Bootlegs of these two shows have been knocking around for years in both video and audio formats, but fans of the former Cream bassist and instrumental virtuoso, who died last year, will welcome these new packages bringing memorable performances onto a 21st-century format.
The shows, recorded in Germany 22 years ago, begin as something of a showcase of the Birthday Boy’s influences, from playing a classical piece on the cello to jamming free jazz with Ginger Baker and Bruce’s ‘mentor’, Dick Heckstall-Smith. But stick with it, avant-phobes, as the blues is never far away after that, even when backed by the likes of Funkadelic’s Bernie Worrell.
Then the second show really turns up the heat as Gary Moore joins Baker and Bruce for a gritty romp through some Cream classics. Another timely reminder of just what an ambitious and versatile musician Jack Bruce was.
(Available as 2DVD, 2DVD + CD Extended Edition, 3DVD + CD and Special Edition box set.)/o:p
