Jack Bruce was born on May 14, 1943 in Glasgow, Scotland.  As a child, he was heavily influenced by the music of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong.  He briefly attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music on a scholarship for cello and composition but dropped out at age 17 to pursue a career in music.

 

After leaving Scotland, Bruce played double-bass in a number of jazz bands in Italy and England.  In 1962, he joined Alex Korner’s Blues Inc., for whom Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones was the original drummer.

 

The following year, Bruce left the band and formed a new band with himself on bass, Graham Bond on organ, John McLaughlin on guitar and Ginger Baker on drums.  McLaughlin left shortly afterwards, and the group began calling itself the Graham Bond Association after saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith joined.  After three years of playing with the band, Bruce left due to creative differences.

 

After turning down an offer from Marvin Gaye to join his band, Bruce joined John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, a group whose members including Eric Clapton.  After leaving the group and briefly performing with Manfred Mann, Baker asked Bruce to form a trio with him and Clapton in 1966.

 

The group called themselves Cream and although the band was short-lived, they are hailed as one of the most influential rock bands ever.  Bruce was the chief songwriter as well as lead vocalist and penned many of the group’s signature hits, such as “White Room,” “Strange Brew” and “Sunshine of Your Love.”

 

In 1968, Cream broke up and Bruce briefly formed Jack Bruce & Friends with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Larry Coryell on guitar.  Later, Bruce began exploring a more personal musical vision by recording solo albums.  His independent songs are a mixture of jazz, classical, folk and rock.  He is also inspired by world music.

 

In the early 1970s, Bruce performed with Tony Williams’ Lifetime, with John McLaughlin, Larry Young and Williams.  He played with them for two years, before forming the trio West, Bruce and Laing with guitarist Leslie West and drummer Corky Laing.

 

Bruce went on to form a number of different groups, including the Jack Bruce Band and B.L.T.  He has also collaborated and performed with artists such as Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan and Keith Richards.

 

In the 1990s, Bruce toured around Europe with a 13-piece Latin/Jazz/Rock fusion orchestra.  Cream was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.  Later that decade, Bruce toured with Ringo Starr’s All Star Band,

 

Bruce continues to record and perform.  His most recent solo release is 2003’s More Jack Than God.  In May 2005, the original members of Cream will reunite for a series of sold-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London.