Beware of Mr. Baker (2012)

NR11/28/2012Documentary, Music1h 40m

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Overview

Ginger Baker is known for playing in Cream and Blind Faith, but the world's greatest drummer didn’t hit his stride until 1972, when he arrived in Nigeria and discovered Fela Kuti's Afrobeat. After leaving Nigeria, Ginger returned to his pattern of drug-induced self-destruction, and countless groundbreaking musical works, eventually settling in South Africa, where the 73-year-old lives with his young bride and 39 polo ponies. This documentary includes interviews with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Carlos Santana and more. Beware of Mr. Baker! With every smash of the drum is a man smashing his way through life.

Top Billed Cast

Ginger Baker
Self
Jay Bulger
Self
Eric Clapton
Self
Jack Bruce
Self
Tony Allen
Self
Bob Adcock
Self
Carmine Appice
Self
Brian Auger
Self
Ginette Baker
Self

A review by CRCulver

7.0

Written by CRCulver on Sep 1, 2018

This is a 2012 documentary of Ginger Baker by Jay Bulger, a journalist who wrote a Rolling Stone article of the legendary English rock drummer and later was able to interview him at length on his South African estate. Centered around Baker's recollections, the documentary proceeds through his life chronologically. We start his discovery of jazz records as a child, his early career as a musician and then the acclaimed groups of the 1960s that cemented his reputation (Cream, Blind Faith and Ginger Baker's Air Force). Much time is spent on his time in Nigeria in the early 1970s, when he played wi...