Editing Jack Bruce (section)

==Life and career==
===1943–1962: Early life===
Bruce was born on 14 May 1943 in [[Bishopbriggs]], [[Lanarkshire]], Scotland, to Betty (''née'' Asher) and Charlie Bruce,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/26/jack-bruce |title=Jack Bruce obituary|author=Alan Clayson |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=26 October 2014}}</ref> musical parents who moved frequently, resulting in the young Bruce attending 14 different schools, ending up at [[Bellahouston Academy]]. He began playing [[jazz bass]] in his teens and won a scholarship to study cello and [[musical composition]] at the [[Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama]] while playing in Jim McHarg's Scotsville Jazzband to support himself.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book |first=Martin C. |last=Strong |year=2000 |title=The Great Rock Discography |edition=5th |publisher=Mojo Books |location=Edinburgh |pages=127–128 |isbn=978-1-84195-017-4}}</ref>

===1962–1966: Early career===
Jack's playing in jazz combos was disapproved of by his school and he was forced to leave.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Luhrssen |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=phsIDgAAQBAJ |title=Encyclopedia of Classic Rock |last2=Larson |first2=Michael |date=2017-02-24 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-4408-3514-8 |language=en}}</ref> After leaving school, he toured Italy, playing double bass with the Murray Campbell Big Band.<ref name=Welch>{{cite book |first=Chris |last=Welch |title=Cream: The Legendary Sixties Supergroup |publisher=Backbeat Books |year=2000 |isbn=978-0879306243}}</ref> 

In 1962, Bruce became a member of the London-based band [[Blues Incorporated]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firstfoot.com/good-scottish-pop/jackbruce.htm |title=Good Scottish Pop – Jack Bruce |website=Firstfoot.com |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204062131/http://www.firstfoot.com/good-scottish-pop/jackbruce.htm |archive-date=4 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> led by [[Alexis Korner]], in which he played the [[upright bass]]. The band also included [[Electronic organ|organist]] [[Graham Bond]], saxophonist [[Dick Heckstall-Smith]] and drummer [[Ginger Baker]]. In 1963 the group broke up.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> In March, 1963, Bruce played in the [[Johnny Burch Octet]].<ref>''The Guardian'' – [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/26/jack-bruce Obituary, Jack Bruce Obituary]</ref><ref>Discogs – [https://www.discogs.com/release/13556910-Johnny-Burch-Octet-Jazzbeat- Johnny Burch Octet – Jazzbeat]</ref><ref>''Jazz Journal'' 12 May 2019 – [https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2019/05/12/johnny-burch-octet-jazz-beat/ Audio Reviews, Johnny Burch Octet : Jazz Beat By Matthew Wright]</ref>  Bruce would go on to form the [[Graham Bond Quartet]] with Bond, Baker and guitarist [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> They played an eclectic range of music genres, including [[bebop]], [[blues]] and [[rhythm and blues]]. As a result of [[session musician|session work]], Bruce switched from the upright bass to the electric [[bass guitar]]. The move to electric bass happened as McLaughlin left the band; he was replaced by Heckstall-Smith on saxophone, and the band pursued a more concise [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] sound and changed their name to [[the Graham Bond Organisation]]. The group released two studio albums and several singles but were not commercially successful.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

During the time that Bruce and Baker played with the Graham Bond Organisation, they were known for their hostility towards each other. There were numerous stories of the two sabotaging each other's equipment and fighting on stage. Relations grew so bad between the two that Bruce left the band in August 1965.<ref>{{cite book |first=Harry |last=Shapiro |title=Graham Bond: The Mighty Shadow |pages=85–86 |publisher=Crossroads Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1872747071}}</ref> 

After leaving, Bruce recorded a solo single, "I'm Gettin Tired", for [[Polydor Records]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> He joined [[John Mayall]] and his [[John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers|Bluesbreakers]] band, which featured guitarist [[Eric Clapton]]. Bruce's stay in the band was brief, and he did not contribute to any releases at the time, but recordings featuring him were later released, initially on ''[[Looking Back (John Mayall album)|Looking Back]]'' and ''Primal Solos''.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

