Ginger Baker to be honoured at Zildjian event this December

To celebrate its 385th anniversary, Zildjian has announced details of ‘The Zildjian Drummers Achievement Awards´, proudly sponsored by Rhythm Magazine and Yamaha Music UK, 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.

In 1998, the Zildjian family created the American Drummers Achievement Award to acknowledge the remarkable contribution that drumming has made to contemporary music. The awards honour those individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the art of drum set playing and to music itself.

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 bandmate 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.

For ticket information visit www.shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk

Book tickets at www.ticketweb.co.uk or call the Box Office on 0844 477 2000

For more information go to www.zildjian385.com

Chris Barnes

I'm MusicRadar's eCommerce Editor. In addition to testing the latest music gear, with a particular focus on electronic drums, it's my job to manage the 300+ buyer's guides on MusicRadar and help musicians find the right gear for them at the best prices. I dabble with guitar, but my main instrument is the drums, which I have been playing for 24 years. I've been a part of the music gear industry for 20 years, including 7 years as Editor of the UK's best-selling drum magazine Rhythm, and 5 years as a freelance music writer, during which time I worked with the world's biggest instrument brands including Roland, Boss, Laney and Natal.