Stratavarious

Stratavarious is an album by Ginger Baker,[2] released by Polydor in 1972.[3] Baker had many associations with an eclectic mix of musicians brought together under numerous band titles bearing his surname. Stratavarious is the only album that was released under the name of Ginger Baker without other associated names. The lineup on Stratavarious included Bobby Tench, vocalist and guitarist from The Jeff Beck Group,[4] who plays guitar under the pseudonym Bobby Gass[2] and the Nigerian pioneer of Afrobeat, Fela Ransome-Kuti[5] who appeared at concerts with Baker at this time.

For the violin maker, see Stradivarius.

Stratavarious
Studio album by Ginger Baker
Released	1972
Recorded	1972
Genre	Rock, Afrobeat, jazz fusion
Length	36:28
Label	Polydor (original UK release) Atco (original US release) RSO (European reissue)
Producer	Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker chronology
Winwood and Friends (1972) Stratavarious (1972) Baker Gurvitz Army (1974)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The album was re-issued in 1998 on Polygram in the US under the title of Do What You Like, along with all of Ginger Baker's Air Force and Ginger Baker's Air Force 2.[6]

Track listing

Side One

1. "Ariwo" - (Traditional, arranged by Fela Ransome-Kuti and Ginger Baker) - 11:10
   • Sandra - vocals, choir
   • Fela Ransome-Kuti - organ, vocals
   • Bobby Tench - bass
   • Ginger Baker - drums, percussion
   • Alhaji JK Brimar - percussion, choir
   • Dusty - percussion, choir
   • Remi - choir
2. "Tiwa (It's Our Own)" - (Kuti) - 5:51
   • Fela Ransome-Kuti - organ, vocals, percussion
   • Bobby Tench - bass
   • Ginger Baker - drums
   • Alhaji JK Brimar - percussion, choir
   • Dusty - percussion, choir
   • Remi - choir
   • Sandra - choir

Side Two

3. "Something Nice" - (Tench, Baker) - 4:21
   • Bobby Tench - guitar, vocals, bass
   • Fela Ransome-Kuti - piano
   • Ginger Baker - drums, percussion
4. "Ju Ju" - (Tench) - 4:20
   • Bobby Tench - guitar, vocals, bass
   • Fela Ransome-Kuti - piano, choir
   • Ginger Baker - drums, percussion
   • Alhaji JK Brimar - choir
   • Dusty - choir
   • Sandra - choir
5. "Blood Brothers 69" - (Baker, Guy Warren) - 8:00
   • Ginger Baker - drums
   • Guy Warren - drums
   • Damon Lyon-Shaw - engineering
6. "Coda" - (Baker) - 2:46
   • Ginger Baker - spoken word, effects, percussion

Notes

1. Allmusic review
2. Ginger and Ginette Baker. Hellraiser. p. 167.
3. "Ginger Baker". Allmusic.com.
4. Jeff's book by Hjort and Hinman. Rock 'n' Roll Research Press.
5. "Fela Ransome- Kuti". Allmusic.com.
6. "Ginger Baker: Compilations". Allmusic.com.

Further reading

• Schoonmaker, Trevor (ed) (2003). Fela: From West Africa to West Broadway. Palgrave Macmillan. USA.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
• Idowu, Mabinuori Kayode (2002). Fela, le Combattant. Le Castor Astral. France.