R.I.P. Ginger Baker

[Guzzistajohn]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/06/arts/music/ginger-baker-dead.html

[oldbike54]

 Woody's mom is sad .

 Have always wondered if Baker would have become a famous drummer if he had stayed in Jazz , we have Jack Bruce to thank for Baker becoming the drummer for Cream .

                                                                            Giants walked the Earth

 Dusty

[RaceyStoner27]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xRoCsYWM74

[poorBob]

Many adjectives describe Ginger Baker - outspoken, irreverent, extremely talented, rude, funny and generous among them . Not many people are aware that he gave away two fortunes. Similarly, not many people are aware that his life's work went far beyond Cream. He was a game-changing musician who bristled when referred to as a rock drummer. At the end of the Beware of Mr. Baker video, he is asked how he would like to be remembered. He teared up and said "drummer."

I consider myself a HUGE fan of John Henry Bonham and consider him the greatest drummer in rock and roll history.

Ginger Baker is the best effing drummer I ever heard.

RIP Mr. Baker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTuXBoA688Y

[Roebling3]

Sadly, I missed the Ginger Baker era. Had I known he was a jazz drummer first I would have paid attention. Thanx to the OP and is list I've an opportunity to catch up. Dare I ask where to start? D a R.   R3~

[RaceyStoner27]

"Peter E. Baker" redirects here. For the volcanologist, see Peter E. Baker (geologist).
Ginger Baker
Black and white image of Baker playng an elaborate drum kit
Baker with Cream in 1968
Background information
Birth name   Peter Edward Baker
Born   19 August 1939
Lewisham, South London, England
Died   6 October 2019 (aged 80)
Canterbury, Kent, England
Genres   

    Rock blues jazz Afrobeat

Occupation(s)   

    Musician songwriter

Instruments   

    Drums percussion vocals

Years active   1954–2019
Labels   

    Polydor Warner Bros. Island

Associated acts   

    Blues Incorporated the Graham Bond Organisation Cream Ginger Baker's Air Force Blind Faith Ginger Baker and Friends Baker Gurvitz Army Fela Kuti Hawkwind Public Image Ltd. Atomic Rooster Masters of Reality BBM Ginger Baker Trio

Website   gingerbaker.com

Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Cream.[1] His work in the 1960s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", while his individual style melded a jazz background with African rhythms. He is credited as having been a pioneer of drumming in such genres as jazz fusion and world music.[2]

Baker began playing drums at age 15, and later took lessons from English jazz drummer Phil Seamen. In the 1960s he joined Blues Incorporated, where he met bassist Jack Bruce. The two clashed often, but would be rhythm section partners again in the Graham Bond Organisation and Cream, the latter of which Baker co-founded with Eric Clapton in 1966. Cream achieved worldwide success but lasted only until 1968, in part due to Baker's and Bruce's volatile relationship. After briefly working with Clapton in Blind Faith and leading Ginger Baker's Air Force, Baker spent several years in the 1970s living and recording in Africa, often with Fela Kuti, in pursuit of his long-time interest in African music.[3] Among Baker's other collaborations are his work with Gary Moore, Masters of Reality, Public Image Ltd, Hawkwind, Atomic Rooster, Bill Laswell, jazz bassist Charlie Haden, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and Ginger Baker's Energy.

Baker's drumming is regarded for its style, showmanship, and use of two bass drums instead of the conventional one. In his early days, he performed lengthy drum solos, most notably in the Cream song "Toad", one of the earliest recorded examples in rock music. Baker was an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Cream, of the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2008,[4] and of the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2016.[5]

--From Wikipedia

[slowmover]

Pressed Rat and Warthog

[larrys]

Pressed Rat and Warthog have closed down their shop.
They didn't want to, 'twas all they had got.
Selling atonal apples, amplified heat,
And Pressed Rat's collection of dog legs and feet.
Sadly they left, telling no one goodbye.
Pressed Rat wore red jodhpurs, Warthog a striped tie.
Between them they carried a three-legged sack,
Went straight round the corner and never came back.
The bad captain madman had ordered their fate.
He laughed and stomped off with a nautical gate.
The gate turned into a deroga tree,
And his peg-leg got woodworm and broke into three..

'Nother great poem.

He kept his wheels,
and he kept his head,
and he kept his tiger,
black, white, and red.

RIP, Mr. Baker
Larry

[Guzzistajohn]

Sadly, I missed the Ginger Baker era. Had I known he was a jazz drummer first I would have paid attention. Thanx to the OP and is list I've an opportunity to catch up. Dare I ask where to start? D a R.   R3~

  He was before my time too, but I was watching some Cream Youtube vids and found it amazing what a bunch of 20 - something kids were doing compared to some of the crap you see done now.

