Sons of Cream get ready to rock in Bay Shore

On June 14, 1968, rock supergroup Cream played its only gig on Long Island at the Island Garden in West Hempstead. The power trio, consisting of guitarist-vocalist Eric Clapton, the late bassist-vocalist Jack Bruce and late drummer Ginger Baker, experienced some technical difficulties only playing three songs.

"The band started very late. When they did play, the vocals were going in and out on the first song. It seems the PA system went down so the band simply jammed," concert attendee Don Celenza of West Hempstead told Newsday in 2023. "Regardless of the lack of vocals, I thought it was great because the night became focused on Clapton’s guitar playing."

Fast forward 58 years, Sons of Cream — comprised of drummer Kofi Baker (son of Ginger), bassist-vocalist Malcolm Bruce (son of Jack) and guitarist Rob Johnson (Ginger’s grandnephew) — is coming to the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore on Sunday to take care of some unfinished business.

"We are not a tribute band, we’re a legacy band," says Baker. "We play Cream songs our own way, but we keep the original arrangements as they are. Often, we go in our own direction during the improvisational parts as each one is like 10 minutes long. It’s very similar to early Cream."

Baker claims the internal structure of the band evokes Cream because he and Bruce, much like their dads, are jazz players, whereas Johnson plays more laid-back blues. Surprisingly, Baker is not intimidated by taking on Cream’s legendary repertoire.

"I’ve been playing drums since I was three and performing with my dad all my life," Baker, 57, says. "When I first played the Cream songs, it felt like I have been playing them my whole life. It’s very natural for me. I’m a different drummer than my dad, but we look at music the same way because he’s the one who taught me."

When asked what the biggest lesson he learned from his father was, Baker says, "My dad taught me to use my left foot to be poly-rhythmical. You need to be able to lead with your left foot. It allows you to play the hi-hat cymbal and the bass drum pedal together, which helped me learn to play any style of music."

In concert, Sons of Cream perform Cream classics like "Crossroads," "Sunshine of Your Love," "White Room," "I Feel Free" and "Tales of Great Ulysses" along with a few tunes from Clapton and senior Baker’s other collaboration, Blind Faith, such as "Can’t Find My Way Home" and "Had to Cry Today."

"You don’t need visual stimulation with our music, it’s all about the sound," Baker says. "We don’t dress up in period clothes dancing all over the stage putting on a show. You can just close your eyes and really get into it."

In January, the band is set to release its debut album, "Half & Half," featuring remakes of six Cream tunes plus six originals. Much like in Cream, Baker and Bruce clash the way their dads did.

"My dad and Malcolm’s dad didn’t get along that well. Malcolm and I are exactly the same way," Baker admits. "If I see something as white, Malcolm will see it as black. I’m a pothead and he’s a transcendental meditation kind of guy. We have very different personalities. But it works."

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.