Sean Trane Third album from JB, but this time, he drops the Colosseum connection to snatch some Nucleus (Ian Carr’s band) members, just at the time where the band’s original line-up was imploding. To say the least, despite both having played on JB’s Tailor album, John Marshall and Chris Spedding are relatively odd choices, given the album’s shorter song format. I’ve always failed to see the link of the album’s relatively positive title and its dreary artwork, and to be honest, the album’s all-too-wordy nature (it seems that Pete Brown was never this loquacious) always discouraged me of investigating further. As usual, JB sings, plays keys and bass.

A few songs have a hard time hiding their inspiration (or is it that they inspired someone else’s?) and sometimes, JB evens sounds a tad Cat Stevens-ish in Folk Song; while some songwriting is definitely kistchy and disputable: Royal Wood and the closing almost-stinky Spanish-crooner Consul At Sunset. And it’s in the simpler more RnR songs that JB’s often-too busy bass playing is mostly evident, as Letter Of Thanks proves. Among the album’s highlights is the impressive and adventurous Morning Story, and while the vocals of Smiles And Grins might just be a little rough/harsh, the playing is brilliant.

Harmony Row has always been an album I’ve felt uncomfortable with, partly because it isn’t all that accessible, too much all over the map, and even noisy in parts. To be honest, if it wasn’t for the album’s two longer songs, I’d give it a much smaller rating.

Sean Trane Under that typical jazzy album title, you’ll the ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce’s second solo album. If you think that JB and jazz don’t really mix, you’re in a for a bit of a surprise, as Jack first came to prominence with Graham Bond’s ORGANization, and JB and GB (Ginger) used to joke the Cream was a jazz band, and that they never told Clapton so. More than the Cream connection, here, we’re getting the Colosseum (Heckstall-Smith and Hiseman replaced JB and GB in Bond’s band) and we’re heavily in a standard jazz affair – which might be very strange, since JB was also involved with McL in Tony Williams’ Lifetime, which was much more “fusiony”. Actually, TWL was recorded prior to JB’s first official solo album, but the present is indeed his first try (recorded in Aug 68)… but only found release almost two years afterwards.

So, the quartet’s line-up might have hinted you as an all-star JR/F group, but we’re quite distant from that realm. Six of the seven tracks are Bruce composition (he plays only stand-up bass on TWL), and the lone medley Sam Enchanted Dick (sic…) is more or less in the same sonic template of the rest of the album. Indeed, we’re dealing with a fairly competent late-50’s or early-60’s boppy jazz that will raise your eyebrows, mostly because that’s about the last thing you’d expect from these dudes. Were they out to prove something to the old-guard of jazzers? Maybe so, but personally, I find that, outside McL and to a lesser extent DHS, this is the kind of stuff that lacks a certain credibility from the “rock-related” crowds. Don’t expect much of McL’s fiery guitar histrionics (he does get the odd spot here and there, but nothing of the sort of Devotion or Mahavishnu), because he’s relatively low-key. DHS’ gets more sunshine, but it’s clearly JB’s show – and to that same extent, drummer Hiseman gets to pull his wild cards out on the table. You’ll find the odd inspiration in JB’s jazz writing. The more modern-sounding track of the album? HCKHH Blues, without a doubt.

So, if not familiar with TWL, I’d strongly suggest that you lend an earshot (not even very attentive) before investing in the album, because the line-up (written out on the front cover) can (and will) induce into error. Is it a good standard jazz album?? Maybe so, but given the déjà-entendu sonics (save McL’s electric interventions), it certainly sounds like a waste of talent at the time… I’d have loved to hear these guys let it all hang out in the wild JF/F affair.

Sean Trane Fresh out of Cream, JAcj Bruce went out shopping for heavy friends to make his debut solo album, and one can only be impressed by who he managed to lure back in the studio. Outside Harry Georgesson (only present on the opening track, but remember Goodbye’s Badge song?), we also find Swinging London jazz-scene stalwarts jazzers Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther (both on trumpet) and Art Themen (sax). From another side of JB’s alumni, Colosseum dudes DHS (sax) and Hiseman (who had replaced Jack and Ginger in Graham Bond’s ORGANization), and Chris Spedding (most likely via lyricist Pete Brown’s Ornaments), future Nucleus drummer John Marshall (then with Graham Collier) and finally Papparlardi (the Mountain man and Cream producer). Heavy friends, uh?? Gladly the really heavy dude Leslie West was out of reach ;o))). As for the megalomaniac JB, he sings, basses, pianoes, organs and even cellos on one track.

