even released an album?

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mitchflorida
I am really interested in hearing from Jack Bruce experts. Any fool can google someone's name.

Not you. That makes you a certain fool.

Mitch - Jack recently "offically" released a live CD of one of thie concerts,
they did on their mini-tour of Europe in 1975. Jack has always held a grudge
against Taylor for quitting like he did on Jack (sound fimiliar?)

Jack's comments on Taylor's playing on the CD was: someone's making some noise in
the background... Taylor has always been positive about this union, look up
Smiles & Grins - part#2 on Youtube and check out Taylor's playing here!!!!
video is a little jumpy during his solo, uploading problem the guy said.
and again Taylor get's no respect, look at how long the cameraman stays on
Bruce and the rest while Taylor's laying down these beautiful leads.. finally
in the end the guy turns his camera on Taylor . . idiot...

MLC

I like Mick Taylor's playing on this video. But watch the entire 5:36 of it, and you will not see Mick Taylor's face , not ONCE. He keeps looking down so you can only see the hair on the top of his head. I can't say he ever was much of a showman, but on this video it is almost ridiculous.

Jack Bruce on the other hand is very charismatic. . an underrated vocalist. . and he makes Bill Wyman s bass playing look mundane in comparison. Jack Bruce is just the flashier bassist.

I would have bought this album if it had the same quality as this video.


Why did MT leave this fantastic group? I am assuming because of drugs?

As for Jack Bruce, he is someone you look up on Wikipedia and are sort of half-expecting that he passed away , but are delighted to know that he is still around. He has a joyous nature to him in his playing.

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mitchflorida
I am really interested in hearing from Jack Bruce experts. Any fool can google someone's name.

Why don't you google "Jack Bruce experts?"

Mitch -

The "reason" Taylor quit is hazy.. Something happened when they went into the studio to record. One story was one of the two didn't want any drug use in the
studio (smack) and got pissed when the other still indulged.

Another story was Bruce wasn't willing to share writing credits and with that
being a major reason Taylor quit the Stones walked. Bruce said alot of people
flew in from all over thw world to record this new album and Taylor's quitting
screwed everyone, not just Bruce..
MLC

You gotta love Mitch. He's got skin that's as thick as Keith's. He's very very entertaining.

Skip - Ha

MLC

Wow! He cut out on a second band again at the last moment?? Amazing. And arguing about song credits again?

Watching his work with the Stones, and with Jack Bruce and with John Mayall, etc., tells me that Mick Taylor is a gifted guitarist, not a leader of a group, nor a song writer. He does add a lot of value to other people's work though.


In the immortal words of the great philosopher Keith Richards: "Mick Taylor is a great guitarist, but he found out the hard way that that's all he is".


And I am not sure that he is playing at the same level anymore in his new group. At least it didn't sound like it to me.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-07-09 01:10 by mitchflorida.

I would agree Taylor & Bruce were an excellent pairing, musically-speaking. Commercially it failed to generate the same sparks as Bruce & Clapton. Although it would have helped had there been a studio album first, then a tour. Unfortunately, time had passed Jack Bruce by. Despite his talents as a songwriter, bassist, and to an extent a vocalist, by 1975 he wasn't going to find much in the way of success. Artistically, it was a solid move for Taylor. Career-wise, a bit of a miscalculation. Even Jeff Beck was struggling a bit by the mid-seventies. "Freeway Jam" would only take you so far.

Crazy idea to tour without an album in the can. Who knows what Jack Bruce could or couldn't have done in 1975 ? He looks very good here, and a little bit like ELP which was a huge success . .

. if Mick Taylor walked out again in the middle of concert tour . . ?

Of course the New Barbarians thought touring without an album was a good idea. I know it was sort of promoting Ronnie's GIMME SOME NECK, but only sort of.

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mtaylor

Improved health led to Bruce playing a series of live outdoor concerts across the US starting in July 2008 as part of the Hippiefest Tour. He was supported by members of the late Who bassist's The John Entwistle Band, and headlined at a tribute concert to the bassist.

Jack is going on another "Hippiefest" tour of America in August. Once again, his band will feature former John Entwistle guitarist Godfrey Townsend. (Godfrey is known for doing remarkable Clapton tribute shows when playing with his own band, making him an excellent choice for the "more Jack than God" Cream material that still dominates Jack's setlist.) This year's Hippiefest lineup also includes War, Mitch Ryder, Rare Earth, and Badfinger's last surviving member, Joey Molland.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-07-09 06:48 by tatters.

Where is Forrest Gump?

It sounds like Jack Bruce is going to do a Cream-tribute sort of concert at the Hippiefest. I found his jazz rock endeavor more interesting, though it didn't really get very far.

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Rocky Dijon
I would agree Taylor & Bruce were an excellent pairing, musically-speaking. Commercially it failed to generate the same sparks as Bruce & Clapton. Although it would have helped had there been a studio album first, then a tour. Unfortunately, time had passed Jack Bruce by. Despite his talents as a songwriter, bassist, and to an extent a vocalist, by 1975 he wasn't going to find much in the way of success. Artistically, it was a solid move for Taylor. Career-wise, a bit of a miscalculation. Even Jeff Beck was struggling a bit by the mid-seventies. "Freeway Jam" would only take you so far.

Huh? Freeway Jam was from Blow by Blow, one of Jeff Beck's most successful records, and one that I'm pretty sure went platinum! And Wired, arguably an ever better record, also did pretty well.

The Jack Bruce-Mick Taylor experiment just imploded quickly, for whatever reason. But please leave Geoffrey Arnold Beck, the greatest living electric guitarist, out of that discussion.

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Rocky Dijon
Of course the New Barbarians thought touring without an album was a good idea. I know it was sort of promoting Ronnie's GIMME SOME NECK, but only sort of.

Well...Ronnie is a proven songwriter.

Was this the group with Carla Bley or am I thinking of someone else? I saw were someone said they toured without an album. What songs did they play...any Cream? Jack Bruce did well on the Cream reunion, but I understand that he does have health problems. Very unique talent.

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skipstone

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Rocky Dijon
Of course the New Barbarians thought touring without an album was a good idea. I know it was sort of promoting Ronnie's GIMME SOME NECK, but only sort of.

Well...Ronnie is a proven songwriter.

Yes, he's proved that he can write mediocre songs. So can Bill Wyman.

I wouldn't call his work in the early seventies mediocre and I think calling Wyman's writing mediocre is rather kind.

And yes, Carla Bley was with Bruce and Taylor.

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Rocky Dijon
Of course the New Barbarians thought touring without an album was a good idea. I know it was sort of promoting Ronnie's GIMME SOME NECK, but only sort of.

Not only sort of, the Barbarians played almost the entire GSN album.

One more thing, concerning the Bruce/Taylor project. I'm a big fan of both as musicians, but the material they were playing here wasn't exactly gonna make them big stars. Very strange songwriting, though well played, imo. The live boots I have are completely without hooks. I think Bruce was living in a bubble at the time...

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DandelionPowderman
One more thing, concerning the Bruce/Taylor project. I'm a big fan of both as musicians, but the material they were playing here wasn't exactly gonna make them big stars. Very strange songwriting, though well played, imo. The live boots I have are completely without hooks. I think Bruce was living in a bubble at the time...

I agree, and as strange as the songmaterial might be, i'm not that impressed by Taylor's guitarwork in this clip. I think he did even a better job on the live versions of the relaxed Dead Flowers.