Peter Edward Baker, drummer, was born on 19 August 1939 and died on 6 October 2019. Ginger Baker is a trailblazing drummer who played alongside Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton in 1960s rock supergroup Cream. Before Ginger Baker’s arrival, the drummer was the quiet one at the back of stage, whose job it was to keep the time. Baker, who died at the age of 80, was a pioneer in the portrayal of the rock drummer being a charismatic virtuoso engaging in dynamic interaction with his fellow musicians. Neil Peart, the Canadian drummer for Rush, said that Baker was influenced by Ginger in some way. Cream, a 1960s rock trio featuring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and other musicians, gave Baker a two-year career that inspired countless blues-based rock bands. Cream is considered the “supergroup”, a group of outstanding musicians who each blazed a trail on their respective instruments. Baker’s drumming brought forth a freewheeling energy that was often compared to Jazz drummer Art Blakey. Although Baker was not flashy or fast, he was creative and used twin bass drums. He also displayed a flair to play African-inspired beats. This was thanks to the introduction of Phil Seamen, a British jazz drummer. Baker claimed that he didn’t practice, but was reliant on his spontaneity when playing with other musicians. Cream’s stage shows featured improvisations lasting at least 20 minutes. Their 1968 double album Wheels of Fire also included a 16 minute version of Willie Dixon’s song Spoonful and 16 minutes of Baker’s drumming show Toad. Although the idea of using the drumkit alone was a novel one, it would prove to be a blessing for many years. The band was undoubtedly skilled at creating unique, but highly commercially successful singles. Some of their most memorable songs include I Feel Free (1966), White Room ( 1968), Sunshine of Your Love ( 1968), Tales of Brave Ulysses ( 1967) and Badge (1969). Charlie Watts recommended Baker in 1962 to Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated as a jobbing drummer. This was where he met Bruce. The Graham Bond Organisation was formed by Graham Bond and Dick Heckstall Smith, a jazzy rhythm and blues musician. Baker fired Bruce after they developed hostilities. Baker approached Clapton, the rising star in British blues, to form a new group. Clapton was excited, but insisted that Bruce be brought in on bass. Baker accepted, despite his reservations. Cream’s debut single Wrapping Paper (1966) was not typical light jazzy pop. However, their debut album Fresh Cream, which was released in December 1966, saw the group hitting their stride with powerful tracks like NSU, Spoonful, and I’m so Glad. It reached No. 6 on the UK album charts. Two more albums were released by the band during their lifetime. Disraeli Gears (1967), was a powerful demonstration of their compositional and instrumental skills. Wheels of Fire’s live performance – which reached #1 on the US charts – showed the extent to which they could indulge in concert self-indulgence. Due to the violence between Bruce and Baker, the group broke up in November 1968. A fourth album, Goodbye was released in February 1969. Although it was a small and sparse collection of studio and live tracks, it earned them a UK No 1 and sold 15m copies. After Cream’s demise Baker joined Blind Faith with Clapton, Steve Winwood from Traffic, and Ric Grech (from Family). After a successful US tour, Blind Faith’s 1969 album was a huge success. It topped the US and British charts, and sold half a billion copies in a month. Baker was deeply disappointed to learn that Clapton had left the band (he went to form Derek and the Dominoes), and decided to start his own band. Winwood and Grech were brought in to Ginger Baker’s Air Force, a jazz-rock fusion group. The eleven-piece band featured Remi Kabaka and Seamen as drummers, Bond on Hammond organ, saxophone and Denny Laine as guitarists, and three brass players. The music was a rousing and improvisational mix of blues, Ru0026B and jazz.
