Ginger Baker To Be Honoured At The Zildjian Drummers Achievement Awards In London

To celebrate its 385th anniversary, Zildjian announced details of the Zildjian Drummers Achievement Awards which will take place for the first time in the UK at London's Shepherds Bush Empire on Sunday 7 December 2008. Honoured at the awards ceremony will be drumming legend Ginger Baker. The event will be very much a performance led night with Ginger Baker joined onstage by Cream sidekick Jack Bruce and African legend Tony Allen. Also in attendance will be some of the world's greatest drummers including Simon Phillips, Steve White and Keith Carlock laying down a night of rock n roll beats and unforgettable riffs. More special guests are to be announced in the coming weeks and tickets will be made available to the public.

South London born Ginger Baker enters the Zildjian hall of fame having shot to fame in the 60s after joining one of the most successful and influential British blues-rock groups ever — Cream. Ginger alongside band mates Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce went on to receive five gold albums and were one of the first ever bands to attain a platinum disc. His flamboyant performances and pioneering use of two bass drums in place of the conventional single 'kick drum' instantly set new standards for rock drummers throughout the world. In 1969 Ginger left Cream with band mate Eric Clapton to form Blind Faith with Rick Grech and Steve Winwood, and he later went on to release his own material including Ginger Baker's Air Force. Cream re-formed in 2005 and packed Arenas around the world to huge critical acclaim.