Coward of the County

Coward of the County

ASIN: B00000IFW7

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Ginger Baker's taken the long road to a position at the height of the jazz drums family. He spent half a decade playing jazz in England before making it very, very big with Cream. Then he nearly vanished, playing drums all the while but without the fan base Cream afforded him. Then came his two head-turning jazz trio CDs Going Back Home and Falling Off the Roof, both of which featured the bass and guitar of Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell, and which won accolades and more. Following those outings is this collection from Baker's Denver Quintet to Octet (or DJQ2O), which employs a host of the finest jazzers from Colorado's biggest city. Saxophonist Fred Hess and trumpeter Ron Miles are the best known of the bunch, but the entire band plays strong postbop. The group can vamp in a minor key with strong feeling, and it can get ferociously gritty, as on "Daylight," which gets drenched in distorted electric and pedal steel guitars at once. This is a jazz ensemble that should be on the road constantly, playing to ravaged crowds; its members are talented in every way. --Andrew Bartlett

From Jazziz
Despite his mythical standing with the power-rock trio Cream, it would be a mistake to consider ginger baker a rock drummer trying to play jazz. Like his contemporaries Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones) and Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience), Baker began as a jazzer then ended up with blues-based rock bands because in the 1960s, that's where the steady club work was in England. This date finds him with the DJQ2O - the Denver Jazz Quintet-to-Octet - with whom he has been working since 1995, plus guest James Carter. With Ron Miles on trumpet, Fred Hess on tenor sax, Carter on bass clarinet and baritone sax, Eric Gunnison on piano, Artie Moore on bass, and occasional added organ and guitars, the group has a mainstream sound reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers. At times, though, they get a bit out with collective improvisations that recall the Fillmore-era Miles Davis band that shared bills with Cream. Ron Miles wrote six of the tunes, Baker wrote the other two, and the quality of the writing is a major asset.

Whereas some jazz "drummers" could better be defined as "cymbalists," Baker uses the entire drum kit more in the style of his avowed heroes: Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, and Max Roach. He infuses such tunes as the unfortunately titled "Ginger Spice" (which has nothing to do with the Spice Girls) as well as his tribute to British blues legend "Cyril Davies" with thunderous drums. When he chooses to focus on cymbals, Baker does so with care, as expressed in the title track's delicate colors. He also contributes some deft slappin' and slidin' brushwork to a couple of other numbers. Especially noteworthy is Baker's ability to negotiate his way through a jumble of odd time signatures on "Jesus Loves Me," disguising the metric complexity with toe-tapping swing.

Tracks:

Cyril Davies
Ginger Spice
Dangle The Carrot
Megan Showers
Jesus Loves Me
Coward Of The County
Daylight
Jesus, I Just Want To Go To Sleep

Amazon.com

Ginger Baker's taken the long road to a position at the height of the jazz drums family. He spent half a decade playing jazz in England before making it very, very big with Cream. Then he nearly vanished, playing drums all the while but without the fan base Cream afforded him. Then came his two head-turning jazz trio CDs Going Back Home and Falling Off the Roof, both of which featured the bass and guitar of Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell, and which won accolades and more. Following those outings is this collection from Baker's Denver Quintet to Octet (or DJQ2O), which employs a host of the finest jazzers from Colorado's biggest city. Saxophonist Fred Hess and trumpeter Ron Miles are the best known of the bunch, but the entire band plays strong postbop. The group can vamp in a minor key with strong feeling, and it can get ferociously gritty, as on "Daylight," which gets drenched in distorted electric and pedal steel guitars at once. This is a jazz ensemble that should be on the road constantly, playing to ravaged crowds; its members are talented in every way. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

The Cream Always Rises.......2004-03-01

This is probably the best album I've heard in the past 5 years, regardless of genre. Rather than comment on the songs, which everyone else seems to do, I'll just say that there's a spirit present here that isn't normally, whether big-budget or indie. It's the spirit that separates great from lesser, as when Ali - the overwhelming underdog, beat Liston the first time.

Immensely listenable, highly personal, and shot through with a synergistic camraderie seldom seen. It just goes to show: big budgets and crass commercialism pale next to spirited ideas.