After the Bluesbreakers, Bruce had his first commercial success as a member of [[Manfred Mann]] in 1966, including "[[Pretty Flamingo]]", which reached number one in the [[UK singles chart]] (one of two number one records of his career – the other being an uncredited bass part on [[The Scaffold]]'s "[[Lily the Pink (song)|Lily the Pink]]")<ref name="The Great Rock Discography" /> as well as the freewheeling and groundbreaking [[jazz rock]] of ''[[Instrumental Asylum]]''. When interviewed on the edition of the [[VH1]] show ''[[Classic Albums]]'' which featured ''[[Disraeli Gears]]'', Mayall said that Bruce had been lured away by the lucrative commercial success of Manfred Mann, while Mann himself recalled that Bruce played his first gig with the band without any rehearsal, playing the songs straight through without error, commenting that perhaps the [[chord changes]] seemed obvious to Bruce.<ref name="classicalbums">{{Cite episode |title=Cream – Disraeli Gears |series=[[Classic Albums]] |station=[[VH1]]|date=3 November 2006}}</ref>

While with Manfred Mann, Bruce again collaborated with Clapton as a member of [[Eric Clapton's Powerhouse|Powerhouse]], which also featured [[Spencer Davis Group]] members [[Steve Winwood]] credited as "Steve Anglo", on vocals and [[Pete York]] on drums (Apparently, [[Ginger Baker]] was originally to have played the session), [[Ben Palmer]] on piano, and [[Manfred Mann]] vocalist [[Paul Jones (singer)|Paul Jones]] on harmonica. Three tracks were featured on the [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] sampler album ''[[What's Shakin']]''. Two of the songs, "Crossroads" and "Steppin' Out", became staples in the live set of his next band, Cream.

===1966–1968: Cream===
{{main|Cream (band)}}
In July 1966, Bruce, [[Eric Clapton]] and [[Ginger Baker]] founded the [[power trio]] Cream, which gained international recognition playing [[blues-rock]] and [[jazz-rock|jazz-inflected rock]] music. Bruce either penned or co-penned the majority of the band's tunes and sang most of the lead vocals, with Clapton backing him up and eventually assuming some leads himself.<ref name="classicalbums" />

With his [[Gibson EB-3]] or [[Fender VI]] electric basses, Bruce became one of the most famous bassists in rock, winning musicians' polls and influencing the next generation of bassists such as [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], [[James Shaw (musician)|Jim Shaw]], [[Geddy Lee]], [[Geezer Butler]] and [[Jeff Berlin]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?storycode=11837 |title=Cream Rises |first=Chris |last=Jisi |journal=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]] |date=November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321163142/http://www.bassplayer.com/article/cream-rises/Nov-05/15324 |archive-date=21 March 2009}}</ref> Bruce co-wrote most of Cream's single releases with lyricist [[Pete Brown]], including the hits "[[Sunshine of Your Love]]", "[[White Room]]" and "[[I Feel Free]]". Cream broke up in 1968.<ref>{{Pop Chronicles|53}}</ref>

===1970s: Post-Cream===
Collaborative efforts with musicians, in many genres – [[hard rock]], [[jazz]], [[blues]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[jazz fusion|fusion]], [[avant-garde music|avant-garde]], [[world music]], [[third stream|third stream classical]] – continued as a theme of Bruce's career. Alongside these he produced a long line of highly regarded solo albums. In contrast to his collaborative works, the solo albums usually maintain a common theme: melodic songs with a complex musical structure, songs with lyrics frequently penned by Pete Brown and a core band of world-class musicians. This structure was loosened on his live solo albums and DVDs, where extended improvisations similar to those employed by Cream in live performance were sometimes still used.

