Ginger Baker, R.I.P.

Drummer Peter Edward Baker, better known to the world as Ginger Baker, passed away following a lengthy illness. He was 80.

Baker took up the drums as a teenager under the tutelage of big band jazz drummer Phil Seaman. Although Baker preferred jazz, he joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated replacing Charlie Watts who had joined The Rolling Stones. It was while with Blues Incorporated he met Jack Bruce and took an instant dislike to him and the feeling was mutual. Despite this disdain, Baker and Bruce's collaboration would continue into the Graham Bond Organisation and eventually with Eric Clapton in Cream.

After Cream's dissolution in 1968, Baker became part of Clapton and Steve Winwood's short lived Blind Faith. Baker then briefly led his own band Ginger Baker's Air Force. Despite his enormous talent, a nasty heroin habit and an even nastier personality.

Since the early 1970's, Baker has devoted most of his musical energies into traditional African drumming living for extended periods in Nigeria and in South Africa. From time to time, Baker would drum for bands like Hawkwind, Atomic Rooster and Masters of Reality. In late 2005 and early 2006, Baker reunited with Bruce and Clapton for a series of concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall and NYC's Madison Square Garden.

In the final decade of his life, Baker was the subject of the 2012 documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker" and would tour North America with Ginger Baker's Jazz Confusion in 2013 which released the album "Why?" in 2014. Heart disease would force him off the road for good in 2016.

Though Baker thought little of rock 'n roll he will be forever remembered as the man who invented the drum solo with the instrumental "Toad". R.I.P.