SFAT is actually JB’s second album, since TWL was recorded in 68, but only released two years later (after the present), and this “debut” album is filled with songs intended for Cream but unused, due to that band’s early demise. And in some ways, despite some sometimes drastically different arrangements, it’s clear that some tracks could’ve been featured on any of the last three Cream releases, but it’s hardly a rule of thumb. Take away the brass from the opener Never Tell, and you’ve got an almost-classic Cream tune. Other Cream-related tunes are Weird Of Hermiston, Boston Ball and Clearout, all three written during the Cream-lifetime, but neither are particularly strong (IMHO), but two of them features the heavy brass section.

You’ll also find two of JB/PB tunes that have been most inspirational to loads f musicians (including Colosseum, who used both tracks in their live shows) like Imaginary Western and Rope Ladder, both could’ve been Cream numbers, but here dramatically changed, the latter featuring Jack’s cello talents. Ministry Of Bag and Richmond are average, but don’t feel like fillers. Isengard’s intro is the album’s most acoustic moment and it also features Felix on vocals alongside JB, but halfway in JB’s bass comes unleashed and Spedding’s guitar follows

The album’s title was a dedication to Jeannie Franklin, a hip LA tailor that made clothes for cream and that died in the Fairport Convention van accident that also killed drummer Lamble. SFAT is JB’s most emblematic solo album, but don’t expect loads of Cream histrionics or even TW’s Lifetime delirium. This is a bunch of fairly-short songs (max 3:30, except for the lengthier Isengard), but little space for major solos. The album is relatively uneven (read too diverse to be really cohesive), but has no real weakness either, and is certainly an important release for its time, and has managed to remain in the publics’ subconscious ever since.

dreadpirateroberts Jack Bruce's first solo release after working in the 'West, Bruce and Laing' supergroup for a few years, is typical of his eclectic style.

It's actually a difficult one to rate, as there's nothing truly disappointing about it, but nor does it leap out from his discography as an obvious highlight.

I do enjoy this album and think that 'good, but non-essential' is quite an apt description. Because it is good. A few songs are on a par with anything he's done ('Pieces of Mind', 'Keep On Wondering' and 'Keep it Down') but the rest of the album is not as strong.

The musical variety you've come to expect from him (both from a compositional standpoint and as a multi-instrumentalist) is still present on 'Out of the Storm.' While Bruce's singing and bass playing too, are up to his usual standard, not all songs are as effective. 'Golden Days' is a little lumbering and 'Running through Our Hands' doesn't really live up to his other ballad-like songs. A piece like 'One' is bit of a sleeper, but the best tracks are those already mentioned, like 'Keep it Down.'

And 'Keep it Down' is an obvious choice for a single, tight, funky and with a killer chorus, complete with some nice lead guitar from Steve Hunter (of Alice Cooper fame) and Jack's trademark bass style. What's not to like? 'Timeslip' has one of the most atmospheric openings of any tracks on the album, and closes with a great rock outro that brings Cream to mind.

It's worth mentioning that Bruce's ability to constantly push and test the limits of the pop and rock format has not been discarded here. It remains in force. But the problem is not with his general ethos, but rather the execution, as this album isn't as consistent as his previous works. Three stars nonetheless.

dreadpirateroberts 'Things We Like' isn't an album to fault on the merits of its individual players or performances, so much as at a compositional level. Jack Bruce's supporting cast (two of whom he'd played with in the 'Graham Bond Organisation') work through a mix of post bop, free jazz and fusion in a sparse setting. Jack's choice of double bass is a fit for his style of playing and Heckstall-Smith keeps his phrasing fairly abstract throughout. Hiseman plays quite free and McLaughlin employs an almost gentle 1960s, rock-fuzz tone to his mostly supporting guitar.

My main concern with the record is that the pieces don't always hold together as well as I'd like. Sometimes they meander between unaccompanied solos followed by patches of ensemble playing ('Statues' for instance) or don't quite fulfill their promise (the Mel Torme cover 'Born to Be Blue' or 'Ballad for Arthur'). My other gripe with the album is the mix, it doesn't seem to suit all the material, as the more fusion-based pieces don't benefit from splitting the instruments between channels.

There are songs that do bring Bruce's cast together in a more convincing manner, like 'HCKHH Blues' , 'Over the Cliff' and the title track especially, where they bop gets a little harder and the chaotic bursts of energy are employed to fine effect.

Part of me finds two stars too harsh, but I do think this will be of interest mostly to collectors, of either Jack or John. It has its moments but the album as a whole isn't as realised as it could be. For the curious.