Jack Bruce, the legendary Cream Bassist and trad band Lau playing Sunshine of your Love

The BBC broadcast a programme last week about Jack Bruce, the internationally renowned bass player and vocalist.  I caught up with it today on the iPlayer.  

Best of Cream was the first album I ever bought.  I still have it.  Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker ware big influences on my life.  Sunshine of your Love is still one of my absolute favourite tracks and so evocative of that time - along with Deep Purple, the Who, Led Zepp, Jefferson Airplane …… 

Must be one of the most recognisable bass riffs ever.

Jack Bruce has had some life.  He has a fearsome reputation as a great player.  He also writes great songs with Pete Brown, lyricist and poet.  He has had his fair share of challenges.  A struggle with hard drugs, the death of a son, the breakup of his first marriage, and liver cancer resulting in a liver transplant.  He came through all of that and has survived.  All the members of Cream have made it through - goodness knows how.  Many people didn't. 

Jack Bruce is Scottish.  He returned to Celtic connections this year and played with Lau - a really talented trad band with Aidan O'Rourke on fiddle (one of my favourite fiddlers), Kris Drever on guitar and backing vocals, Martin Green on accordion and Jim Sutherland on bodhran.  The complete programme is on the iplayer for another few days. 

Watch the clip os Sunshine of Your Love below.  Its completely epic - spans the generations.   Respect to them all.  Trad and Cream - what could be better?