Cream
Live Cream

I'm sure each of us has albums in our hearts, carved deep in our souls. Albums that, even after multiple listens over the years, still give you that thrill, that strong and powerful emotion that makes you feel good. You know the entire work by heart, but when you listen to it for the umpteenth time, it seems time stands still, and it's all like the first time, bringing back memories of distant times, perhaps beautiful, sometimes ugly, who knows... Cream has always been one of my favorite bands; innovative and effective in their studio work, but it's their live dimension that astonishes me every time, attracting me like bees to honey. Powerful, effective, a genuine earthquake, capable of delivering endless emotions.

The same strong emotion was surely felt by those lucky enough to attend their concerts in San Francisco, in the distant March of 1968, perhaps the period of maximum splendor for the English power trio, authors of three legendary albums: "Fresh Cream", "Disraeli Gears", and the remarkable double "Wheels Of Fire", with which they forever revolutionized the world of rock music, defining its limits and influencing generations of musicians, like the "God" Jimi Hendrix, who created his Experience, modeling it after our own. Three distinct and charismatic personalities, excellent musicians who came from very important groups like John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Graham Bond Organisation, Manfred Mann, where they honed their skills and learned the tricks of the trade, refining their technique and their stage ability. "Live Cream" is the sum of all this, the live album that perfectly portrays all the fantasy and expertise of the three young Englishmen, who perhaps here touched their moment of glory for an entire career. Only four tracks, but played as God commands, with all the possible grit and energy.

The opening is entrusted to N.S.U., a historic piece from their debut album, here stretched out indefinitely thanks to the imaginative improvisations of which they were skilled creators. After Clapton's introductory arpeggio and the first verse, the band bursts into a whirlwind of notes, with grit and technical skill, devastating the stage and delighting the audience in the hall. The song serves as a launchpad into the purest musical "chaos"; Ginger Baker pounds like a lion on the skins, creating a perfect sound carpet on which Jack Bruce abuses his bass, here a real solo instrument and not just an accompaniment, while "Slowhand" launches into a furious and devastating solo, the famous seven minutes and fifteen seconds that entered rock history and elevated the young guitarist to "Lord" of the six strings. Following is the sly "Sleepy Time Time", with its slow and bluesy pace, written by Bruce and Godfrey, characterized by a chorus sung by Bruce himself with Clapton's backing, who launches into a delightful and precise blues solo after a few minutes, followed in turn by the bassist who enjoys phrasing with the strings of his Gibson. The gruff Baker, not wanting to be outdone, unleashes himself in the historic "Sweet Wine", beating like a demon on the drums of his poor kit; years of concerts have refined his technique, making him perhaps the best drummer on the scene of those years. Tribal, primitive rhythms, on which his two bandmates go wild beyond measure, stretching the track to infinity. As a tribute to the great Muddy Waters, always a source of praise and inspiration for the three, a splendid version of the classic blues "Rollin' and Tumblin'" is performed, in which Bruce leaves the bass and wonderfully tackles the harmonica, creating with faithful Eric an energetic and decisive harmonica-guitar riff. Here Clapton leaves space for his colleague, creating a powerful guitar rhythm on which Bruce marvelously navigates in a long solo that brings back the true devil's music. Things are working great, and it shows; although the musicians had profoundly different characters in everyday life, causing them frequent and fierce arguments during their short career, when they took the stage they were magnificent. Each tried to get the best out of their instruments, perfectly coordinating with each other and putting their enviable technique at the service of the show.

Strong personalities that allowed them to perform at their best, but also, as perfectly recalled by March Horses in his review of "Wheels Of Fire", led to their breakup shortly thereafter. In fact, after finishing their U.S. tour, from which the songs of this album were recorded, the three separated, tired of too many arguments and the continuous life on the road, which didn't allow them to create new songs for future albums. Nevertheless, there remains this excellent and energetic testimony of what they were capable of on stage, true "rock warriors"; a short career that still elevated them to legend.