In August 1968, before Cream officially disbanded, Bruce recorded a semi-acoustic [[free jazz]] album with [[John McLaughlin (musician)|John McLaughlin]], [[Dick Heckstall-Smith]] and [[Jon Hiseman]].<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> This was issued in 1970 as Bruce's second solo album, ''[[Things We Like]]''. The album was a precursor to the [[jazz fusion]] boom in the early 1970s.

Bruce's first solo release, ''[[Songs for a Tailor]]'', was issued in September 1969; it too featured Heckstall-Smith and Hiseman.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> It was a worldwide hit and also showcased Jack's ability as a gifted pianist, but after a brief supporting tour backed by [[Larry Coryell]] and [[Mitch Mitchell]], Bruce joined the [[jazz fusion]] group [[The Tony Williams Lifetime|Lifetime]], with drummer [[Tony Williams (drummer)|Tony Williams]], guitarist McLaughlin, and organist [[Larry Young (musician)|Larry Young]], for its second album, ''[[Turn It Over]]'' (1970). For the group's third album, ''[[Ego (Tony Williams Lifetime album)|Ego]]'' (1971), [[Ron Carter]] replaced Bruce on bass, but Bruce contributed a guest vocal. Bruce then recorded his third solo album ''[[Harmony Row]]'', but this was not as commercially successful as ''Songs for a Tailor''.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The song "The Consul at Sunset" from ''Harmony Row'', which was inspired by the [[Malcolm Lowry]] novel ''[[Under the Volcano]]'', was released as a single in 1971 (Polydor 2058–153, b/w "A Letter of Thanks"), but did not chart.

[[File:Jack Bruce Hamburg 1972.jpg|thumb|left|Bruce performing in Hamburg, January 1972.]]
In 1972 Bruce formed a [[blues rock]] [[power trio]], [[West, Bruce & Laing]]. Besides Bruce, the group included singer/guitarist [[Leslie West]] and drummer [[Corky Laing]], both formerly of the Cream-influenced American band [[Mountain (band)|Mountain]]. West, Bruce & Laing produced two studio albums, ''[[Why Dontcha]]'' and ''[[Whatever Turns You On (album)|Whatever Turns You On]]'', and one live album, ''[[Live 'n' Kickin' (West, Bruce and Laing album)|Live 'n' Kickin']]''.

The band's breakup was announced shortly before ''Live 'n' Kickin''{{'}}s release in early 1974, and Bruce released his fourth solo album ''[[Out of the Storm (Jack Bruce album)|Out of the Storm]]'' later that year. Also in 1974 he featured on the title track of [[Frank Zappa]]'s album ''[[Apostrophe (')]]'', recorded in November 1972. Bruce was credited with bass and co-authorship on the improvised track. When asked about Zappa in a 1992 interview, Bruce tried to change the subject and jokingly insisted that he had played only cello parts. Outtakes from the session were released on the archival release ''The Crux Of The Biscuit'' in 2016. In 1973 Bruce recorded bass guitar for [[Lou Reed]]'s ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]'' album, playing on all but two tracks.

A 1975 tour was lined up to support the ''Out of the Storm'' album with a band featuring former [[Rolling Stones]] guitarist [[Mick Taylor]] and [[jazz]] keyboard player [[Carla Bley]], with whom he had collaborated in 1971 on ''[[Escalator over the Hill]]''. The tour was belatedly documented on ''[[Live at Manchester Free Trade Hall '75]]'' (2003),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cloudsandclocks.net/CD_reviews/bruceband_live75_E.html |title=The Jack Bruce Band: Live '75 – review |website=Cloudsandclocks.net |date=10 June 2003 |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-date=16 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516144420/http://www.cloudsandclocks.net/CD_reviews/bruceband_live75_E.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> but it ended with Taylor's departure, and sessions for a studio album were abandoned. During the next year, Bruce only resurfaced to play on [[Charlie Mariano]]'s ''Helen 12 Trees'' album.

