Music Review: Ginger Baker - 'Why?'

By Wesley Britton, BLOGCRITICS.ORG
Published 10:00 pm, Monday, June 30, 2014

Yes, drummer extraordinaire Ginger Baker became a brand name back in the days of Cream, Blind Faith, and Air Force. However, listening to Why?, Baker's first album in 16 years, you'll forget all that. Instead, you're likely to feel you're traveling to a time before fusion jazz when players and their acoustic instruments banded together in small "combos." Back then, such ensembles showcased the likes of Bird, Dizzy, Monk,Coleman Hawkins, and Lester Young.

In this case, Baker's "Jazz Confusion" features Baker, saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis, bassist Alec Dankworth, and African percussionist Abass Dodoo. Not surprisingly, Ellis, who has worked with everyone from James Brown to Van Morrison to Senegalese singer Cheikh Lô to Malian legend Ali Farka Touré, is responsible for the lion's share of the melody lines. On Why?, Ellis is a restrained front man, being improvisational without breaking into flights of extended experimental fantasy. Think Paul Desmond instead.

British double-bassist Dankworth brings a wealth of experience as well, having worked with the likes of Dave Brubeck, Mose Allison, Clark Terry, Mel Tormé, Anita O'Day, and his own stint with Van Morrison. While Ghanaian percussionist Dodoo is best known for his "One Drum" workshops and playing with the Royal Obonu Drummers, he is perfectly Sympatico with this cast of all-stars, providing the patterns and rhythms that add textures and flow to the eight tracks on Why?

Then, of course, there's the reclusive Mr. Baker himself, clearly the man in the middle, the man around whom all the other musicians add their parts. Due to superlative mixing, all four players can be heard distinctly through all the compositions. All have space to be spotlighted and have their solos, but Baker gets more time at center stage. Happily, you can hear the full range of both percussionists as they are spread around the speakers with all drums and cymbals captured in crystal clear brilliance. Fear not-this is not a demonstration of flamboyant showmanship of stick technique and speed that would mainly interest fellow drummers. Baker isn't playing "Toad" anymore. Rather, his solos are coordinated with what Dankworth and Dodoo are either driving or holding down, proving that carefully tuned drum heads are musical instruments and not just a means for time keepers to provide occasional fills.

read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Ginger-Baker-Why-5594385.php