Since Beginning – The Albums 1974 to 1976 (Baker Gurvitz Army/Elysian Encounter/Hearts On Fire/bonus tracks) (3CD set)

Add to
Watch List

If this is the army, sign us up – because these guys make the Kiss Army look like a bunch of wussies! Ginger Baker's at it again in post-Cream years – rocking harder than on some of his own funky albums, but also keeping a jazzy edge that makes for some pretty nice tracks on the self-titled Baker Gurvitz Army album – which has Ginger joining up with Adrian Gurvitz on guitar and vocals, and Paul Gurvitz on bass and more vocals too. The album's got a strong power trio vibe – augmented by some nice keyboard touches around the edges – really making things sparkle nicely on most tracks. One of the best of these is the moodily grooving "Inside Of Me", which steps along with a slinky style that we really dig. Other tracks have a more full on feel, and vocals, of course, but there's still some nice mellow moments in the set – and titles include "Mad Jack", "4 Phil", "Since Beginning", and "Memory Lane". On Elysian Encounter, The Baker Gurvitz Army maybe sounds better than on their debut – partly because Ginger Baker and the Gurvitz brothers have really found their groove – but also because there's some great keyboard work on the set from Peter Lemer, who you might know from earlier jazz work too! Ginger's really wailing on drums and percussion – in a way that's somewhat different than both Cream, and his own records too – and those searing guitar lines from Adrian Gurvitz really help give the whole album a great sense of focus and power! Titles include "People", "The Key", "The Gambler", "The Dreamer", "The Hustler", and "The Artist". Hearts On Fire is the last album in the legendary run of records from Ginger Baker and the brothers Adrian and Paul Gurvitz – a heck of a power trio, but one that comes across in a very different way than Baker's famous work in Cream! If anything, Ginger's drums have more of a funk current than before – a really powerful driving force at the bottom, while Adrian riffs around all over the top and edges of the tunes with these well-crafted guitar lines that don't even need a solo to find their voice – wickedly emphasizing the vocals on tunes that include "Flying In & Out Of Stardom", "Neon Lights", "Mystery", "Thirsty For The Blues", "My Mind Is Healing", and "Smiling". CD features all albums in their original artwork, a small fold-out poster, and bonus tracks that include "Memory Lane (live)", "People (live)", "Freedom (live)", and "Wotever It Is (live)".  © 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc.