Things We Like
Encyclopedia
Things We Like is a jazz
album by bassist
Jack Bruce
.
The album was Bruce's second solo album to reach the marketplace; it was released in the U.K. in late 1970, and in the United States in early 1971. However, it was chronologically his first solo album, as it was recorded in August 1968, while Bruce was still a member of the rock
power trio
Cream
.
Things We Like is noteworthy in that it is Bruce's only all-instrumental album, mostly containing tunes that Bruce claims to have composed in 1955, when he was twelve years of age. The album also prominently features Bruce's technique on the double bass
, an instrument he rarely otherwise recorded with during his career.
Whereas most of Bruce's recorded work prior to this album was in the rock
or blues
music genres, Things We Like is jazz-flavored, in particular drawing from 1950s bebop
and 1960s free jazz
influences. Perhaps not surprisingly given this, the album did not chart upon its release.
Bruce had previously worked with two of his backing musicians on Things We Like – guitarist John McLaughlin
and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith
– during his tenure with the Graham Bond Organisation prior to joining Cream. (An early version of Things We Likes "HCKHH Blues," under its full title "Ho Ho Country Kickin' Blues," was in fact recorded by the Graham Bond Organisation, and appears on their compilation album Solid Bond.) Bond's band was also Bruce's connection to drummer Jon Hiseman
, who joined that band after Bruce's departure. Bruce would subsequently work again with McLaughlin in The Tony Williams Lifetime
, and completed his last tour with Lifetime in the U.K. in late 1970, at about the time Things We Like was released there.
The album's original release included tracks 1-7 listed below; "Aging" was included in Polydor
's 2003 CD reissue of the album as a bonus track.
The original album featured a distinctly jazz stereo mix with the drums in the right hand channel only, similar to Miles Davis
's 1960s Quintet releases. The 1988 U.S. Polydor CD release featured a more rock-oriented mix with the drums centered, and bass and sax in the left and right channels respectively. The 2003 CD re-issue features the original jazz mix. While both mono and stereo versions of Things We Like were issued as promotional albums to U.S. radio stations in 1971, a mono version of the album has not been commercially issued.
, unless otherwise noted.
and produced
by Jack Bruce.
Recorded at I.B.C. Studios, London
, August 1968.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
album by bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
.
The album was Bruce's second solo album to reach the marketplace; it was released in the U.K. in late 1970, and in the United States in early 1971. However, it was chronologically his first solo album, as it was recorded in August 1968, while Bruce was still a member of the rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
.
Things We Like is noteworthy in that it is Bruce's only all-instrumental album, mostly containing tunes that Bruce claims to have composed in 1955, when he was twelve years of age. The album also prominently features Bruce's technique on the double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, an instrument he rarely otherwise recorded with during his career.
Whereas most of Bruce's recorded work prior to this album was in the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
or blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
music genres, Things We Like is jazz-flavored, in particular drawing from 1950s bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
and 1960s free jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
influences. Perhaps not surprisingly given this, the album did not chart upon its release.
Bruce had previously worked with two of his backing musicians on Things We Like – guitarist John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith
Dick Heckstall-Smith
Dick Heckstall-Smith was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most important English blues-rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
– during his tenure with the Graham Bond Organisation prior to joining Cream. (An early version of Things We Likes "HCKHH Blues," under its full title "Ho Ho Country Kickin' Blues," was in fact recorded by the Graham Bond Organisation, and appears on their compilation album Solid Bond.) Bond's band was also Bruce's connection to drummer Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
, who joined that band after Bruce's departure. Bruce would subsequently work again with McLaughlin in The Tony Williams Lifetime
The Tony Williams Lifetime
The Tony Williams Lifetime was a jazz-rock fusion group led by jazz drummer Tony Williams.-Original line-up:The Tony Williams Lifetime was founded in 1969 as a power trio with John McLaughlin on electric guitar, and Larry Young on organ. The band was possibly named for Williams' debut album as a...
, and completed his last tour with Lifetime in the U.K. in late 1970, at about the time Things We Like was released there.
The album's original release included tracks 1-7 listed below; "Aging" was included in Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
's 2003 CD reissue of the album as a bonus track.
The original album featured a distinctly jazz stereo mix with the drums in the right hand channel only, similar to Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
's 1960s Quintet releases. The 1988 U.S. Polydor CD release featured a more rock-oriented mix with the drums centered, and bass and sax in the left and right channels respectively. The 2003 CD re-issue features the original jazz mix. While both mono and stereo versions of Things We Like were issued as promotional albums to U.S. radio stations in 1971, a mono version of the album has not been commercially issued.
Track listing
All compositions by Jack BruceJack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
, unless otherwise noted.
- 1. "Over the Cliff" – 2:56
- 2. "Statues" – 7:35
- 3. "Sam Enchanted Dick" – 7:28
- a. "Sam Sack" (Milt JacksonMilt JacksonMilton "Bags" Jackson was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms...
) - b. "Rill's Thrills" (Dick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-Smith was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most important English blues-rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
)
- a. "Sam Sack" (Milt Jackson
- 4. "Born to be Blue" (Mel TorméMel TorméMelvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, Robert WellsRobert Wells (songwriter)Robert Wells was an American songwriter, composer, script writer and television producer. During his early career, he collaborated with singer and songwriter Mel Tormé, writing several hit songs, most notably "The Christmas Song" in 1945...
) – 4:26 - 5. "HCKHH Blues" – 8:59
- 6. "Ballad for Arthur" – 7:42
- 7. "Things We Like" – 3:38
- 8. "Ageing" – 5:20
Personnel
- Jack BruceJack BruceJohn Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
– double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, session leader - Dick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-SmithDick Heckstall-Smith was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most important English blues-rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
– soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Jon HisemanJon HisemanJon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - John McLaughlinJohn McLaughlin (musician)John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Production
ArrangedArrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Jack Bruce.
Recorded at I.B.C. Studios, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, August 1968.