In 1976, Bruce formed a new band (The Jack Bruce Band) with drummer [[Simon Phillips (drummer)|Simon Phillips]] and keyboardist [[Tony Hymas]]. The group recorded an album, called ''[[How's Tricks]]''. A world tour followed, but the album was a commercial failure.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The follow-up album, ''[[Jet Set Jewel]]'', was rejected at the time by Bruce's record label [[RSO Records|RSO]] as not being marketable, and RSO ultimately dropped Bruce from their roster. In 1979 he toured with members from the [[Mahavishnu Orchestra]], reuniting him with John McLaughlin, and introducing him to drummer [[Billy Cobham]]. A 3-CD collection of his 1970s [[BBC]] recordings, entitled ''Spirit'', was released in 2008.

===1980s===
By 1979, Bruce's drug habit had reached such a level that he had lost most of his money. Bruce contributed as a [[session musician]] to recordings by [[Cozy Powell]], [[Gary Moore]] and [[Jon Anderson]] to raise money. By 1980 his career was back on track with his new band, Jack Bruce & Friends, consisting of drummer [[Billy Cobham]], guitarist [[Clem Clempson]] and keyboardist/guitarist [[David Sancious]]. After releasing an album, ''[[I've Always Wanted to Do This]]'', at the end of 1980, they undertook a long tour to support the record, but it was not a commercial success and they disbanded. In the early 1980s, he also joined up to play with friends from his Alexis Korner days in [[Rocket 88 (band)|Rocket 88]], the back-to-the-roots band that [[Ian Stewart (musician)|Ian Stewart]] had arranged, and Bruce appears on the album of the same name, recorded live in Germany in 1980. They also recorded a "live in the studio" album called ''Blues & Boogie Explosion'' for the German [[audiophile]] record label Jeton. That year he also collaborated on the [[Soft Machine]] album ''[[Land of Cockayne (album)|Land of Cockayne]]'' (1981).

In 1981, Bruce collaborated with guitarist [[Robin Trower]] and released two [[power trio]] albums, ''[[B.L.T. (album)|B.L.T.]]'' and ''[[Truce (album)|Truce]]'', the first of which was a minor hit in the US.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> He also played for [[Trevor Rabin]] on the album [[Wolf (Trevor Rabin album)|Wolf]]. By 1983, Bruce was no longer contracted to a major record company and released his next solo album, ''[[Automatic (Jack Bruce album)|Automatic]]'', on a minor German label, Intercord. A European tour followed to promote the album enlisting [[Bruce Gary]] from [[The Knack]] (who had also played in Bruce's 1975 band) on drums and Sancious from his 1980 band (Jack Bruce & Friends) on guitar and keyboards. In 1982, Bruce played with a short-lived ensemble ''A Gathering of Minds'', composed of Billy Cobham, [[Allan Holdsworth]], [[Didier Lockwood]] and David Sancious at [[Montreux Jazz Festival|Montreux]]. In 1983, Bruce sang on tracks 5 and 6 of the Allan Holdsworth album ''[[Road Games (EP)|Road Games]]''.

In 1983, Bruce began working with the [[Latin music (genre)|Latin]]/[[world music]] producer [[Kip Hanrahan]], and released the collaborative albums ''Desire Develops an Edge'', ''Vertical's Currency'', ''A Few Short Notes from the End Run'', ''Exotica'' and ''All Roads Are Made of the Flesh''. They were all critically successful, and in 2001 he went on to form his own band using Hanrahan's famous Cuban [[rhythm section]]. Other than his partnership with [[Lyrics|lyricist]] Pete Brown, Bruce's musical relationship with Hanrahan was the most consistent and long-lasting of his career.

In 1985, he sang lead and played [[blues harp]] on the song "Silver Bullet" with [[Anton Fier]]'s [[Golden Palominos]]. It appears on the album ''[[Visions of Excess]]''. In 1986 he re-recorded the Cream song "I Feel Free" and released it as a single to support an advertising campaign for the [[Renault 21]] motor car.

