An album full of Cream covers? That didn’t sound that bright an idea, when I first heard it; picturing far too many beefed-up blues covers with attempts at extraneous soloing that missed the mark. While I’m sure many of us can pull a half-dozen albums from our extensive collections, where bands good and bad have attempted such before, the results sporadically entertaining at best. And yet, this is an acoustic tribute, potentially offering something left-of-field.

A long time coming, Quarto Valley Records’ Mike Carden initially put forward the idea to Cream songwriter Pete Brown, back in 2017. That infers an intent to shine a different perspective on the songs he wrote with Jack Bruce, chiefly those on the studio vinyl sides of the double platinum Wheels Of Fire I’d hoped. However, the second’s live sides with their Marshall-pumped riffing is what the masses call to mind first, and so their inclusion is a pre-requisite for it to sell in today’s market.

Fortunately, for the most part this re-imagining – to put it in the modern vernacular – does work. Brown brought in Ginger Baker whose reputation as the original madman of rock rarely went uncontested but who also reminds us here of his incredible talents on these, his final recordings, and not by his virtuoso bravado but by playing the songs. Eric Clapton declined playing, but contributed to Brown’s own final album. Malcom Bruce, son of the late Jack, did answer the call however, and it’s his involvement that I’d say plays a large role in making this work, though not in ways most casual listeners might surmise – While he plays bass here and there, and takes lead vocals for one track, he’s often to be found at the keyboard and it’s there in the subtle inversions and spacing of chordal tonality that magic’s often felt, one also presumes his involvement in many exquisite arrangements.

Across 15 tracks an assortment of musicians, named players and seasoned session musicians sit in, often subverting songs that were recorded in the blink of an eye half a century ago with a sophistication more appropriate to a minor Bacharach or Riddle arrangement. That most will generally have their initial attention focussed on the singers involved is understandable.

The heavy-hitters live back in the day being those blues covers, let’s look at those as a batch here.

Taking the Robert Johnson number ‘Crossroads’ back to its acoustic origins, Bernie Marsden’s lead vocals are deeper-voiced than usual and yet he’s able to give it an edge where he sounds like he’s appropriately straining with emotion in places. The version of Skip Willams ‘Spoonful’ is performed closer to the Howlin’ Wolf version of the earlier sixties, but with the gentler, creamy vocals of Bobby Rush, while ‘Sitting On Top Of The World’ has the added attraction of Maggie Bell singing back in retort to his initial deliveries, offering a different spin on the lyrics espoused – As timely festive comparison, imagine this one as the honeymoon period between the couple in The Pogues’ ‘Fairy Tale of New York’ featuring Kirsty MacCooll. ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ has Paul Rogers taking lead vocals, and he previously covered this on 1993’s Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters, in the heavy blues rock manner. Here it’s more akin to his 2014 The Soul Sessions album, he may even be a little out of his comfort zone, meaning he really pays attention and sings the song rather than over it, the guitars slinky, shifting in dance, as he proves he’s still the voice.

Bernie Marsdon plays guitar on these, with Bruce generally on bass, and they’re also pulling time on ‘Politician’ wherein Pete Brown takes lead vocals – I’ve not heard much of the man’s own solo recordings, but his voice is interesting on this album; he’s got that nasally highish rasp Clapton does, but is also able to roar soulfully ala Bruce, albeit not as distinctive as either. As writer of this big-balled blues number’s lyrics, Brown is able to interject a rightful differing personality. The cigar chomping impression of some US senator we always had quite amusing since Brown probably hadn’t been stateside himself back at the time of penning it. Here the overall song is updated with a certain Blaxploitation 70s approach and a kind fatback lazy funk wherein you can feel its spiritual forerunner musically might’ve been ‘Killing Floor’ (aka ‘The Lemon Song’) and that would be given a new spin with broad shoulder-pads by Peter Gabriel on ‘Big Time’. Brown also adds manic Monty Python goes rap bits, and may have tweaked some of the lyrics.

Joe Bonamassa in the main, along with Marsden, deliver an honourably earnest rendition of ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ that’s solid but doesn’t send any shivers down the spine. Baker is on drums and he’s loud in the mix, a good thing because there are certain songs which we all think we know off by heart but as soon as someone does a cover you just know something’s missing, here Baker proves he was still intuitively the man, by whom all others dock their cap. Bruce plays piano here, applying gentle melodies that take us beyond the ubiquitous riff statement, and when the acoustics play in solo there’s a livelier impressive dance by the guitarists.

‘Deserted Cities Of The Heart’ is similarly earnest again, Bonamassa taking lead vocals, he and Marsden again more interesting on the acoustic guitar instrumental sections, but it’s Bruce who shines taking the bass on a melodic trip, if not solo, through the song – Having seen him live he’s a different player to his father, obviously schooled by him but having younger influences, funk among them, and while that’s not in evidence here it’s in his sense of how to make the spaces between the notes count too.

