Saturday saw the passing of one of rock’s preeminent bassists, Jack Bruce. His ground-breaking work with the ’60s power trio Cream was a potent mix of jazz influence and rock attitude that opened the musical floodgates for Psychedelic, Fusion and all subsequent jam-based forms of rock. In Cream, Bruce’s playing style provided a combination of melodic and rhythmic counterpoint between Eric Clapton’s guitar and Ginger Baker’s drums, while still retaining the foundational role of the bass guitar. Also the band’s main singer, he set a new standard for the trio format that demanded every player to do the work of several.
Following Cream, his career included solo records as well as many collaborations with musicians in both the jazz and rock genres. His latest album, 2014’s Silver Rails was his first solo record in over a decade. Bruce died on October 25th at his home in Suffolk, England from liver disease. We at Sweetwater are saddened to hear of his passing and extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.