In 1989, Bruce secured his first major record deal in a decade, with [[Epic Records|Epic]], and recorded ''[[A Question of Time (album)|A Question of Time]]''. This included two tracks with [[Ginger Baker]] on drums, their first collaboration since Cream.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> Baker then joined Bruce's live band and toured the United States at the turn of the decade.

===1990s===
Bruce played at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]] in 1990, and was invited by the Irish [[blues rock]] performer [[Rory Gallagher]] (who had a long-standing relationship with Bruce, having supported Cream's farewell concert in the band [[Taste (Irish band)|Taste]] in 1968) to perform a couple of songs together on stage. In 1991 he was one of the supporting musicians for [[Vivian Stanshall]]'s solo show "Rawlinson Dog-ends", but quit over a lack of adequate rehearsals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vivarchive.org.uk/live.htm |title=Vivian's Live performances |access-date=2015-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808080911/http://www.vivarchive.org.uk/live.htm |archive-date=8 August 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On April 25, 1991, Bruce performed with [[Uli Jon Roth]], [[Simon Phillips (drummer)|Simon Phillips]], [[Randy Hansen]], [[John Wetton]], [[Zeno Roth]], and others at E-Werk in Cologne, Germany.  This performance featured a tribute to [[Jimi Hendrix]], and a concert video of 22 tracks was released on Laserdisc in 1994 as "The Spirit of Jimi Hendrix Live in Concert" in Japan.

In 1993, a solo album, ''[[Somethin Els]]'', reunited him with Eric Clapton and brought belated, but widespread, critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Music/Albums/somethin_els.htm |title=Jack Bruce official website – Somethin Els (1993) |publisher=Jack Bruce Music |access-date=15 February 2012}}</ref>

Later that year, Ginger Baker and a host of former Bruce band colleagues joined him for two special 50th birthdays concerts in Cologne, Germany, hosted by the TV show [[Rockpalast]]. Selections from these were released as the live double CD ''[[Cities of the Heart]]'', and much later as the DVD set ''Rockpalast: The 50th Birthdays Concerts''. One special guest was the Irish blues-rock guitarist [[Gary Moore]], who joined Bruce and Baker for a set of Cream classics. Inspired by this performance, the three formed the power trio [[Bruce-Baker-Moore|BBM]] and their subsequent (and only) album, ''Around the Next Dream'', was a top ten hit in the UK.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> However, the old arguments between Bruce and Baker arose again, and the subsequent tour was cut short and the band broke up. A low-key solo album, ''[[Monkjack]]'', followed in 1995, featuring Bruce on piano and vocals, accompanied only by the Funkadelic [[organ (music)|organist]] [[Bernie Worrell]].

Bruce then began work producing and arranging the soundtrack to the independently produced Scottish film ''[[The Slab Boys]]'', with; [[Lulu (singer)|Lulu]], [[Edwyn Collins]], [[Eddi Reader]] and [[the Proclaimers]]. The soundtrack album appeared in 1997. In 1997 he returned to touring as a member of [[Ringo Starr]]'s [[Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band|All-Starr Band]], which also featured [[Peter Frampton]] on guitar. At the gig in Denver, Colorado, the band was joined onstage by Ginger Baker, and Bruce, Baker and Frampton played a short set of Cream classics. Bruce continued to tour with Starr through 2000.

===2000s===
[[File:JackBruce & fretless bass.jpg|thumb|right|Bruce playing a fretless Warwick Thumb bass guitar at the Jazzfestival in [[Frankfurt]], Germany on 28 October 2006]]
In 2001, Bruce reappeared with a band featuring [[Bernie Worrell]], [[Vernon Reid]] of [[Living Colour]] on guitar and [[Kip Hanrahan]]'s three-piece Latin [[rhythm section]]. Hanrahan also produced the accompanying album ''[[Shadows in the Air]]'', which included a reunion with Eric Clapton on new versions of the Cream classics "[[Sunshine of Your Love]]" and "[[White Room]]". The band released another Hanrahan produced studio album, ''[[More Jack than God]]'', in 2003, and a live DVD, ''Live at the Canterbury Fayre''.

