Description
Label Review.
In New York; Chet; Chet Is Back plus three tracks from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street) (featuring the music of Piero Umiliani). Avid.
Our Overview.
The legendary Chet Baker introduced jazz to a whole new audience when he started his career in the late forties. Born Chesney Henry Baker, Jr. in Yale, Oklahoma on December 23, 1929, Chet Baker began his musical career as a child, singing at amateur competitions and in a church choir. His father brought home a trombone for little Chet to play, then replaced it with a trumpet when the larger instrument proved too much for him. His first formal training in music occurred at Glendale Junior High School, but Baker would play mostly by ear for the rest of his life.
He became famous with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet in 1952. His solo in "My funny valentine" is a classic of the west coast jazz in the fifties. When Mulligan was arrested in 1953, Chet led the group until 1955, when he went to Europe. He also sang on many records. In Europe he recorded with many musicians in different countries. His career was interrupted many times for personal problems with drugs and he was arrested many times for his addiction. In 1974 he come back to music after three years in obscurity, playing in a concert in Carnegie Hall with his old friend, Gerry Mulligan. After this he started a "new career", but his problems with drugs were continuous. His death today is a mystery, one possibility is suicide but another says he was killed by trafficants in Amsterdam, Holland.
Now Avid Jazz continues with its Three Classic albums plus series with a re-mastered 2CD release from Chet Baker, complete with original artwork and liner notes. “In New York”; “Chet “; “Chet Is Back” plus three tracks from “I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)” (featuring the music of Piero Umiliani).
Late 50s early 60s Chet at his best with three classic selections which find the trumpeter in the company of a cavalcade of jazz big hitters. And they don’t come much bigger than tenor sax supremo Johnny Griffin who blows hard alongside Chet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Al Haig on piano on our first album “In New York”. For “Chet” our hero is joined by.. get this line up... Herbie Mann, Pepper Adams, Bill Evans, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, Philly Jo Jones and Connie Kay. If that doesn’t get your mouth watering and put your ears on alert, you’re probably already dead! Over to Italy for our last two sessions, “Chet Is Back” finds our man with superb Belgian sax and flute man Bobby Jaspar alongside some of the finest Italian jazz players of the era. Our last three tracks feature the film soundtrack music of Piero Umiliani where Chet is joined by the great composer himself for selections from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street).
CD1
1-6: ‘In New York’1. Fair Weather2. Polka Dots And Moonbeams3. Hotel 494. Solar5. Blue Thoughts6. When Lights Are Low7-12: ‘Chet’7. Alone Together8. How High The Moon9. It Never Entered My Mind10. ‘Tis Autumn11. If You Could See Me Now12. September Song.
CD2
1-3: ‘Chet’1. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To2. Time On My Hands3. You And The Night And The Music4-11: ‘Chet Is Back’4. Well, You Needn’t5. These Foolish Things6. Barbados7. Star Eyes8. Over The Rainbow9 . Pent Up House10. Ballata In Forma Di Blues11. Blues In The Closet12. Motorizzazione from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)13. Gassman Blues Parts 1&2 from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)14. Tema d’Amore Aka Finale from I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna Street)