Ginger Baker's Air Force

Ginger Baker's Air Force

Ginger Baker's Air Force is a British jazz-rock fusion group active between 1969 and 1970. It brings together drummer Ginger Baker with a shifting line-up drawn from rock, jazz and fusion circles, and the group is associated with jazz fusion and jazz rock.

Line-up and sound

The group includes Ginger Baker on drums, Steve Winwood on organ and vocals, Ric Grech on violin and bass, Jeanette Jacobs on vocals, Denny Laine on guitar and vocals, Remi Kabaka on drums, Chris Wood on tenor saxophone and flute, Graham Bond on alto saxophone, Harold McNair on tenor saxophone and flute, and Phil Seamen on percussion. Other members connected with the project include Neemoi Acquaye, Aliki Ashman, Bud Beadle, Ken Craddock, Colin Gibson, Catherine James and Diane Stewart.

The music combines jazz-rock fusion with contributions from players associated with blues rock and progressive rock as well as jazz. The personnel changes across the project, with Ginger Baker and Graham Bond the main constants between recordings.

Performances and recordings

The group gives its first live shows at Birmingham Town Hall in 1969 and at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970. Those early performances also include Jeanette Jacobs and Eleanor Barooshian, both formerly of The Cake.

Ginger Baker's Air Force releases two albums in 1970: Ginger Baker's Air Force and Ginger Baker's Air Force 2. The second album features substantially different personnel from the first.

The group also plays a set at Wembley Stadium on 19 April 1970, during the start of the World Cup Rally from London to Mexico City.