URBAN ASPIRINES: Baker Gurvitz Army : Elysian Encounter 1975

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Baker Gurvitz Army : Elysian Encounter 1975

Baker Gurvitz Army were an English rock group. Their self-titled debut album featured a blend of hard rock laced with Ginger Baker's jazz- and Afrobeat-influenced drumming. The lengthy "Mad Jack" was that album's outstanding track, and the album hit the US Billboard 200 chart, and peaked at number 22 in the UK Albums Chart.

When Cream split up in 1968, Ginger Baker was invited to join Blind Faith, which formed the following year. This was not such a successful venture and following its demise, Baker put together his own outfit, Ginger Baker's Air Force, in 1970. Things did not go too well for Baker after the demise of that band.

Former The Gun and Three Man Army members, brothers Paul and Adrian Gurvitz were looking for a new way ahead after early successes, so they joined forces with Baker in 1974. In their first year they recorded one live and one studio album, following with two more studio albums, Elysian Encounter and Hearts On Fire. However, the death of their manager led to the band breaking up in 1976. In 2003, a compilation album, Flying In And Out Of Stardom, was released, including four new live songs.

This is the 2nd album by the British supergroup Baker Gurvitz Army, which was created when legendary drummer Ginger Baker joined forces with brothers Adrian Gurvitz (guitar) and Paul Gurvitz (bass), known to British proto-Prog fans as the founders of the legendary band Gun.

The trio was joined by excellent keyboardist Peter Lemer (with extensive Jazz background) and extraordinary vocalist Steve Parsons (ex-Sharks aka Mr. Snips). These five formidable musicians had enough talent between them to blow any band off the stage, which is clearly evident from what's enclosed here. Both Baker's drumming and Adrian's guitar playing is some of the best ever heard on record. This music simply refuses to fade out and remains to be vibrant and exciting.