by André Depienne

Cello, piano, harmonica and of course electric bass. All instruments played by British rock, blues and jazz musician John Symon Asher Bruce, better known as Cream founding member, Jack Bruce.

Six years before he would form Cream, Jack received a scholarship to study cello and composition at the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music. At this time, his musical interest lay on Scottish folk, Jazz and Bach. To improve his chances of becoming a professional Jazz musician he switched from cello to double bass.

At the beginning of the 60’s, he also changed his musical style, getting in touch with the British blues scene, where he quickly made a name for himself. Jack played with Mike Taylor, Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organization, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Manfred Mann.

His breakthrough finally came in 1966, when he formed the legendary trio “Cream”, with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. He wasn't only the bassist, but also the lead singer, and composed most of the band’s songs. During his time with Cream, Jack earned his reputation as an exceptional musician. He successfully gave the bass its special significance in the band’s arrangements. His improvisations with Clapton and Baker quickly became his trademark. They sometimes went on so long, that by the end of them, he had trouble remembering which song they were playing, he once joked in an interview.  

After Cream split at the end of 1968, Jack worked with many of Jazz' greatest artists and formed various bands, including the “Jack Bruce Band”.

In autumn 1993, celebrating his 50th birthday at Cologne’s E-Werk, he performed with the so called “Cream formation” with Ginger Baker and Gary Moore. This led to the formation of the band “BBM”, which released its only studio album, “Around the next dream”, in 1994.

In 2003, Jack Bruce was diagnosed with liver cancer, almost dying during a liver transplant and contracting a lung infection. Two years later however, he recovered to the point where he was able to perform alongside Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in several reunion concerts, as part of the legendary trio Cream’s original line-up, at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Jack Bruce died of liver disease on the 25th of October 2014 at the age of 71.