Customer Reviews

Jack Bruce & Robin Trower: Seven Moons Live

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like many, I thought that Robin Trower got back together with Jack Bruce in order to produce a cheap payday capitalizing on past glories. After all, even the song titles were rip-offs of old stuff, right?

Well, I was wrong. Instead of a jaded, pale imitation of what used to be, like most rockers past their prime produce, this is actually a heartening reminder that talent and true greatness stand the test of time. I will readily agree that Trower and Bruce are not going to win any beauty contests these days; it's actually kind of heartbreaking to see how they've aged.

But, DESPITE the ravages of time, Bruce can still produce jewels like "Just Another Day", which is just as good as anything on his masterwork, "Harmony Row". And Robin Trower plays ridiculously well for a sixty-four year old. He plays the Cream classic songs effortlessly, but he really shines on the new stuff like "Seven Moons", "So Far to Yesterday", and "The Last Door".

In the final analysis, there aren't that many rock musicians that you can classify as "significantly creative artists". But these are two such musicians, from a generation that lifted rock music toward respectability.

Look at the people Bruce has worked with: John McLaughlin, Tony Williams, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Chris Spedding, Gary Moore, Carla Bley, Frank Zappa. Jack has the kind of musical intelligence that transcends genres. Trower has the flowing style of soloing that can remind you of a jazz saxophonist, and he is never anything less than tasteful.

So my advice is to get past the wrinkles, and enjoy the music. Jazz player Roland Kirk kept playing after debilitating strokes. Johnny Cash still commanded respect when he was frail of health.

Just be glad that these guys are still around, still creative, still sharing their gifts. What they're doing, in the face of a music industry that only loves pretty faces, is nothing short of HEROIC.

ALERT!!!The previous review is just absurd! 2 stars?! Why bother giving two? What are those 2 for anyway?...These guys have always been about subtelty, not bombast! The songs are intended to be minimalist in structure. Can you not see and hear how into it they are??? To say Jack Bruce's vocals are "weak" is also bizarre. "CARMEN" is amazing vocally!! Who pray-tell would sing this any better?..Jack Bruce is incredible! He is pitch-perfect. Gary Husband is an amazing drummer and a wonderful choice here.(talk about the details! GREAT IS A DRUMMER WHO CAN DEAL WITH MINIMALISM WHILE MAINTAINING SUCH DYNAMICS! If you are a Trower, or Jack Bruce fan this is a must!

The only reason this gets 4 stars is because I find the guitar a bit low/dry/ & subdued in the mix. It's unusually clean and may be just the way the DVD/performance was recorded. Usually Trower's guitar is right on the edge of feedback. So, I would liked to have seen the mix a tad more vibrant, louder, especially on the guitar & bass side. Having said that, recording a live performance DVD is tricky thing. There are allot of "funny things" going on in the post- production stage of supposedly live DVD's these days, and this one, while being a bit "dry", is refreshingly true to the performance. Nice camera work and angles. Good lighting as well!

Unfortunately, there are no "extras" on this dvd which is a shame. Would love to have seen some interviews! So 4 stars for lack of extras.. and a bit too dry mix-wise. The performances are killer! 5 STARS FOR PERFORMANCE!

How can anyone not be happy to have this? Trower never was a big commercial success and to have a DVD with Jack Bruce at all is a total gift! I have seen Trower recently and to say he is somehow getting worse with age is completely inaccurate and unfair to the truth. Like Beck, Trower is one of the very few who is getting better , not worse with age! What a shame to kick ofF this great product availablilty with such a lame and inaccurate review!"

It's all in the details" and unfortunately for some, they are not equipped to see or hear them.

Jack Bruces' style and panache persuaded me to take up bass in 1974. I've followed his performances since the "How's Tricks" tour and own most of his releases, on vinyl,CD and VHS. In my opinion the "Seven Moons" CD is his best recorded performance, with inciteful lyrics, a smooth,fat bass sound and perfect production. While I would have preferred to see this band live, I was relieved to hear it would be released on DVD.

I find Robin Trowers' music somewhat hypnotic having seen him twice in the last few years but playing with Jack Bruce causes him to "take it up a notch". Their two previous collaborations "BLT" and "Truce" were entertaining.He was obviously having fun here!

Gary Husband is one of the most lyrical drummers playing today.

The sound is quite good,as is the camera work.I wish they had kept to their shared work rather than including Cream tunes. The only reason I couldn't give this DVD 5 stars is that Mr. Bruce is really showing his age. The passion is still there but the fire doesn't burn as brightly. I can understand his possible inability to tour extensively. Sadly this fate awaits us all, and should remind us to ejoy all we can while we can!

Mark Loebl,West Babylon NY

I think one of the problems with this DVD is the mix. I've only listened to it in 5.1, but the mix is a little too "nice". Instead of having the instruments up loud, the vocal dominates the mix. The issue I have with that is that the bass is mixed way down and as a result it doesn't sound full. I think if the drums, bass and guitar were up with the vocals it would be a lot more enjoyable. As it is it sounds fairly stark. This is sort of surprising since the studio CD was mixed a lot better.

Sure Jack Bruce, especially, is showing his age, but what he is playing is good. What Trower is playing is also good. Gary Husband is good, but doesn't seem to be as forceful as needed. Maybe it just wasn't their best night. I was also disappointed by the lack of older Bruce/Trower material; it would have been a lot better than Bruce's Cream hits, which were competantly done, but what's the point.

Having said that there's several nice moments on the DVD and if you're a fan of Bruce or Trower there's enough to like to buy this. If you're a casual Trower fan, then the Living Out of Time Live DVD is a better choice. For Jack Bruce fans, if you don't have the Cream reunion DVD get that first.

Even though I already owned the studio CD of Seven Moons since its release a couple of years ago, I was delighted to hear that a live performance of the album was being released on DVD. So I ordered it as soon as I got word it was available. What's the verdict? Its a solid performance...
On this DVD, ten songs from the album, three Cream songs, and one other are presented. And while Jack Bruce doesn't sound exactly as he did in his days with Cream, he hasn't strayed far. As for Robin Trower, well he is just superb. One of the joys of seeing Trower live is the amusement one gets from watching his facial contortions while he plays. Backing Trower and Bruce is the steady, skillful drum work of Gary Husband.
My favorites on the DVD differ slightly from what I like best on the studio album. They are Seven Moons, Lives of Clay, Distant Places of the Heart, The Last Door, the exquisite Carmen, and two old Cream songs, Sunshine of Your Love and Politician. And while there are no "extras", what is here gives the viewer plenty of value for money.
Don't pay any attention to the naysayers. If you like Trower and especially if you like Jack Bruce, you are going to enjoy Seven Moons Live. Order it while its cheap, you won't be sorry.

This DVD is a live 2009 concert with Jack Bruce, Robin Trower and drummer Gary Husband performing the material on the studio version of Bruce & Trower's Seven Moons CD, along with some material from Jack Bruce's days with Cream.

Great stuff. This performance ranks alongside the best material Jack Bruce and Robin Trower have done individually and collectively over the decades.

There's nothing fancy about the performance. There are no ostentatious theatrics or staging. This is just three first rate musicians performing some great new material along with covers of Politician and Sunshine of Your Love, both Jack Bruce compositions from his days with Cream.

My only criticism of this album is that I would have liked to hear this band cover some of the early Robin Trower classics like Day of the Eagle and Too Rolling Stoned along with the covers of Cream material.

But that's a really minor issue.

For fans of Cream and of Robin Trower, you won't be disappointed with this DVD. I highly recommend it.

Excellent performances of songs from the "Seven Moons" album, Cream staples and Carmen from Trower & Bruce's first outing: BLT. Yes, Jack Bruce looks weathered, but what does it matter when the playing and music are this good? Jack's voice is still strong and he looks really happy to be playing on stage. Robin is obviously enjoying himself all through and his solo on White Room alone is worth the price of admission. Robin's playing continues to be very soulful and captivating. Gary Husband lends excellent support on drums. With such great music and playing by all three musicians, this is a DVD that fans will find themselves going back to, again and again. Great camera work as well, capturing the interplay between the musicians on stage.

I gave this 4 stars because the production quality was a tad cheapish, but that detracts very little from what 64 yr. old Trower and 62 yr. old Bruce laid down in this performance. For a couple of old farts, these guys ROCK!!! White Room, Sunshine of Your Love, and other Cream tunes mix in perfectly with newer work from the (also 4 star, same reason) studio version of Seven Moons.

Yeah, this concert seems a little slow, especially in this f'd up age of living second to second, mtv b.s. These guys never wanted to or pretended to be Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons. If you don't like Trower or Cream don't buy this! But if you like great freak'n music played by consummate professionals, then by all means buy this. I own over 400 concerts on DVD and this on fits in just fine, I would buy it again in a second if I lost it, and that's about as good as any music DVD gets.

Peace, Out!

I love Jack Bruce and Robin Trower but this is not a good performance.
I like their CD of this band project, but the live performance made me nod off.
Jack and Robin are just getting too old to give a live "Rock" performance.
Audibly their work is still good, but I do not see the reason for a live concert or
live DVD video.