Jack Bruce,"Songs For A Tailor" (Cherry Red / Esoteric)- The late Jack Bruce is probably best remembered these days for the crucial role that he played in the late sixties success of Cream, which found the influential Scottish bass player and vocalist joining forces with Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker to create one of rock’s greatest ever power trios. Personal antagonisms between Bruce and Baker meant that the Cream project was destined to be relatively short lived however, and they finally gave up the ghost in 1968. Jack then went on to pursue a critically acclaimed solo career, collaborating with top notch musicians from a variety of genres to produce fine albums such as “Songs For A Tailor.” This splendid 1969 offering has now been re-issued as a four disc audio-package featuring out-takes, new remixes and Tony Palmer’s 1970 video documentary,”Rope Ladder To The Moon.”

Eric Bell,”Remembering” (Cherry Red / HNE)- Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell is the subject of this interesting new anthology from archive specialists Cherry Red. The 5 CD set chronicles this criminally undervalued character’s musical exploits between 1996 and 2017, drawing on a fine blend of musically accomplished live and studio recordings. The Belfast born musician breathes new life into a couple of old favourites from his short lived stint with Lizzy in the shape of “The Rocker” and “Whiskey in the Jar” alongside fine covers of everything from Albert King’s “Oh,Pretty Woman” to Van Morrison’s “Madame George.” Bell’s eclectic musical influences run the gamut from Chicago bluesmen Hubert Sumlin and Buddy Guy to legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and the latter is the subject of a genuinely heartfelt tribute, “In Memory Of Django,” on Eric’s 2017 album,”Standing At A Bus Stop.”

Steve Knightley, “The Winter Yards” (Elm Farm Music)- Steve Knightley’s creative partnership with multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer in critically acclaimed roots music specialists Show of Hands has been delighting folk audiences for the past three decades or so, but the two men have now taken a break from their activities as a duo for an indefinite period,leaving their commanding songwriter and vocalist free to release his first solo studio album in seventeen years. “The Winter Yards” is the result. and although Beer does make an appearance on a couple of tracks Knightley is still very much the star of the show, railing against social injustice with all his familiar power and passion as he unveils compelling tracks such as “Transactions,” “Exile” and “Requiem” for your listening pleasure, the latter employing the tune of much loved Scottish folk favourite “The Parting Glass” as a vehicle for the haunting vocals of Dartmoor’s Lost Sound Choir.