Bruce had suffered a period of declining health, after many years of addictions which he finally beat with clinical treatment, and in 2003 was diagnosed with [[Hepatocellular carcinoma|liver cancer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/25/cream-bassist-jack-bruce-dies|title=Cream bassist, Jack Bruce, dies|work=The Guardian|access-date=25 October 2014|date=25 October 2014}}</ref> In September 2003, he underwent a [[liver transplant]], which was almost fatal, as his body initially rejected the new organ.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Andrew |last=Dansby |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jack-bruce-on-the-mend-20031016 |title=Jack Bruce on the Mend |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=16 October 2003 |access-date=11 December 2012 |archive-date=3 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103193414/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jack-bruce-on-the-mend-20031016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He recovered, and in 2004 re-appeared to perform "Sunshine of Your Love" at a Rock Legends concert in Germany organised by [[Leslie Mandoki]].

In May 2005, he reunited with former Cream bandmates Clapton and Baker for a series of well-received concerts at London's [[Royal Albert Hall]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4506185.stm |work=BBC News |title=Clapton returns for Cream dates |date=3 May 2005}}</ref> released as the album ''[[Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005]]'', and New York's [[Madison Square Garden]].

In between the UK and U.S. Cream dates, he also played live with [[Gary Moore]] and drummer [[Gary Husband]] at the [[Dick Heckstall-Smith]] tribute concert in London.

Subsequent concert appearances by Bruce were sparse because of recovery after the transplant, but in 2006 he returned to the live arena with a show of Cream and solo classics performed with the German HR ([[Hessischer Rundfunk]]) Big Band. This was released on CD in Germany in 2007. In 2007, he made a brief concert appearance, opening a new rehearsal hall named in his honour at the [[Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama]], Glasgow with [[Clem Clempson]], keyboard player [[Ronnie Leahy]] and Husband.

In 2008, Bruce collaborated again with guitarist [[Robin Trower]] on the album ''Seven Moons''. It also featured Husband.

In May 2008, Bruce was 65 years old and to commemorate this milestone two box sets of recordings were released. ''Spirit'' is a three-CD collection of Bruce's BBC recordings from the 1970s. ''Can You Follow?'' is a six-CD retrospective anthology released by the Esoteric label in the UK. This anthology is a wide-ranging collection covering his music from 1963 to 2003 and, aside from his work with Kip Hanrahan, is a comprehensive overview of his career.

Improved health led to Bruce playing a series of live outdoor concerts across the US starting in July 2008 as part of the Hippiefest Tour. He was supported by members of the late [[The Who|Who]] bassist [[John Entwistle]]'s the John Entwistle Band, and headlined at a tribute concert to the bassist.

In November 2008, he recorded a concert in [[Birmingham]], England for Radio Broadcast with the BBC Big Band, where he again played the Big Band arrangements of his classic songs. In December he was reunited with Ginger Baker at the drummer's Lifetime Achievement Award concert in London. They played jazz classics with saxophonist [[Courtney Pine]] and for the first time in 40 years played the Graham Bond–Cream classic "Traintime".

The same month, Bruce, with guitarist [[Vernon Reid]], drummer [[Cindy Blackman]] and organist [[John Medeski]] played a series of [[Blue Note (jazz clubs)|Blue Note Club]] tribute concerts to [[the Tony Williams Lifetime]] in Japan. These shows were broadcast in high definition on television in Japan.

In 2009, Bruce performed in a series of concerts with Trower and Husband in Europe. Proposed dates in the U.S. in April were cancelled because of a further bout of ill health. Bruce recovered and the band played summer concerts in Italy, Norway and the UK during 2009. This promoted the release of the ''Seven Moons'' live CD and DVD, recorded in February during the European leg of the tour in [[Nijmegen]], Netherlands.

