Baker Gurvitz Army Elysian Encounter (Vinyl, Mountain Records, 1975) ***
Genre: Progressive rock
Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records (Caterham on the hill)
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: 4 Phil
Gear costume: Mad Jack; People (EE)
Gear costume: Mad Jack; People (EE)
Active compensatory factors: After Cream, Blind Faith, and Ginger Baker's Airforce (great first album, forgettable second), Ginger Baker hung out with the Gurvitz brothers for a few years in the mid seventies.
Part rock and part prog, the brothers could play but they weren't Jack Bruce or Eric Clapton. Well, nobody is, but you know what I mean.
The main issue with the first album (I don't have their third and final studio album) is the vocals. Ginger chimes in raspily from time to time (Mad Jack is his best vocal effort ever, by far), but the brothers are the main vocalists on the debut and they are just not distinctive enough for my money.
Stephen Parsons (a.k.a. Mr Snips) takes over lead vocals on Elysian Encounter and he's much better - with a more bluesy delivery. At times he sounds a little like Steve Winwood (especially on Time).
So, if you like seventies prog rock with the accent on rock, then these albums are a rewarding listen - especially the second one.
Where do they all belong? That's it for Ginger in my collection. R.I.P. Peter 'Ginger' Baker - quite a character.
Where do they all belong? That's it for Ginger in my collection. R.I.P. Peter 'Ginger' Baker - quite a character.
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