Ginger
Baker was once considered the musician least likely to survive the ‘60s. And
yet, in 2014, he finds himself on the ascent. The award-winning 2012
documentary Beware of Mr. Baker brought renewed attention to his singular
music, fiery and self-destructive personality, and dramatic life story.
Ironically, his extreme adventurousness and impulsivity—evidenced, for example,
by his leaving England and moving to Nigeria in 1970 to play and record
music—are the same qualities that helped make him such a versatile and
continually evolving musician. Baker has long ranked among the world’s greatest
drummers, and critics have deemed his recent live shows with his quartet, Jazz
Confusion, some of the best work of his career. On June 24, Motéma Music
releases Why?, his first new recording in 16 years, coinciding with a
thirteen-date North American tour with Jazz Confusion June 14-30.
For his
time with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band Cream, Baker is often
credited with revolutionizing rock drumming and influencing countless other
rock drummers. But he has always been, first and foremost, a jazz musician.
What distinguished his playing in Cream, Blind Faith and other bands, aside
from his stunning virtuosity and dramatic flair, was the fact that he was
essentially the first “jazz-rock fusion” drummer. He brought to rock the jazz
technique he learned from his deep study of music by the likes of Baby
Dodds,Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Art Blakey. Baker’s setup (two bass drums
instead of one) and style (improvised drum breaks and solos) made him unique
amongst his peers.
Baker’s
love of jazz also cannot be decoupled from his deep appreciation for African
music, introduced to him in the early ‘60s by his idol and friend Phil Seamen,
which Ginger manifested in own his playing through the heavy use of toms,
introducing an oft-imitated tribal sound to rock. This influence has been an
essential part of Baker’s style throughout his career. It is no surprise then
that African rhythm is a key ingredient on Why?
The
inclusion of Abass Dodoo in Jazz Confusion accentuates the African feel of the
album and hearkens back to Baker’s friendship with another Ghanaian
percussionist, the master drummer Guy Warren. While visiting Warren in 1970,
Baker became fascinated with the music he heard on a Nigerian radio station,
contacted his friend Fela Kuti, went to Lagos, and decided to build a recording
studio, Batakota (ARC). During construction, Baker and Kuti recorded Fela
Ransome-Kuti and Africa 70 with Ginger Baker: Live at Abbey Road and London.
Baker still considers that album one of the high points of his career. (Once
ARC opened, in 1973, Paul McCartney and Wings recorded part of Band on the Run
there.)
Baker
continued to reveal his jazz chops in the Ginger Baker Trio (with Charlie Haden
and Bill Frisell) and DJQ20 (with Ron Miles, Artie Moore and others), with whom
he recorded his last album, Coward of the County in 1998. Why? is the next step
in Baker’s return to his jazz roots, a culmination of his storied career and an
amalgamation of his jazz and African music influences.
Why?
features material Baker has explored while performing live over the last two
years with Jazz Confusion. The music ranges from Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints”
and Sonny Rollins’ “St. Thomas,” to “Aiko,” which adapts a Nigerian folk tune.
The album’s title track echoes Baker’s early music with the Graham Bond Organisation,
and represents Baker reflecting on his life: on the personal loss he’s
experienced, the dreams he’s had fulfilled and destroyed, asking the question
“why?” The tune starts with a prison work song about a man who killed his wife,
and also includes “Wade in the Water” as a remembrance of Graham Bond, who died
tragically in 1974.
Reviewing
Baker and Jazz Confusion at Iridium last fall—Baker’s first New York City club
gig since 1997—Ben Ratliff wrote in The New York Times that the band “comes to
jazz sideways or through very old roots…Mr. Baker’s sound is so imposing and
broad, slow and confident. It’s not loud with ambition, but with spirit and
intent.”
Ginger
Baker’s recognition as a drummer began during his time in the Graham Bond
Organisation, a band that toured with The Who, The Troggs, The Moody Blues and
Chuck Berry in the early 1960s, attracting press interest for their outrageous
behavior and riotous fun. By 1964, Melody Maker journalist Chris Welch had
deemed Baker “one of Britain’s great drummers.”
Baker
met Eric Clapton in 1966. The two were mutually impressed with each other’s
playing after jamming together, leading
to Baker inviting Clapton to join his band. They soon added bass player Jack
Bruce to form Cream. In Baker’s own words, they created “instant magic” and as
a touring act broke box office records previously held by The Beatles.
After
Cream came Blind Faith, in which Steve Winwood and Rick Grech joined Baker and
Clapton. The band made just one album. When Clapton and Winwood left to pursue
their own projects, the remaining members went on to form the jazz-rock fusion
group Ginger Baker’s Airforce, which added sax, flute, organ and extra
percussion.
During a
trip to Africa Baker found himself inspired by Nigerian radio. Although there
was a war going on, he was adamant about visiting Nigeria, and pushed to set up
Batakota Studios in Lagos. Music aside, Africa afforded Baker a wonderful
climate and a healthier lifestyle than that of rock n’ roll and touring. He
discovered his love for polo and rally driving there, too.
Baker’s
work with Airforce and his friendship with Fela Kuti paved the way for Baker’s
next musical project: to work with African musicians. With his friend Fela
Kuti, at Abbey Road, he recorded the landmark Fela Ransome-Kuti and Africa 70
with Ginger Baker.
Baker
then went on to form the British band The Baker Gurvitz Army. Baker provided
“extra sounds” on the debut album, such as wheel spins from his Jensen FF on
the song “Mad Jack.” He also rode a wheeled swivel chair backwards down a
flight of stairs for the LP’s second track.
After
setting up a second recording studio, in North London, Baker formed Energy.
Since then he has performed at various live events, such as Verona’s Percussion
Summit and his own 70th birthday party, with special guest Steve Winwood, at
Camden’s Jazz Café.
Ginger
Baker’s Jazz Confusion made a sold-out four-night debut in 2012 at Ronnie
Scott’s Club in London.
~ Motema
