BAKER HAILED AS ONE OF GREATS

Ginger Baker, who has died at the age of 80, was often credited with being the finest drummer in rock’n’roll, notably during his time with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce in Cream.

Peter Edward Baker was born on Aug. 19, 1939, and brought up in Lewisham, south London. Baker was known for his intuitive, complex, polyrhythmical and thunderously loud playing.

Formed in 1966, Cream achieved spectacular success with hits such as I Feel Free and Sunshine of Your Love, and by 1968 was considered one of the biggest acts in rock along with The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix.

Baker and Clapton went on to join Steve Winwood in Blind Faith. Years later, Baker formed the Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion.

Baker was married four times and had two daughters and a son. He died Oct. 6.