A Solid, Mature Effort.......2002-05-02

Admittedly, I'm not much of a jazz enthusiast. Nonetheless, I like this recording. You don't have to be a diehard jazz fan to realize that there's some incredible musicianship on this release. Admittedly, I wasn't sure what to make of some of the tracks at first (jazz is largely foreign territory to me). But as I played this disc again and again, the brilliance of the project began to reveal itself. I immediately fell in love with "Dangle The Carrot", a piece which contains some absolutely mesmerizing drumming. Never mind the few seconds in which Baker finally takes an all-too-brief (and seemingly anticlimactic) solo; it's what he's doing in the background as the other musicians are playing that establishes him as a first-rate drummer. Other songs of note include the excellent "Ginger Spice" and "Jesus Loves Me", a rhythmically complex offering. The title track is quite nice, being a somewhat introspective piece. Baker is a drummer who truly comprehends the fine art of ensemble playing. There's no hot-dogging, no overpowering the other players. The drumming is both supportive and complex, guiding here and holding back there, artfully adding to the strength of the other players rather than diminishing it. Even at moments when the drumming is subdued, it's not weak in any way. When Baker's on, he's ON. He's still vital, still very much the masterful musician. This album may not be a hit with the hardcore jazz-snob crowd, but this somewhat obscure modern-day classic was certainly a hit with me, and I recommend it.

another strong jazz effort for rock's greatest drummer........1999-09-29

Having been a Ginger Baker fan for years, his recent explorations into his jazz roots have been equally inspiring, though at times uneven, excursions. Still, Coward of the County, stands as perhaps his most consistently solid jazz release from top to bottom. The DJQ2O provide him with a wonderful line up of the best jazz musicians Denver has to offer. Toss the great James Carter into the mix and you have a fine recording which swings with heartfelt emotion. Baker adopts the role of complimentary supporter as oppossed to lead man and graciously allows his fellow musicians virtually unlimited space to step to the forefront.This is truly ensemble playing at its best. Most of the tracks are composed by Ron Miles and his trumpet playing is outstanding throughout. Carter's saxophone along with that of Fred Hess also take the music down roads ranging from avant-garde improvisatory fire to sweet melodic ballad interpretations. The title track is a wonderfully atmospheric tune featuring haunting keyboard and lovely cymbalic coloring by Baker. Those who think Ginger is merely a basher will have second thoughts upon listening to this track. Dangle the Carrot, one of two Baker compositions here, explodes from the gate and swings like mad. Baker's brief solo is proof positive that the 60 year old drummer can still burn with the best of them. It is also noteworthy that this represents his only solo on the album. Jesus Loves Me is a jumble of odd time signatures that somehow manages to work. Actually there isn't a weak track on the entire CD. The only complaint is that Baker, as time has gone on,has opted to play music which, with each effort, seems hell-bent on distancing himself farther and farther from the guitar-laced rock for which he built his reputation. This is certainly his perogative but those expecting to hear Baker slam away behind aggresive rock-oriented music, and he's always been the best at it, might find this release a disappointment.Even his work with Bill Frissel and Charlie Haden had enough of that sort of thing to thrill fans longing to hear post-Cream revisted. On this release, there's not a guitar featured spotlight anywhere. Instead the guitar is used for color and texture only. Still, this is splitting hairs. Coward of the County is a fine overall effort from one of this generation's legendary and definitive drummers.

One of the finest recordings heard in a long time........1999-08-22

"Coward of the County" just won't stay off of my cd player! There are parts that remind me of being in a dark smoke filled club, on the title track I can actually see someone running for his life, while having a bittersweet reminiscence of the things left behind, while gasping for breath. There are brilliant atmospheric conditions composed on this offering. This shoud be a welcome addition to anyone's music collection.

Responses are welcome.

fair.......1999-05-27

ginger baker,s new cd coward of the county is ok,but not as hard drivin as middlepassage, wich realy rock,s with havey drum beating,i hardly recormand middlepassage.

Average customer rating:

Goin' Country

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000IJV0RA

Product Description

CD 1 1.on the road again.2.luckenbach texas.3.coward of the county.4.love in the first degree.5.sleeping single in a double bed.6.just good ol'boys.7.rub it in.8.the happiest girl in the whole usa.9.stand by me.10.she's active single 6 MORE TRACK CD 2 1.slow hand.2.coal miner's daughter.3.wasted days and wasted nights.4.mammas don't let you babies up to be cowboys.5.he stopped loving her today.6.a boy named sue.7.what's you mama's name.8.kiss an angel good morning.9.it was almost like a song.10.take this job and shove it 6 MORE TRACKS

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music