During the Scottish dates of the 2009 tour Bruce was presented with an [[Honorary degree|Honorary Doctorate of Letters]] from [[Glasgow Caledonian University]] for services to the culture of [[Glasgow]] and music in general.

In August 2009, the 1983 Bruce solo album ''[[Automatic (Jack Bruce album)|Automatic]]'' was re-released, making his entire solo catalogue available on CD. In addition, all of the discs up to and including ''[[How's Tricks]]'' contain previously unreleased material.

In October 2009, Bruce performed at the 50th anniversary of [[Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club|Ronnie Scott's Club]] with the Ronnie Scott's Blues Band.

===2010s===
''Jack Bruce – Composing Himself: The Authorized Biography'' by [[Harry Shapiro (author)|Harry Shapiro]] was released by Jawbone Press in February 2010. Shapiro had previously written biographies of Bruce collaborators Alexis Korner, Graham Bond and Eric Clapton. The book followed memoirs from his Cream bandmates Clapton (''Clapton'', 2007) and Baker (''Hellraiser'', 2009). His songwriting partner, Pete Brown's, biography ''White Rooms & Imaginary Westerns'' was published in September 2010. They each have differing recollections of forming Cream, playing and writing together.

On 14 January, at the 2011 North American Music Merchants Show, Bruce became only the third recipient of the International Bassist Award, a lifetime achievement award for bassists, after [[Jaco Pastorius]] and [[Nathan Watts]].

His first independent CD release, ''Live at the Milky Way, Amsterdam 2001'', featuring The Cuicoland Express, his [[Latin American music|Latin-based]] band of the time, was issued in October 2010. The double album received an official worldwide release, distributed by EMI in February 2011. To support this release Bruce again played four dates in London at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Ronnie Scott's Blues Experience, followed by a further ten dates across the UK with the band. On 4 June 2011, Bruce played a special concert at the [[Royal Festival Hall]] in London, which was celebrating its 60th anniversary. The evening celebrated the 50th anniversary of the [[British blues|blues in Great Britain]], and Bruce played with his Big Blues Band and special guest [[Joe Bonamassa]].

Bruce started 2012 playing the [[Gerry Rafferty]] tribute concert in Glasgow, followed by a date with the traditional Celtic band [[Lau (band)|Lau]]. [[BBC Scotland]] recorded a one-hour special on Bruce, which also included a performance with Lau. The completed documentary ''Jack Bruce – The Man Behind the Bass'' was transmitted in February 2012 by BBC Scotland. It featured new interviews with Bruce, Clapton, Baker and Brown. It was transmitted again on 9 November 2014 on BBC2 Scotland and on 17 November 2014 on BBC4 in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01c6hw2|title=BBC Two – ArtWorks Scotland, Jack Bruce: The Man Behind the Bass|website=BBC}}</ref>

February 2012 saw Bruce playing in [[Havana]], Cuba, along with guitarist [[Phil Manzanera]], supporting the mambo band of Augusto Enriquez. March saw another residency at Ronnie Scott's in London supported by his Big Blues Band, followed by a UK tour. The concert at the Stables, Milton Keynes on 18 March was due to be recorded as an Instant Live CD release, but technical issues prevented this. The following evenings' performance at the same location was recorded and a 2CD version issued by Instant Live.

''[[Spectrum Road]]'', a collaboration with [[Vernon Reid]], [[Cindy Blackman]] and [[John Medeski]] in tribute to [[The Tony Williams Lifetime]], was released in June 2012 by the US jazz record label [[Palmetto Records]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Jurek |first=Thom |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/spectrum-road-mw0002330321 |title=Spectrum Road – Spectrum Road : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |website=AllMusic |date=4 June 2012 |access-date=11 December 2012}}</ref> and was accompanied by a series of dates at large jazz festivals in North America and Europe throughout June and July.

