Ginger Baker Trio
Going Back Home
The Soundwaves Vinyl Of The Week is Going Back Home by the Ginger Baker Trio.
Originally released in 1994, this re-issue is pressed on dreamsicle orange vinyl and limited to 750 copies. It’s a must have for any jazz enthusiast. I had not heard this album before it’s 2025 release and it was a surprise right out the gate.
The legendary Cream drummer is flacked by Charlie Haden on bass and the improvisational master Bill Frisell on guitar. The insert accompanying the LP begins:
“Rarely do improvising musicians of this stature get the opportunity to share a real musical adventure together. In this case, as a trinity, one of nature's most perfect forms, musical, or otherwise.”
The track “Rambler" starts off the album with Frisell's twangy lines dancing over Baker's loose-limbed grooves. Their interpretation of Thelonious Monk’s “Straight, No Chaser” is a fresh trio-fied twist to the original standard with Haden’s bass strutting boldly through the track. On "Ginger Blues”, Haden steps forward with a soulful composition that helps to highlight Baker's brushes as they float across his kit.
The track “Ain Temouchant” highlights and brings out the African rhythms that Baker was so widely known for. “In The Moment” is a crazy improvisational piece led by Bill Frisell’s spontaneous and exploratory guitar feels—think of it as a musical psychedelic trip. The closer, "East Timor" is a dark, emotional track that unleashes Baker's global fire and also hears him tell a story of the pain and destruction of the East Timor people due to the Indonesian invasion of this tiny island over their oil and natural gas. He sounds pissed!
Overall, the album’s 10 tracks range from introspective ballads to rhythmic explorations. It’s what makes jazz alive—the connection between the band, improvisation techniques, and a little bit of soul. The trio played so well together that I wish they had made more music. This might be one of my favorite jazz recordings that I’ve picked up this year. Highly recommended.