‘I Feel Free’ is one of my favourite Cream songs, the original a unique slice of pop, and one ponders why manager Robert Stigwood didn’t get them to continue in this vein to fill the coffers, unless Stateside live performances exceeded all other revenue incomes. This version takes an almost Dave Brubeck meets heavy duty Mama & Papas folk vibe, the infectious harmony intro taken by presumably Marsden and possibly Bruce. slower paced, Bruce’s dreamy note-lingering piano offering a dream like state wherever Deborah Bonham’s lead vocals takes an indie-psychedelic route on the verses, and more impatient blues-felt ones in the brief chorus breaks. As far as I can recall, it wasn’t until decades later, when some car TV advert used the number that it became a more popular number overall, and I could be wrong but it might feature Clem Clempson on that version. My personal favourite choice of six string accompanists to the late Jack Bruce, here the former Humble Pie and Colosseum guitarist performs subtly across the acoustic version ‘White Room’ though what’s most affecting is the string section, arranged John Donaldson, none more so than when Clapton’s famous wah-wah guitar solo is replaced by a gypsy violin. Again, Brown afford the lyrics a notable approach, as poet enunciating words, also part narrating and giving it something of a more serious intent. On the much covered ‘Theme For An Imaginary Western’ with a similar line-up, Brown’s vocals are suitably weary and the music more like something that might be arranged for a northern brass band albeit there are none in evidence.

‘We’re Going Wrong’ is one of two outstanding numbers. Cheryl Alleyne applies orchestrated drums as Clempson moves the song through its movements with care on acoustic, with haunting strings arranged by Bruce who also takes the vocals – While there’s a familial similarity his pitch is different, higher, more whispery, and yes less powerful but it suits this number perfectly. Personally, I first come across this number long after the sixties had passed and considered it earnest and if not dreary certainly limited by the technology and orchestrated buy-in power available to Bruce Senior when recording it. Here it’s timeless, and fragile in its beauty.

‘Sweet Wine’ was a Baker/Janet Godfrey from Cream’s debut that’s also given a better hearing here. It breathes, Baker’s drums, in particular his cymbals with a live feel, lift the number, Marsden and Mo Nazam start chiming on acoustics leading the way for Pee Wee Ellis’s tenor saxophone and Henry Lowther’s trumpet to lead into an instrumental section worthy of some classic 70s crime thriller movie, not that they’re what the lazy loving Sunday song is about, and it’s interesting to hear Nathan James apply a deeper, less theatrical approach to his vocals. A similar line-up returns for ‘Tales Of Brave Ulysses’ with the horns leading the way moodily for the most part but with sexy little dancing bits in there too, James’ added vocal emphasis here adds more of a rock edge, again that new wah-wah pedal Clapton was putting his foot down on for much of Disraeli Gears for is here replaced by horns. Evocative but perhaps a little too po-faced as time moved on since the original version, here it lifts and you feel warm winds coming in from the Aegean sea.

With Bernie Marsden, Tony Remy, Peter Bullick all on guitars there’s a surprising lightness of touch to ‘Badge’. A generally faithful rendition with Bruce’s piano adding extra melody, Deborah Bonham offering a lovely delivery that’s sweet but raw. This is the extended version of the song where it goes “Where is my badge?” at the end (or is just my version of the Goodbye album that was cut short?), wherein the lady screams out deliciously. ‘Take It Back’ is another of the album’s delights for me. A good time blues rocker, here they add swing and barroom cruise. Jaunty piano is cut in by Frank Tontoh’s snappy drum time keeping, and Maggie Bell’s female take on the lyrics gives it the zest and swagger of someone who’s lived life to the full with few regrets.

There’s familiarity for those who need it but also as many pleasant surprises felt across this album. For me, the spotlight shines firmly down on Malcolm Bruce’s various and always sensitively subtle performances. That we’ve lost the likes of Pete Brown, Bernie Marsden, and Mo Foster before this album was released it’s only real downside.

• Reviewed by Paul H Birch.

• Heavenly Cream: An Acoustic Tribute To Cream is released via Quatro Valley Records and is available now (from here).

Track List:

1. I Feel Free (Ft: Deborah Bonham, Bernie Marsden and Malcolm Bruce)
2. White Room (Ft: Pete Brown, Malcolm Bruce and Clem Clempson)
3. Theme For An Imaginary Western (Ft: Pete Brown, Malcolm Bruce, Clem Clempson)
4. We’re Going Wrong (Ft: Malcolm Bruce and Clem Clempson) (3:32)
5. Sunshine Of Your Love (Ft: Ginger Baker, Joe Bonamassa, Malcolm Bruce, Bernie Marsden)
6. Deserted Cities Of The Heart (Ft: Joe Bonamassa, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
7. Sweet Wine (Ft: Ginger Baker, Nathan James, Pee Wee Ellis, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
8. Tales Of Brave Ulysses (Ft: Ginger Baker, Nathan James, Pee Wee Ellis Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
9. Crossroads (Ft: Ginger Baker, Bernie Marsden, Joe Bonamassa, Malcolm Bruce)
10. Take It Back (Ft: Maggie Bell, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
11. Spoonful (Ft: Bobby Rush, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
12. Sitting On Top Of The World (Feat: Bobby Rush, Maggie Bell, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
13. Badge (Ft: Deborah Bonham, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
14. Politician (Ft: Pete Brown, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)
15. Born Under A Bad Sign (Ft: Paul Rodgers, Bernie Marsden, Malcolm Bruce)