in honor of jack bruce: cream bassist, songwriter, & felix pappalardi, producer

8/10/2019 IN honor of Jack Bruce: Cream bassist, Songwriter, & Felix Pappalardi, Producer

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(This is part of a series of blogs Ive been doing on some of the groups and on some of the perhapslesser- known songwriters and players behind some of rocks classic artists and songs. So far: Jeff Lynne,Bob Seger, Long John Baldry, Tony Joe White, Harry Nilsson, Glen Campbell, Paul Revere & The Raiders,Johnny Rivers, The Rascals, Rick Nelson, Del Shannon, Badfinger, Bob Marley.)

IN HONOR OF JACK BRUCE: CREAM BASSIST, SONGWRITER

& FELIX PAPPALARDI, PRODUCER

Jack Bruce , who was a bass player, vocalist, and songwriter for Cream , passedaway Oct. 25. He was best known for the 60s blues -rock British band, Creamwith Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker . But he was trained as a cellist and wasconsidered to be on e of rocks best bassists .

He started out in the early 60s as part of Alexis Korners Blues Incorporated (seemy article on Long John Baldry) which included at the time as well: later Creamdrummer, Ginger Baker, organist Graham Bond, and guitarist, John McLaughlin.They recorded two Graham Bond Organization records in 1963. Bruce then joined


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John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, where he met Eric Clapton and he had also pla yedbriefly in 66 with Manfred Mann and their hit, Pretty F lamingo.

But it was when Clapton, Bruce and Baker formed Cream, that they were most

commercially successful. Bruce not only provided the bass but also shared vocalswith Clapton and co-wrote with lyricist, Pete Brown, many of their big hits likeSunshine of Your Love , White Room and his Toad . Creams cla ssic album is1967s Disraeli Gears .

Felix Pappalardi , another influential bass player, produced Disraeli Gears .Pappalardi, as well as producing, also co-wrote with Clapton their song, StrangeBrew . Pappalardi also was behind their 2Lp set, Wheels on Fire , the next year,and the band considered him to be almost the fourth member, he had such aninfluence on them. Pappalardi had also produced the 1 st Youngbloods album withthe 60s anthem, Get Together and would later found the heavy-rock bandMountain and write their hit, Mississippi Queen.

Cream became known for their live shows with their long improvisational solos (some said they went on too long), which are captured on their Live Cream albums. Their final record was Goodbye which included Clapton s and GeorgeHarrisons great song, Badge . But by that time, they disbanded, and Clapton,Baker, and Traffics Stevie Winwood, under pressure from their management ,formed the supergroup, Blind Faith, which again soon imploded after only onealbum. Bruce released his first solo album, Songs from a Tailor in 69.

After, Bruce would go in a more jazzy direction, (which he said, he alwaysconsidered himself more a jazz player). So he reconnected with guitarist, JohnMcLaughlin, from the old Blues Incorporated, and drummer, Tony Williams in theTony Williams Lifetime band in the early 70s.

In 1972, Bruce joined Felix Pappalardis former Mountain band members, LeslieWest and Corky Laing to form West Bruce and Lang. Bruce would go on to play onseveral peoples albums, Lou Reeds Berlin , the Stones Mick Taylor and theirpiano player, Ian Stewart, from his Alexis Korner days , and John McLaughlinsMahavishnu Orchestra with drummer, Billy Cobham in the 70s and 80s.


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in honor of jack bruce: cream bassist, songwriter, & felix pappalardi, producer

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