Record Reviews

GINGER BAKER ~ HORSES AND TREES CELLULOID 6126 (Barcode: 5060767443576) ~ UK ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1985 Released: 2022 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by British Rock / Jazz drummer Ginger BakerFind albums by this artist, recorded by an international team of musician, which included Indian violinist L. ShankarFind albums by this artist, American bassist Bill LaswellFind albums by this artist, who also produced the album, Brazilian percussionist Nana VasconcelosFind albums by this artist, American (of Greek origins) guitarist Nicky SkopelitisFind albums by this artist, Senegalese drummer Aiyb DiengFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents six tracks, composed mostly by Laswell and on some tracks co-composed by Baker and other participating musicians. The music is a unique amalgam of rhythmic motives and World Music melodic influences, with a strong ambient production influences, which was highly experimental at the time of the recording. The trance / hypnotic atmosphere features heavy drum parts by Baker and other percussionists, with ethnic melodic influences and Jazz improvisations on top, definitely a weird mixture, but hardly surprising as Baker proved always that he eschews all forms of conventional approach in music. This album is a singular document of Baker’s 1980s recorded output, which was a transition period between his interest in World Music and his gradual return to Jazz from the 1990s on. Overall, this is a very unique piece of music, which shows Baker as a non-conventional explorer, not afraid of new (at the time) musical approaches and of course as a great drummer, a status which he maintained for his entire lifetime. This album might prove to be revelatory to many young listeners and musicians, who never came across his name.

Updated: 11/06/2023Posted: 11/06/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend