Review by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
3½ stars out of 4
This is a very cool album. It needs a lot of listening attention and
several listens before you can really take it all in and understand
what Jack Bruce is trying to do. For those of you hard core classic
rock lovers a few Cream songs are rehashed to satisfy that appetite.
"White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love" is all you get though, and
nothing else even comes close to sounding like that. Those two songs
are okay as far as remakes go, but not as good as the originals. The
combination of seasoned players Bruce invites to these sessions is
absolutely stunning. Old buddy Eric Clapton lends a hand as well as
well known string benders Vernon Reid and Gary Moore.
Bruce's bass playing and voice are still excellent. He and his fine
honed group of pros create a mixture of jazz, rock, blues, and world
music that is as interesting as it is palatable. What are equally
impressive are their innate abilities to go with the flow and creative
processes of the legendary bass player. This is not easy music to
play, jazz in particularly can have odd time signatures, Bruce and
this group of players are unflappable straight on through this entire
recording. This CD was a real joy to absorb, and its one I plan on spinning often.
Songs:
1. Out into the Fields (Brown/Bruce/Laing/West) - 5:22
2. 52nd Street (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 3:59
3. Heart Quake (Brown/Bruce) - 5:31
4. Boston Ball Game 1967 (Brown/Bruce) - 2:01
5. This Anger's a Liar (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 3:21
6. Sunshine of Your Love (Brown/Bruce/Clapton) - 4:31
7. Directions Home (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 4:30
8. Milonga (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 4:53
9. Dancing on Air (Brown/Bruce) - 4:02
10. Windowless Rooms (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 5:08
11. Dark Heart (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 5:59
12. Mr. Flesh (Bruce/Hanrahan/Reid) - 2:13
13. He the Richmond (Brown/Bruce) - 3:19
14. White Room (Brown/Bruce) - 5:48
15. Surge (Bruce/Hanrahan) - 1:58
Credits:
Jack Bruce - Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Piano, Arranger, Vocals, Producer
Dr. John - Organ, Piano
Milton Cardona - Conga
Robert Ameen - Drums
Malcolm Bruce - Synthesizer, Guitar
Eric Clapton - Guitar, Vocals
Gary Moore- Guitar, Vocals
Richie Flores - Conga
Andy Gonzalez - Bass
Jimmy McDonald - Accordion
Vernon Reid - Guitar
Mario Rivera - Sax (Tenor)
Piro Rodriguez - Trumpet
Alfredo Triff - Violin
Papo Vasquez - Trombone
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