The five musicians that inspired Jack Bruce most
Back in the early 1960s, Jack Bruce cut his teeth in the British blues scene, joining Blues Incorporated and the Graham Bond Organisation before becoming part of one of the most influential British outfits of the decade, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.
However, Bruce is best known for his tenure as Cream’s lead vocalist and bassist, often referred to as the world’s first supergroup. Blending psychedelic influences with blues and hard rock, the band helped shape the trajectory of modern guitar music.
Cream went on to become one of the most significant bands of the era despite only existing for three short years. It featured Eric Clapton, formerly of The Yardbirds and a fellow ex-Bluesbreaker, as well as Ginger Baker on the drums, who had also appeared alongside Bruce in GBO and Blues Incorporated.
Bruce’s bass-playing skills are held in high esteem, yet he wouldn’t have become so proficient if not for many hours of dedication, taking inspiration from other bass heroes. Talking to Guitar World, he discussed some of the musicians that have inspired him in his musical endeavours and the albums of theirs he holds closest.
Perhaps surprisingly, his first pick was Great Organ Works by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, citing ‘Toccata And Fugue’ as one of his favourite pieces. He explained, “If you want to know anything about bass playing, it’s all there. It’s perfection.”
Bruce added: “The bass parts are contrapuntal, but they’re also melodic; if you took away the bass part the whole thing would fall apart. Those parts are great if you want to learn to play melodically.”
However, one of Bruce’s main inspirations is jazz, and he cites Charles Mingus as a significant favourite. Widely regarded as one of the genre’s greatest players, he was known for using an upright bass, shaping experimental jazz development. According to Bruce, “I didn’t discover him until I was 17 or 18, and it changed my life.” He selected Mingus Ah Um as his go-to pick, adding, “This is self-explanatory.”
Continuing the jazz theme, Bruce noted his love for Dizzy Gillespie and his band, selecting Ray Brown’s bass playing on ‘One Bass Hit’, as found on Showtime At The Spotlite, 52nd Street, New York City, June 1946 as “very influential to me”.
Stating that he played the song for his Murray Campbell Big Band audition, he added: “There’s a very dense Ray Brown solo right at the beginning.” Brown was a well-respected member of the Pittsburgh jazz scene, playing the double bass alongside artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, whom he married, as well as Charlie Parker and Gillespie.
Bruce selected James Jamerson as another favourite bassist, stating that he “did everything, didn’t he?” He appeared on “30 number ones, which is not a bad record,” becoming one of Motown’s most prolific and successful musicians, although he often went without credit. Jamerson appeared on tracks such as ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, Martha and the Vandella’s ‘Dancing in the Street’ and The Temptation’s ‘My Girl’.
Finally, Bruce shared his appreciation for Doug Wimbish from Living Colour, explaining, “He’s just amazing. He sums up all the great things about modern bass playing.” With the band, Wimbish has recorded six albums, although he has also worked as a session musician, appearing on tracks by the likes of Depeche Mode, Mick Jagger, Madonna and Billy Idol. “He’s taken them to a new height, which is great. It’s really hard to think who the greatest players of today are, because there’s quite a few – but he’s a bit underrated,” added Bruce.
Jack Bruce’s biggest musical inspirations:
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Charles Mingus
- Ray Brown
- James Jamerson
- Doug Wimbish
