Ginger Baker's Air Force is the debut album by Ginger Baker's Air Force, released in 1970. This album is a recording of a sold-out live show at the Royal Albert Hall, on 15 January 1970, with the original 10-piece line up. The gatefold LP cover was designed left-handed, i.e., the front cover artwork was on what traditionally would be considered the back and vice versa.
| Ginger Baker's Air Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 30 March 1970 | |||
| Recorded | 15 January 1970 | |||
| Venue | Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, London | |||
| Genre | Jazz-rock, Afro-fusion, blues rock | |||
| Length | 78:02 | |||
| Label | Polydor (UK & Canada) Atco (US) | |||
| Producer | Ginger Baker & Jimmy Miller | |||
| Ginger Baker's Air Force chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | D+[2] |
Critical reception
editThe album was not well received by critics, including Greil Marcus of Rolling Stone[3] and Village Voice critic Robert Christgau, who found the sound quality "terrible" and complained that "bands led by drummers tend to leave a lot of space for drum solos".[2] By contrast, Bruce Eder from AllMusic later said the album sounded good for a Royal Albert Hall recording and called it "a must-own for jazz-rock, Afro-fusion, blues-rock, or percussion fans".[1]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Da Da Man" | Harold McNair | 7:16 |
| 2. | "Early in the Morning" | Traditional; arranged by Ginger Baker | 11:13 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "Don't Care" | Baker, Steve Winwood | 12:32 |
| 4. | "Toad" | Baker | 12:59 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Aiko Biaye" | Remi Kabaka, Teddy Osei | 13:00 |
| 6. | "Man of Constant Sorrow" | Traditional; arranged by Denny Laine | 3:50 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Do What You Like" | Baker | 11:47 |
| 8. | "Doin' It" | Baker, Ric Grech | 5:26 |
Personnel
editMusicians
edit- Ginger Baker – drums (all tracks), percussion (all tracks), timpani (all tracks), vocals ("Early in the Morning")
- Denny Laine – guitars, vocals ("Early in the Morning", "Man of Constant Sorrow")
- Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin ("Man of Constant Sorrow")
- Steve Winwood – Hammond organ, bass guitar ("Man of Constant Sorrow"), vocals ("Don't Care" and "Do What You Like")
- Chris Wood – tenor saxophone, flute
- Graham Bond – Hammond organ, alto saxophone ("Da Da Man"), vocals ("Aiko Biaye")
- Harold McNair – tenor and alto saxophones, alto flute
- Jeanette Jacobs – vocals ("Da Da Man" and "Don't Care")
- Remi Kabaka – drums, percussion ("Toad")
- Phil Seamen – drums, percussion ("Toad")
Production
edit- Ginger Baker – producer
- Jimmy Miller – producer
- Roy Thomas Baker – engineer
- Andy Johns – engineer
- Nigel Williamson – liner notes
- Russ Landau – reissue coordination
Charts
edit| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[4] | 37 |
| US Billboard 200[5] | 33 |
References
edit- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. Ginger Baker's Air Force at AllMusic
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ Griel, Marcus (28 May 1970). "Live Cream". Rolling Stone. No. 59. New York. p. 46.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "Ginger Baker Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2024.