Spirit: Live at the BBC 1971-1978 [Import]

Jack Bruce | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Import
• Label: Ume Imports
• ASIN: B00139L7GI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,407 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2008 three CD set of solo BBC sessions from the former Cream bassist. Jack Bruce is perhaps one of the greatest popular musicians Britain has ever produced. A supremely talented instrumentalist and vocalist, eminently respected by his peers, Jack's pioneering bass playing style has influenced a generation of bassists. He is also the possessor of one of the most powerful voices in modern music and a composer of some of the most original and influential songs of the past 40 years. This three disc set spans his trips to the BBC between 1971-78 and contains the best of his post Cream BBC recordings. Sessions, concerts and Old Grey Whistle Test broadcasts combined in a beautifully packaged box set containing rare photos and extensive liner notes by Mark Powell. Features some of Jack's finest compositions such as `Folksong', `You Burned the Tables On Me', `Can You Follow?', `Smiles and Grins' and `Morning Story' alongside new arrangement of Cream classics such as `We're Going Wrong' and `The Clearout'. Universal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Progressive and inventive, April 8, 2008

By 

Bodhi Heeren (Copenhagen) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spirit: Live at the BBC 1971-1978 (Audio CD)

This great box-set contains four concerts with Jack, who must be considered one of the true legends of modern music. A revolutionary pioneer on electric bass, a highly accomplished vocalist, a gifted and very diverse composer. A multitalent spanning so many genres: rock, blues, jazz, avant-garde.

Two of the shows have been released already. The 1971 with Chris Spedding, Graham Bond and John Marshall, and the 1975 presenting one of his hottest bands ever featuring Mick Taylor and Carla Bley. But here in a superior soundquality. We also get a performance from his 1977 outfit with a young Simon Philips, already then a formidable drummer.The interplay between him and Jack's fretless bass-magic certainly more than makes up for the rather inadequate guitarwork of Hughie Burns.

Neither of these shows might be Jack at his absolute best. Being a spontanous and erratic performer, he's rarely at his finest in this more formal settings. But there's plenty to enjoy. Some fine versions of the marvelous songs from his first three solo-albums, some rearranged Cream-classics and from time to time inspired and transcendent moments of pure music.

Spread over the three discs we also get some fine jazzy moments with Jack in the fine company of Jon Hiseman and saxlegend John Surman.

As with all from the bassmaestro, the mastermind behind Cream, this is essential stuff for all lovers of true progressive and inventive music.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great retrospecion with refried music, April 8, 2008

By 

Grzegorz Szymczak "gregg" (poland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spirit: Live at the BBC 1971-1978 (Audio CD)

2 out of 3 cds were previously released - 1971 with Graham Bond and 1975 with Mick Taylor except for 1 song without a word. 3rd cd is a real treat with live from 1977. Each cd contains additions from jazz session with supreme john surman and colosseum drummer jon hiseman, however without any spectaluar succeess except for 1st cd bonus. Recommended. Hope more is to come from unopen vaults of 80s90s sessions. Jack Bruce dvd from 60th birthday's session is highly expected.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great just for the trio w Surman & Hiseman, September 26, 2008

By 

Speedy (Fl, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spirit: Live at the BBC 1971-1978 (Audio CD)

There are 6 selections from a trio performance in this box set which alone justifies the purchase. Surman is on fire and one would never guess Hiseman is the same drummer from Colosseum as he is in free-bop mode in these great tracks (and he does a terrific job). The rest of the box is more into rock music but it's ok too, especially the 3rd cd were Bruce's singing and playing sounds truly inspired. But for a jazz fan such as myself (and i am always after John Surman stuff) this is a slice of heaven.