Customer Reviews

Things We Like

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was blown away by this album when it came out, and am thrilled by its release at last on CD. It easily rivals anything by the jazz stars of then or now. (For example, I got the acclaimed album by jazz super group ScoLoHoFo at the same time, and it just isn't as intersting/engaging, despite the star names attached--Scofield, Lovano, etc.). Things We Like features creative, skilled playing by all, and wonderfully novel compositions by Bruce--not the usual post-bop noodlings.

This is a straight ahead jazz ablum with Jack on acoustic double bass and no singing (but some voaclizing,though). It's a brilliant jazz album and can stand shoulder to shoulder with any of the greats. It's too bad he did not pursue at least one more album with this fabulous line-up. It's really amazing when you consider that he was still a member fo Cream when this was recorded and that John McLaughlin, who had played with Jack briefly in the Graham Bond Organization, had little name recognition at this point in his career. All that creative energy really shines - as does long time buddy Dick H-S and Colleseum drummer (and Songs for a Tailor drummer) Jon Hiseman. Jack, himself, sounds as if he never gave up the double bass. His bowing is also quite soulful. I originally bought this album when I was a Jack Bruce fan - not a jazz enthusiast. I've since become one and it makes me appreciate this release all the more.

I have to admit i was VERY surprised when i heard about this (AND when i heard this for the first time!). I did not know such a gem existed until this year (2008). And i am an real fan of old stuff by McLaughlin. How this escaped my attention is beyond me. This is an excellent british jazz 1968 type album that has aged superbly thanks to it's guitar, dr, sax and bass creative, high voltage, energy... always in the free / be bop style of jazz. Bruce is outstanding as are the others, Hiseman & Dick Heckstall-Smith...and McLaughlin plays great on 6 of the 8 titles. Recommended if you liked 'Extrapolation' and the first 2 albums by Tony Williams Lifetime.

First off, if you're expecting ANYTHING overtly "rock" about this disc you're going to be disappointed. There are NO vocals, no verse/chorus/verse, power chords, etc. IF, however, you are a fan of edgy/thorny jazz as well as rock, dig in! Stylistically, TWL (rec. 1968) evokes Rahsaan Roland Kirk (in his free-er moments) and the Ornette Coleman Quartet circa late 50s/1960s -- "free-bop," if you will. The musicianship is (of course) excellent and no one overplays!!! (My main gripe about some heavy-duty jazz players is too many over-extend their solos, noodle-ing & doodling until a real idea comes to them.) TWL is a fine jazz set and it DOES NOT SOUND DATED at all!

This recording is just a joy to listen to. Jazz performed at a master level with best track for me being the ballad "born to be blue". Fans of John Mclaughlin will be pleased to hear some of his most understated and beautiful playing on this disc (his chords are so clean they sound like an electric piano), as well as, some outstanding drumming turned in by Heisman. As one would expect,Jack's double bass playing is near flawless, but the real star of this outing is Dick H-S (R.I.P.) as the music is pushed and pulled by his soulful horns.

If you like jazz you will not be let down by picking this one up. A real hidden jem.

No need to add to what others have said here: this is still an extraordinarily fresh and imaginative jazz album from musical greats. This is the gods at play. What I did want to add though is the fact that this line-up can be heard playing live on the Graham Bond album 'Solid Bond'. The last few tracks of that cd are almost like hearing 'Things We Like' live, including a track there called Ho Ho Country Kicking Blues which here is called HCKHH Blues. Give it a spin.

Wait. Listen to the samples before you buy this. This isn't the Jack Bruce you know from Cream, his solo career or the times he has worked with othre musicians (Leslie West, Robin Trower)in duos or trios.

This is JAZZ Bruce not Jack Bruce. Featuring material that Bruce wrote when he was 11(!)and recorded while still a member of Cream but released AFTER his first solo album (Songs for a Tailor)this is a strong jazz album recorded with Jon Hiseman on drums, Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax (sometimes playing two instruments at the same time) and John McLaughlin on guitar (Bruce invited him to record the album so McLaughlin could earn the money to fly to the U.S. to join Lifetime the band Tony Williams established.

Regardless of these circumstances this is a very different but potent album and Bruce truly shines here (Heckstall-Smith wrote two tracks and the band covers the Torme-Wells standard "Born to be Blue")as does the trio of musicians that support him.

The remaster here sounds quite nice. If you have the earlier edition should you upgrade just for the single bonus track? It's very good but I'd say--no. Still, if you don't have this and you enjoy free form jazz and Bruce's music pick this up.

This is the jazz side of Jack. For fans of Colleseum and Jon Hiesman , youll love it. For Cream fans, not so much. I loved it
, it shows the depth of Jacks musical background.

Jack Bruce's first solo album (though not released until a few years later) with some of the "cream" of Brit jazzers. John McLaughlin turning out a great performance (would be great if he could yet turn out another album or two with the fire, guts and inspiration he had here) and Colosseum founders Jon Hiseman (drums) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (sax) mix it up wonderfully. Though not free jazz, this is somewhat avant-garde re the compositions, a bit like the early Ornette, but different. . . . May require some intellectual stretching, but well worth the effort (if your mind isn't scared of venturing into unknown territory -- otherwise maybe you should stick with White Room). Nothing like any other albums Jack's done under his own name -- a unique gem! How 'bout another round like this one, Jack?

P.S. Played this for Henry Grimes awhile back -- we listened to it 5 times over! Needless to say, for Henry Grimes "Things We Like" is a thing he likes! Nuff said!

The best tune is by far HCKHH Blues, which features John McGlaughlin and is an extremely amusing tune in itself. The rest is kind of straight jazz with free elements thrown in. JMcG is only on a couple songs here. The playing is competent but other then HCKHH blues, I don't think the album is all that interesting other than for its novelty value. If you like it, then check out John McGlaughlin's "Extrapolation" a very similar-sounding album with the same instrumentation, but more guitar. Odd that Jack's first solo album would be jazz. He's classically trained as a cellist. His next solo efforts would be rock albums. He never repeated this little experiment. I suppose he was extending the work he used to do with Graham Bond Organization (with Ginger Baker) pre-Cream, which was jazz-influenced for sure.