[pebra]

My only knowledge of him is from the Cream years.
Cream was a marvellous band I thought then, and I still love some of their songs.
RIP Ginger Baker.

[LowRyter]

Cream, first supergroup, Ginger, super drummer. 

They certainly elevated musicianship in the Rock era more akin to jazz but with electric power.  I didn't realize the level feuding between him and Jack considering they played together before Cream.  Did they reconcile during the reunion or ever?

[Rough Edge racing]

 A few friends of mine at the time used go in a trance while listening to Cream back in the day...The article says he quit heroin 29 times..Ya think Keith Richards has done it more times? 

[PhilB]

Ginger played drums in his own jazz group up until quite recently.  I'm not quite old enough to have seem him play in Cream (I was 5 at the time), but I did see/hear him playing his jazz 3 times in the last 10 years.  Still angry and cranky, and still a fantastic drummer.

PhilB

[frans belgium]

Had I known he was a jazz drummer first I would have paid attention.

He wasn't. He played in jazz bands sometimes and he was musically schooled, unlike most rock drummers. 
But as much as Bonham, Moon or Baker (the top 3 of rock drummers ?) would have liked to, they were not in the same league as Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes or alike.
Great drummer though, all credits and rip.

[JJ]

"White Room", live - Royal Albert Hall, 2005 - (Turn up the volume!!) 

He was in his mid-sixties when he played this...R.I.P. Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce....and now....only Eric is left....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCc00pX_pFA

[LowRyter]

He wasn't. He played in jazz bands sometimes and he was musically schooled, unlike most rock drummers. 
But as much as Bonham, Moon or Baker (the top 3 of rock drummers ?) would have like to, they were not in the same league as Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes or alike.
Great drummer though, all credits and rip.

Good point.  But I might add that Ginger's style lead to the fusion of Rock and Jazz, such as crossover drummers like Steve Gadd, Billy Cobham, and Vinnie Colaiuta.   With most music finesse and speed has to be matched with a strong beat and rhythm.  Certainly Tony and Max are in the same category. 

[twinswin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xRoCsYWM74

I watched that movie and came away thinking he was just the biggest a-hole out there. No excuses made for his musical genius and talent as redeeming qualities for his actions.

Just the way he treated his son alone made me sick, let alone his assaults on the videographer, and his taking advantage of a young, third world woman.   

Awesome drummer? No doubt, but one of, just one of, the best drummers from that era. Generous philanthropist? Sure.

But a good man? Nope.

I'll continue to listen to Cream until I die, and admire Mr Baker's drumming, and will remain forever grateful that we never crossed paths.

[Guzzistajohn]

Hey! It took 16 posts for someone to say something negative! The HAS to be a record! (average is three by my count)

[Moto]

I am not sure why every newly-dead rock star gets a thread on this Guzzi board.

But please don't explain it.

Moto

[Guzzistajohn]

I am not sure why every newly-dead rock star gets a thread on this Guzzi board.

But please don't explain it.

Moto

Same here, but I do know I have a little wheel on my mouse that makes things I'm un-interested in scroll on by. <shrug>

[Moto]

Same here, but I do know I have a little wheel on my mouse that makes things I'm un-interested in scroll on by. <shrug>

True enough, but these posts use up space on the first page, which is all anyone looks at. And, besides, you started this thread! How can you agree with my anti-every-newly-dead-rock-star sentiment?

Moto

[oldbike54]

 For many of us certain musicians , bands , comedians , represent a period in our lives . We see references to movies like Blazing Saddles, or the Python stuff as a way to connect to an era , or maybe even a shared set of touchstones . Call it shorthand , an easy way for us to create a narrative .

 Dusty

[Moto]

It's Hedley.

[Rough Edge racing]

For many of us certain musicians , bands , comedians , represent a period in our lives . We see references to movies like Blazing Saddles, or the Python stuff as a way to connect to an era , or maybe even a shared set of touchstones . Call it shorthand , an easy way for us to create a narrative .

 Dusty

 Yes... but I get a bit  sad realizing their time is gone and I'll be next...So I try to always look foward and not back  with music or other thought triggers....

[Park Ridge Phil]

 No doubt one of my all time favorite drummers. He influenced me to take up the drums back then. Still enjoy playing 2-3 days a week at almost 67. Thank you Ginger. And Kofi isn’t that bad a drummer either. 🥁

[LowRyter]

No doubt one of my all time favorite drummers. He influenced me to take up the drums back then. Still enjoy playing 2-3 days a week at almost 67. Thank you Ginger. And Kofi isn’t that bad a drummer either. 🥁

Kofi Burbridge?  Bass player for Allman's, TTB & Dead?  He's a great drummer, especially on those tuned steel drums.  He gets it on with Mickey and Bill upon occasion.

[Park Ridge Phil]

Kofi Baker. His son