Ginger Baker - African Force (2001)

1.Brain Damage
2.Sokoto
3.Ansoumania
4.Adoa
5.African Force.

Ampofo Acquah - Percussion
Ginger Baker - Drums, Performer
Ansoumana Bangoura - Percussion, Vocals
J.C. Commodore - Percussion, Vocals
Ludwig Gotz - Trombone, Das Pferd
Jan Kazda - Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer
Francis Mensah - Percussion
Wolfgang Schmidtke - Sax (Baritone, Soprano and Tenor).

by Greg Prato

Ginger Baker will forever be best known for his influential drum work as part of British blues-rockers Cream. But as most serious admirers of the drummer know, Baker subsequently tackled countless other styles. Case in point, African Force. Joining Baker is a supporting cast of percussionists with a tribal drumming background, and expectedly, this style is reflected throughout the album. In fact, it sounds very comparable to David Byrne's solo albums and also Paul Simon circa his Graceland period, especially on such tracks as "Brain Damage" and "Sokoto," while the over-epic twelve-minute album-closing title track adds some funk bass to the mix. For those who think that all of Baker's work sounds like Disraeli Gears, you're in for quite a surprise with African Force.