Album
Jack Bruce
Harmony Row
Cherry Red (label)
27 June 2025 (released)
25 June 2025
There are classic and revered albums that, for one reason or another, slip from regular listening. Jack Bruce’s ‘Harmony Row’ is one of those albums that were massive critical successes on release (1971) but which I have lost track of over time.
So thank you to Cherry Red for remastering this wonderful album, and also for producing a new stereo mix that really works.
After the insanity of Cream, Bruce wanted to make music that was more personally satisfying. He released ‘Songs For A Tailor’ in 1970, and went about as far from heavy Blues as was possible.
‘Harmony Row’ was his follow up album and, once again, contained influences of jazz, folk, baroque and even Eastern (predominantly Indian) structures.
So, at a remove of some 54 years, were the critics right?
Frankly, it is a resounding yes.
The complex arrangements, the cross-patterned rhythms, Bruce’s vocals and bass lines as well as his sterling work on piano, organ and cello, supported by Chris Spedding on guitars and John Marshall on drums, are all exquisite.
Some of the songs and performances are incredibly emotive – take his vocal on ‘Folk Song’, just puts chills down the back, or his wonderful bass on ‘Smiles & Grins’ .
It is adult music and you can hear influences from this and his other solo albums throughout the avant rock and jazz scenes today.
The package is quite excellent as well.
The box set edition features the original 1971 album mix (newly remastered from the original master tapes), along with new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes of the album by Stephen W Tayler (from the original 16-track master tapes) and previously unreleased session out-takes and demos.
The set also includes a superb performance in 1971 by Jack and a band featuring Graham Bond (organ, vocals), Chris Spedding & John Marshall for the Granada TV show ‘Out Front’ and a documentary on Jack made for the German TV series ‘Swing In’, first broadcast in 1972. It also features an illustrated book with a new essay by Sid Smith and is the definitive version of this classic album.
Not for anyone after easy listening, but amazingly rewarding if you take the time.
So thank you to Cherry Red for remastering this wonderful album, and also for producing a new stereo mix that really works.
After the insanity of Cream, Bruce wanted to make music that was more personally satisfying. He released ‘Songs For A Tailor’ in 1970, and went about as far from heavy Blues as was possible.
‘Harmony Row’ was his follow up album and, once again, contained influences of jazz, folk, baroque and even Eastern (predominantly Indian) structures.
So, at a remove of some 54 years, were the critics right?
Frankly, it is a resounding yes.
The complex arrangements, the cross-patterned rhythms, Bruce’s vocals and bass lines as well as his sterling work on piano, organ and cello, supported by Chris Spedding on guitars and John Marshall on drums, are all exquisite.
Some of the songs and performances are incredibly emotive – take his vocal on ‘Folk Song’, just puts chills down the back, or his wonderful bass on ‘Smiles & Grins’ .
It is adult music and you can hear influences from this and his other solo albums throughout the avant rock and jazz scenes today.
The package is quite excellent as well.
The box set edition features the original 1971 album mix (newly remastered from the original master tapes), along with new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes of the album by Stephen W Tayler (from the original 16-track master tapes) and previously unreleased session out-takes and demos.
The set also includes a superb performance in 1971 by Jack and a band featuring Graham Bond (organ, vocals), Chris Spedding & John Marshall for the Granada TV show ‘Out Front’ and a documentary on Jack made for the German TV series ‘Swing In’, first broadcast in 1972. It also features an illustrated book with a new essay by Sid Smith and is the definitive version of this classic album.
Not for anyone after easy listening, but amazingly rewarding if you take the time.