| 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 | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | D+[2] |
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.
Critical reception
The 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
| 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
Musicians
- 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
- Ginger Baker – producer
- Jimmy Miller – producer
- Roy Thomas Baker – engineer
- Andy Johns – engineer
- Nigel Williamson – liner notes
- Russ Landau – reissue coordination
Charts
Album – Billboard
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Pop Albums (US) | 33 |
| Pop Albums (UK) | 37 |
Single – Billboard (UK)
| Single | Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Man of Constant Sorrow" (studio version) | 1970[4] | Pop singles | 86 |
References
- 1 2 Eder, Bruce. Ginger Baker's Air Force at AllMusic
- 1 2 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. New York (59): 46.
- ↑ liner notes Ginger Baker Do What You Like Compilation album Polydor Chronicles P2-58542