Search - Ginger Baker, Bill Frisell, Charlie Haden :: Going Back Home

Gathering of the Greats

Russell Diederich | Littleton, CO United States | 06/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bring together jazz drummer Ginger Baker, bassist Charlie Haden, and guitarist Bill Frisell you better be prepared for a lot of good music. Don't be scared that this album is all free jazz because Charlie Haden is in the lineup. For the most part the music is understandable and not too difficult to follow. They do cover Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin'" which ventures more into the free jazz venue. Never does it feel like that everyone is playing a different song at the same time. The work by all three artists is outstanding. Frisell really stands out with his simple, yet expression filled playing (for some crazy reason, I think of his guitar sound as Hawaiian). Baker's rhythm is amazing. He's on the local radio station with some frequency, and listening to him talk you would think he'd have trouble finding the door of his home, little alone a rhythm. Haden is nothing less then Haden. This band sounds tight for the ten tracks of the album. Everyone seems to know where the other is going, and they complement each other very well. "East Timor" is probably the hardest hitting song on the album. It starts with Baker ranting about a secret war that occurred on this island, then is followed by some very serious playing (and a different sound from Frisell). Not being a free jazz fan, I have trouble with "Ramblin'" and Haden's "In the Moment". Frisell's two songs "Rambler" and "When We Go" are light and elegant, the latter with the slight twang of country. They do a great cover of Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser". Baker pens three of his own songs here as well. Overall, I feel that this is a pretty good album. These three musicians are great at what they do. If you like jazz, especially with a touch of the free jazz, you'll be impressed with this piece."

Pure Quality--No Drivel

Jeff Findley | Phoenix, AZ | 10/31/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are so few albums that come along whose appeal remains after many listenings. When one comes along that you can still marvel at five years after hearing it for the first time you should be very grateful. This is one of those albums.Jazz music is in a strange place right now. With the ever-declining attention span of the average music listener came the proliferation of elevator jazz. It is important to realize that this is not jazz, since the primary ingredient in the jazz melting pot is a degree of daring improvisation, not some hack churning out trite pop melodies by the hundred on a soprano saxophone. Real jazz is a precious commodity. It is a slice of Americana that should be held sacred. This album comes through in that regard with flying colors. In this review I have opted to stay away from the traditional track-by-track method of reviewing an album, since this album really doesn't come across as a series of songs isolated from another, but like one event. Plus, if I got started on that road I would be here all day. I'll spare you that misery by giving you the low-down on the album as a whole.From top to bottom "Going Back Home" shines in a sea of churning, almost tribal rhythms from Mr. Baker's drums. Instead of coming across as goofy technical stunts, his accents flow as if every stroke were intended to be there by some divine authority. Rather than simply leaving you slack-jawed by his drumming prowess, his fills actually add color and dimension. Sometimes he can make you laugh out loud. In the hands of another drummer his ideas wouldn't fly, but he manages to put the proverbial square peg in a round hole and make it seem that it were meant to go there all along.The legendary Charlie Haden handles the upright bass duties on the album. This nearly deaf man, who is riddled with tinnitus, and arthritic as hell is still quite possibly the most musical bassist on the planet, and manages to appear on a ridiculous number of albums each year. He is a national treasure, and his playing on this album is melodically, rhythmically, and harmonically (read: musically) brilliant. He and Ginger sound like conjoined twins who learned to play in early childhood, sharing a cryptic language unique to them, but breathtaking to us. Enter Bill Frisell. His guitarmanship is like a watercolor painting come to life. Notes swell from his guitar as if they occurred due to some cosmic miracle instead of being picked, bleeding into each other to form textures and soundscapes that you have simply never heard unless you've heard him. He never resorts to playing with speed as an attempt to impress. In fact he seems to be without ego. With playing that is equally childlike and awe-inspiring, this guy is a modern jazz-giant. In summary, this is an album that can only be described with one word, and that word is Music. If you don't like this album there is something wrong with either you or your CD player."

Bill Frisell? Ginger Baker? Charlie Haden? Need I Say More?

J. Rich | 01/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this album many days ago and I can't quit listening to it. I'm a big fan of Bill Frisell, so it's always nice to hear him play. For those of you that don't know who Bill Frisell is....my only question is where have you been for the last 20 years? His atmospheric and textural guitar style has made it's way on many albums from Nora Jones to Marc Johnson to John Zorn. Then there is Ginger Baker who in my opinion is one of the greatest drummers in the world. Yes, he was in Cream and has played on countless other albums. Ginger really showed his range on this album. This album is swingin' with rhythm. Last, but certainly not least, is bass guru Charlie Haden. Charlie has a very melodic style and it shows on this album.



Every song on this album is great. Some song highlights for me are "I Lu Kron," "Ramblin',"Straight, No Chaser," "Ain Temouchant," and "In The Moment." I think if you like jazz and you like these three guys, then you should do yourself a favor and pick up this album."