I just went to a play about Chet Bakers life featuring a lot of his music and while I am familiar with a lot don't have much of his music. I would welcome any recommendations from you audiogoner cats as to your favorite chet baker recordings - both cd and vinyl. Many thanks in advance
"Let's Get Lost" The Best of Chet Baker Sings. Late at night, low-lit room. His voice is sooooo sensual!!! Course, almost anything instrumental by him will do....
Well, I'm probably odd man out, his voice to me is a distraction, but I love his playing - I have two Riverside recordings (LP or CD) "Chet Baker" and "Lerner & Loewe", which minimize the vocals, that I can recommend.
I also don't care much for his vocals.... His horn playing, however, is great. The "Chet" album described by Newbee is a 20-bit analog-mastered album with incredible sound for a 45 yaer old recording
In my personal opinion, Chet did his best work in the early to mid-1950's (his LP's on Pacific Jazz were excellent, particularly the recordings with Gerry Mulligan and Art Pepper), and late in his life (the SteepleChase label). Chet, as you know, had a severe drug problem, and lost his teeth due to an infection, which made it nearly impossible for him to play his trumpet during much of the 1960's. He did a couple of recordings on the CTI label which aren't bad, if you like the Creed Taylor sound (I don't -- it's too commercial and bland for my taste). IMO, Chet was also grossly over-rated as a vocalist, unless you are looking for "music to get laid by".
One of the early Mosaic Records boxed sets reissued Chet's Pacific Jazz small group recordings. If you can find this set (now long out-of-print), it's excellent, and has a first-rate booklet about Chet's life and the recordings.
The Riverside recordings mentioned in the previous post are OK, but by the time Chet did those LP's, he was seriously strung out on heroin. If you already have many of Chet's others recordings, the Riversides are worth having, but I wouldn't start with them,
Chet wrote a short autobiography / memoir titled "Chet Baker: As Though I Had Wings - The Lost Memoir", with an intro by his wife Carol. It's an interesting read, although I wish Chet had included more details about his recordings. The book is published by Buzz Books, a division of St. Martin's Press.
If you enjoyed the play, see if you can find a copy of the documentary film by Bruce Weber titled "Let's Get Lost" which may be the soundtrack recording that Sjorgensen refers to. It is an outstanding film. I think it may be out of print though.
I'd definitely avoid the stuff he recorded during the twilight of his life. I forgot which CDs those were since I've long tossed them in the closet somewhere. But, I recall his horn playing was distressed even during calm passages while his vocals were interupted with saliva swallowing and audible yammy tongue movements. Not desireable coming from an old guy. However, I love "Lets Get Lost" and some of his earlier works. The self-titled recently remastered "Chet" has some great horns.
Did anyone get the "The Italian Sessions"? I'd like to hear some reviews.
Almost without exception, young jazz lions play (and sing) better than when they become old jazz lions. Make friends with that. Yes, the Pacific Jazz recordings, both vocal and instrumental, are the freshest. Get them. But truth to tell, Chet always had a way with a phrase, never mind the diminished chops. Good listening to you.
Far and away his single best is "Chet Baker & Crew", one of the Pacific Jazz releases (1956 or thereabouts?). It's got Phil Urso, tenor, Bobby Timmons, piano, Jimmy Bond, bass, and I can't remember the drummer. Baker and this group play with a lot more fire than was often the case on many of his recordings. I have an original mono LP that is quite well recorded as well as a routine CD reissue, but I note that there apparently are a couple of remastered CDs that add additional tracks. These might be worth checking out, since the price is only $12 on cdnow.
"Chet Baker" I adore what he does for the trumpet: purely lyrical. His crew is terrific and includes an ascending Bill Evans. I would agree that this album does benifit in that Chet does not sing.
Am I the only one that thinks that the only thing flatter than Chet Bakers horn is his voice? Lyrical, yes. Great side men, yes. Just so grotesquely flawed that I can't stand to be in the same room with his playing. It hurts.
Unsound, If you don't like the sound of his playing, just don't listen to him. This is your second negative post to a request for recommendations for his recordings. Whats your point?
I guess I'm just so surprised that an audience that seems to put so much emphsis on sound and music embraces this stuff. Your point is well taken and I will refrain from further comment.
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