Made in Germany

Perhaps no other public document is more indicative of the multi-hued force of the late Jack Bruce than the November 1993 concerts at the E-Werk in Cologne, Germany celebrating his 50th birthday. Originally filmed for the influential Deutschland television program Rockpalast, this two-day event is now available as a CD/DVD set showcasing Jack’s mastery of jazz, blues and hard rock with an all-star array of collaborators including Small Faces/Who drummer Simon Phillips, Irish guitar icon Gary Moore, funk keyboard icon Bernie Worrell, longtime Jack Bruce Band guitarist Clem Clempson and Bruce’s partner in rhythm for a solid half-century, one-time Blues Incorporated/Graham Bond Organisation/Cream bandmate Ginger Baker, on drums as well. We have been a world without Jack Bruce for only a short while. But as this near-four-hour event indicates, his absence from this earth will be felt for years to come.