Duck Baker - Breakdown Lane: Free Solos & Duos 1976-1998 (2024) [Hi-Res]

Duck Baker is celebrated as a musical treasure, with a career spanning multiple genres, including jazz, avant-garde, country, Irish, blues, ragtime, and swing. His playing is uniquely his own, drawing on influences from Sonny Sharrock, Derek Bailey, Charles Mingus, and horn players like Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman, as well as Cecil Taylor’s piano style. Baker’s fingerstyle guitar work is unmistakable, blending intricate technique with emotional intensity.

This review highlights a newly released collection of 14 solo recordings and 2 duos with Eugene Chadbourne, spanning 1976–1998. The recordings, mostly demos and live performances, showcase a range of moods and styles—from reflective pieces like "Peace" to high-energy improvisations such as "No Family Planning." Notable tracks include Thelonious Monk’s “Straight, No Chaser” and Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the 'A' Train,” which features playful interplay between the two guitarists.

Baker’s discography is extensive, including collaborations with Eugene Chadbourne, John Zorn, and Stefan Grossman, as well as albums dedicated to Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols compositions. His ability to channel diverse influences into his acoustic guitar playing has made every recording a standout. As Anthony Barnett notes, Duck Baker is not only a master musician but a true gem in the world of music.

Tracklist:
1-1. Duck Baker - Allah, Perhaps (04:45)
1-2. Duck Baker - Peace (03:30)
1-3. Duck Baker - No Family Planning 1 (02:16)
1-4. Duck Baker - Klee (03:49)
1-5. Duck Baker - Like Flies (Requiem for Bobby Fussell) (05:00)
1-6. Duck Baker - Breakdown Lane (02:23)
1-7. Duck Baker - Yewatta (01:14)
1-8. Duck Baker - Buffalo Fire (04:40)
1-9. Duck Baker - No Family Planning 2 (03:06)
1-10. Duck Baker - Eusebia’s Lament (05:07)
1-11. Duck Baker - 47 East Houston St. (04:28)
1-12. Duck Baker - 2:29 in Unleavenworth (02:27)
1-13. Duck Baker - Sonadem Sol (02:46)
1-14. Duck Baker, Eugene Chadbourne - Breakdown Lane (Duo Version) (05:13)
1-15. Duck Baker, Eugene Chadbourne - Take the ‘A’ Train (03:26)
1-16. Duck Baker - Straight, No Chaser (03:59)