Live in Milan Italy 1980

 Ginger Baker is probably best known as the drummer with British rock band Cream and also Blind Faith. Despite being hailed as The Greatest Rock Drummer he actually dislikes the title preferring the title "jazz drummer".

Following his tenure with a number of jazz bands in the late fifties and early sixties his career really took off commercially when he joined the Graham Bond Organisation. From here he formed Cream along with fellow Bond Organisation bassist Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton guitarist with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Cream were an instant hit particularly in America were they sealed their reputation with extensive touring and the release of the albums Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire. Following the split with Cream Ginger formed Blind Faith along with Eric Clapton Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. Once again the band enjoyed huge commercial success and played one massively attended open air gig in London's Hyde Park in June 1969. Following this gig the band released their only studio album the self titled Blind Faith before embarking on a successful American tour.

Ginger's next musical stop was his own band Ginger Baker's Airforce who released two albums of part studio part live recordings.

Throughout the seventies and beyond Ginger Baker has released many albums not limited himself to just rock music. Ginger has released albums in the rock, jazz and world music genres and of course also managed to work with jack Bruce and Eric

Clapton in a cream Reunion in the mid nineties.

The Official Ginger Baker Bootleg Series will release hard

to find collectible performances from Ginger's musical past.

This recording is sourced from a performance from Ginger

Baker and Energy which took place in Milan Italy recorded

on March 28^th1980. The band had a more blues based rock

sound than Ginger's more recent eclectic mix of world music

and jazz. The style of the band however was very mu8ch

appreciated in Europe with fans very receptive to the virtuoso

playing of guitarist John Mizaroli. This double album captures

the complete concert with highlights being the Pops Staples

song Lost Your Love My Love. Another highlight is Ginger

Baker's drum solo which closes disc one of this set proving

that in the right hands drum solos are anything but boring.

The second disc of this set includes just two tracks No Magic

law and an extended workout based around the Elvis Presley

hit That's Alright Mama.

The recordings featured in the Official Ginger Baker Bootleg

Series are sure to become collector's items and are all

sanctioned by Ginger Baker.

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