FEBRUARY 24, 2002 THE CUICOLAND EXPRESS CARRIAGE #45
(a newsletter dedicated to the Great JACK BRUCE)

Dear Jackettes, as you can see there are still a few messages many of you
would have already read in Bulletin format. New material coming very soon.
Once again, thanks for your patience.

Thank you to KEN KLEIN, DENNIS LAWRENSON, DAVID SPURLOCK, DAVE OSWALD and
ROGER WROBEL for their contributions.

Thanks again to LORRAINE for all her help.
Regards - Marc.

KEN KLEIN WRITES:
Jack played here this past Monday night and he exceeded all expectations
for a really great show. This marks the eleventh time I've seen him
live, so the bar was set very high for my main man. But WOW he pole
vaulted past it! What a show! And the star was indisputably
THE VOICE! The voice, the voice, the voice! I've never heard it in
better form. The power and the passion and the range was incredible. I thought
Jack was going to blow through the back wall - especially on We're Going
Wrong. Just a killer version of the song and the first time I've seen him
do it in person. I know Vernon Reid is an acquired taste, a guy who never
heard of the maxim - "LESS IS MORE". But I either got acclimated to him or just
tuned him out completely as white noise. I'm still not sure.
Anyway, he was technically pretty amazing but, man, the guy was orbiting
Pluto for most of the night. But there were a few key moments when his
contribution was right on the money. Like Out Into The Fields and Theme.
It seems to me that Jack really favors the flashy guitar stuff. I'm
thinking of Blues Sarenceno, also, who was fast and furious, once upon a
time.
Bernie Worrell was also a wild man behind the B3 with his rollar coaster
riffs. But he was easier to digest. And the 3 percussionists were about
as tight and precise as I've ever seen. And I've seen Santana, The Dead, The
Allman Bros, etc. Those guys could all take a few lessons from Jack's
players. I thought Jack showed great courage and confidence in his new
material by doing nothing but the new album for the first half of the
show.
Then he threw in Sunshine in the middle instead of using it as the usual
encore piece - good move! The crowd had some mixed reactions to this.
First of all, it was a Monday night, - in the USA - that's not only a dead
night for clubbing but in the winter it's Monday Night Football on TV. So
I'm surprised anybody showed up. In reality, the house was about half
filled.
But after 30 minutes or so, some folks, who were obviously looking for
the old Cream cover routine, started to bail. But a funny thing happened.
When Jack started singing, "Milonga", all the rest of us clustered
close to the stage, literally huddling around him at the piano. We were
silent, unmoving, transfixed by his perfromance of that song.
It was, I think, the real turning point of the concert. Who would have
guessed that? Not me. We got the high powered jams, we got the requisite
Cream songs, we got a splendid version of, "Theme" and some chunky monkey
bass playing. But beyond that, I saw a level of focus, a dedication to
one's own unique artistic expression that you'll find nowhere else by no
one else. He really put it out there. And in these cynical, slick times, I
just had to wipe a tear from my eye, having witnessed a true artist at
work.
-Ken Klein.

DENNIS LAWRENSON WRITES:
The following is the latest media release from Bluestorm Music regarding
the John Lee Hooker tribute album. It provides details if th trcks hat Jack is
on and also that Pete Brown is producing the album. It was the week before Christmas At Blue Storm's address And new releases were being planned, For national airplay and press
Why a tribute to John Lee Hooker? Because we care About John Lee, a
bluesman so rare The musicians who've signed on for this project so
far Represent the cream of the crop, players without par From Jack Bruce
and Gary Moore-two tracks oh so good "Serve Me Right To Suffer" and also "In
The Mood" From Jeff Beck, a guitarist of legendary stature Two more tracks of
"music that matters." It's Jeff and a Gospel choir on "Will The Circle Be
Unbroken" And on "Hobo Blues"-well, his solo is smokin'! And Mick Taylor,
the best musician The Stones ever had Has done "This Is Hip," a rendering so grand It's Peter Green doing
"Crawlin' Kingsnake Blues" and LLC "Jesse James" And Gary Brooker with
Andy Fairweather-Low, to mention two more names Together they've done "Little
Wheel" and "Baby Lee" Two songs of which John Lee would surely have been
pleased. But wait-more sessions are coming quite soon Starting with Paul
Rodgers recording "Boom Boom" Jimmy Page, George Thorogood and also Little
Feat Will all be recording-and won't that be neat? In Nashville Leroy
Parnell, Sue Foley and Scott Holt with John Kay Are also scheduled to
record-that will be a day Otis Rush, Eddie Kirkland with Arthur Youngblood
Hart, And Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds will also play a part. Lest
we forget, the dynamic duo of Billy Sheehan and Steve Vai Will be doing their
thing - my oh my oh my! "And still there's more!" says project producer
Pete Brown "Don't forget John Lee's daughter Zakiya will also be coming to
town. She and her band Bluze 4 U Will offer two of her dad's songs in versions
so new." She'll also write the liner notes-what could be more
appropriate- For this tribute to the music John Lee did create.
A project this vast takes many hours and days And so the first volume will
not be released until sometime in May The second will come in late 2002
The year that should be known as "The Year Of The Blues."
Music this special deserves to be played In a live setting, with the
performers on display. Thus it will be that The John Lee Hooker Tribute
Tour will arrive In the U.S. and Canada, starting in July. From London and
Windsor and Montreal up north Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, Seattle and
New York And maybe some other stops along the way As more dates develop, in
touch we will stay.
-Dennis Lawrenson.

DAVE OSWALD WRITES:
Message to all Jack fans and to Jack himself.
Have a great Christmas and an even better New Year.
Love and peace to all.
Dave Oswald
21/12/2001

DAVID SPURLOCK WRITES:

From: "Vanguard Productions" <vanguardpub@att.net
To: Marc Wickert <friendsofjbruce@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Bulletin C
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 09:43:44 -0500

I haven't been able to get the below link to work,
nor can I find Jack in any search of the website, also their contact link
isn't working.
If anyone copied/downloaded the entire article, I'd love to read it.
please e-mail it to me at
vanguardpub@att.net
thanks,
David Spurlock
Smiles & Grins
creativemix.com/jackbruce


DAVE OSWALD WRITES:
You can tell our friends that Songs For A Tailor CD
is going cheap at Amazon.co.uk
-Dave Oswald.

ROGER WROBEL WRITES:
Hey there!
Thanks for the reply, I appreciate that there are
serious music lovers out there and look foward to Marc's response. I must
add that on my way home from the concert it was especially reassuring to
see an artist who keeps pushing his limits creatively well after making the
money and fame so many musicians erroniously seek. What can you say other
than Jack is the real thing! I don't lend myself to worship of people,
but I do believe credit needs to be given when due. My wife was vaguely
familiar with Jack, but during the show she was amazed and insisted we
leave our seats and stand in the front.
Take care and keep in touch...
-Roger Wrobel.