In March 2014, Bruce released ''[[Silver Rails]]'' on the [[Esoteric Records|Esoteric Antenna]] label, his first solo studio album in over a decade.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://jackbruce.com/2008/NewsArchive/esoteric_release.htm|title=Jack Bruce to Release New Studio Album on Esoteric Antenna|access-date=25 September 2013 |publisher=Esoteric Antenna}}</ref> ''Silver Rails'' was recorded at [[Abbey Road Studios]] in London, produced and mixed by Rob Cass and features contributions from Cream lyricist, [[Pete Brown]], [[Kip Hanrahan]] and wife Margrit Seyffer as well as musicians [[Robin Trower]], [[Cindy Blackman]], [[Phil Manzanera]], [[Uli Jon Roth]], [[John Medeski]] and [[Bernie Marsden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forbassplayersonly.com/feature-jack-bruce-still-going-strong-at-71/|title=Feature-Jack Bruce: Still going strong at 71|work=For Bass Players Only|date=2014-09-10}}</ref> The deluxe version of the album featured a behind the scenes documentary "The Making of Silver Rails" which was filmed on location at the studios and directed by Bruce's daughter Kyla Simone Bruce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://planetmosh.com/jack-bruce-interview-on-you-tube/|title=Jack Bruce interview on You Tube|work=PlanetMosh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019130318/http://planetmosh.com/jack-bruce-interview-on-you-tube/|archive-date=19 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Bruce's son Malcolm Bruce pre-produced the album and played guitar on several tracks, while Bruce's daughter [[Aruba Red]] was featured on "Hidden Cities" singing backing vocals.

===Secondary instruments===
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In addition to his primary instruments, Bruce is known to have played the following instruments during his career: 
* Cello – ''Rope Ladder to the Moon'' (documentary)<ref>{{cite web |title=Jack Bruce – Songs For A Tailor |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/5093751-Jack-Bruce-Songs-For-A-Tailor |website=www.discogs.com |date=1969 |publisher=Discogs |access-date=21 March 2024}}</ref>
* Guitar {{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
* Harmonica – "Traintime"<ref name="ComprehensiveDiscography">{{cite web |title=Jack Bruce: Comprehensive Discography |url=http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Music/complete_discography.htm |website=www.jackbruce.com |publisher=Jack Bruce Music |access-date=21 March 2024 |date=2008}}</ref>
*[[Mellotron]] – "Silver Rails" <ref name="ComprehensiveDiscography" />
* Organ – ''Rope Ladder to the Moon'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Bruce-Rope-Ladder-Moon/dp/B003IMERU6|title=Jack Bruce -Rope Ladder To The Moon [DVD] [1971]|website=Amazon.co.uk|date=2010-08-09}}</ref>
* Piano – "[[Theme for an Imaginary Western]]"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bruce |first1=Jack |title=Jack Bruce -Theme for an imaginary western |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eszCRHkI9zA |website=YouTube |publisher=YouTube.com |access-date=21 March 2024 |language=en |date=June 6, 2008}}</ref>
{{Heading|Style and Influences}}

Bruce's complex, jazz-influenced playing established him as one of the foremost bassists in rock music. During his time with Cream, he developed his signature style and began to make use of [[string bending]] and [[Fuzz bass|bass distortion]] to stand out in the band, becoming prominently associated with the [[Gibson EB-3]] and [[Marshall Amplification|Marshall]] Amplification. Later, he switched to fretless Warwick basses and developed a cleaner sound utilizing Hartke amplifiers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Bruce - Equipment |url=http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Gear/gear.htm |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=www.jackbruce.com}}</ref> 

Chief among his influences, he has named German Baroque composer [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], American upright bass jazz artist [[Charles Mingus]], and Motown's [[James Jamerson]] who primarily played electric bass.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Nick Wells Contributions from Joel McIver |date=2023-11-06 |title="It's hard to think who the greatest bass players are. You could say Flea, but he doesn't need the plug!" Jack Bruce on the bass players that shaped his sound |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/jack-bruce-top-5-basslines |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref>