Chet Baker
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Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. ( Yale, Oklahoma, 23 December 1929 - Amsterdam, 13 May 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and singer.
Specializing in relaxed, even melancholy music, Baker rose to prominence as a leading name in cool jazz in the 1950s. Baker's good looks and smoldering, intimate singing voice established him as a promising name in pop music as well. But his success was badly hampered by drug addiction, particularly in the 1960s, when he was imprisoned.
He mounted a successful comeback in the '70s, but died in 1988 after falling from a hotel window.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early days
Baker was born and raised in a musical household in Yale, Oklahoma; his father was a professional guitar player. Baker began his musical career singing in a church choir. His father introduced him to brass instruments with a trombone, which was replaced with a trumpet when the trombone proved too large for him.
Baker received some musical education at Glendale Junior High School, but left school at age 16 in 1946 to join the United States Army. He was posted to Berlin where he joined the 298th Army band. Leaving the army in 1948, he studied theory and harmony at El Camino College in Los Angeles. He dropped out in his second year, and re-enlisted in the army in 1950. Baker once again obtained a discharge from the army to pursue a career as a professional musician. Baker became a member of the Sixth Army Band at the Presidio in San Francisco, but was soon spending time in San Francisco jazz clubs such as Bop City and the Black Hawk.
[edit] Legacy
Jeroen de Valk has written a biography of Baker which is available in several languages: Chet Baker: His Life and Music is the English translation, Chet Baker: Herinneringen aan een lyrisch trompettist (remembrance of a lyrical trumpet player) is the Dutch edition (updated and expanded in 2007)[1], and it is also published in Japan and Germany. James Gavin has also written a biography: Deep In A Dream — The Long Night of Chet Baker.
Chet's own "lost memoirs" are available in the book As Though I Had Wings, which includes an introduction by Carol Baker.[2]
One of the chapters in Geoff Dyer's book But Beautiful: A Book About Jazz deals with Baker.
Baker was immortalized by the photographer William Claxton in his book Young Chet: The Young Chet Baker. An Academy Award-nominated 1988 documentary about Baker, Let's Get Lost, portrays him as a cultural icon of the 1950s, but juxtaposes this with his later image as a drug addict. The film, directed by fashion photographer Bruce Weber, was shot in black-and-white and includes a series of interviews with friends, family (including his three children by third wife Carol Baker), associates and lovers, interspersed with film from Baker's earlier life, and with interviews with Baker from his last years.
Time after Time: The Chet Baker Project, written by playwright James O'Reilly, toured Canada in 2001 to much acclaim.[3]
The musical play Chet Baker - Speedball explores aspects of his life and music, and was premiered in London at the Oval House Theatre in February 2007, with further development of the script and performances leading to its revival at the 606 Club in the London Jazz Festival of November 2007.
Baker was reportedly the inspiration for the character Chad Bixby, played by Robert Wagner in the 1960 film All the Fine Young Cannibals. Another film, to be titled Prince of Cool, and claiming to be a new take on the life of "the legendary trumpeter whose heroin addiction contributed to his (reported) suicide in 1988," was planned for release in 2008. Josh Hartnett was in talks to star in the film but dropped out after several disagreements with the producers. Plans for the film have been canceled as of January 2008.[4]
[edit] Jazz Icons: Chet Baker- Live In '64 & '79 Preview
[edit] Discography
- With Charlie Parker: Inglewood Jam: Bird and Chet Live at the Trade Winds (1952) (Fresh Sound FRS-CD 17)
- With Al Haig: Chet Baker: Live at the Trade Winds (1952) (Fresh Sound FSCD1001)
- Gerry Mulligan Quartet Featuring Chet Baker (1952) (Fantasy OJCCD-711-2)
- Haig '53: the other piano-less quartet (1953) (Philology)
- L.A get together (1953) (Fresh Sound)
- Chet Baker & strings [bonus tracks] (1953) (Columbia/Legacy)
- Chet Baker sings (1953) (Pacific)
- Compositions and arrangements by Jack Montrose (1953) (Pacific Jazz)
- Grey December (1953) (Pacific Jazz)
- Quartet live, vol. 1: This time the dream's on me (1953) (Blue Note)
- Witch doctor (1953) (Original Jazz Classics)
- Chet Baker big band (1954) (Pacific Jazz)
- Chet Baker sextet (1954) (Pacific Jazz)
- Jazz at Ann Arbor (1954) (Pacific Jazz)
- My funny Valentine (1954) (Philology)
- Quartet live, vol. 2: Out of nowhere (1954) (Blue Note)
- Quartet live, vol. 3: My old flame (1954) (Blue Note)
- The trumpet artistry of Chet Baker (1954) (Pacific)
- Chet Baker sings and plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman & strings (1955) (Pacific Jazz)
- In Europe, 1955 (1955) (Philology)
- At the Forum Theater (1956) (Fresh Sound)
- Chet Baker & Crew (1956) (Pacific Jazz)
- Chet Baker cools out (1956) (Boblicity)
- Chet Baker in Europe (1956) (Pacific Jazz)
- Chet Baker Sings (1956) (Pacific Jazz)
- Live in Europe 1956 (1956) (Accord)
- Playboys (1956) (Pacific Jazz)
- Quartet: Russ Freeman/Chet Baker (1956) (Pacific Jazz)
- The James Dean story (1956) (Blue Note)
- Embraceable You (1957) (Pacific Jazz)
- Pretty/groovy (1957) (World Pacific)
- Chet (The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker) (1958) (Original Jazz Classics)
- Chet Baker in New York (1958) (Riverside/OJC)
- Chet Baker introduces Johnny Pace (1958) (Original Jazz Classics)
- Chet Baker meets Stan Getz (1958) (Verve)
- Chet Baker sings it could happen to you (1958) (Riverside/OJC)
- Theme music from « The James Dean story » (1958) (World Pacific)
- Chet (1959) (Riverside)
- Chet Baker in Milan (1959) (Jazzland/OJC)
- Chet Baker plays (1959) (Riverside)
- Chet Baker plays the best of Lerner and Loewe (1959) (Original Jazz Classics)
- Chet Baker with fifty Italian strings (1959) (Original Jazz Classics)
- Picture of heath (1961) (Pacific Jazz)
- Chet is back! (1962) (RCA)
- Chet is back! (1962) (Bluebird)
- Somewhere over the rainbow (1962) (Bluebird)
- Italian Movies (1962)
- The most important jazz album of 1964/65 (1964) (Roulette Jazz)
- Brussels 1964 (1964) (Landscape)
- Chet Baker sings and plays (1964) (Colpix)
- Stella by starlight (1964) (CMA)
- Baby breeze (1965) (Limelight)
- Baker's holiday: plays & sings Billie Holiday (1965) (EmArcy)
- Boppin' with the Chet Baker quintet (1965) (Prestige)
- Comin' on with the Chet Baker quintet (1965) (Prestige)
- Cool burnin' with the Chet Baker quintet (1965) (Prestige)
- Groovin' with the Chet Baker quintet (1965) (Prestige)
- Smokin' (1965) (Prestige)
- A taste of tequila (1966) (World Pacific)
- Hats off!!! (1966) (World Pacific)
- Into my life (1966) (World Pacific)
- Live at Pueblo, Colorado 1966 (1966) (Baker)
- Quietly, there (1966) (World Pacific)
- Polka dots and moonbeams (1967) (Jazzland)
- Albert's house (1969) (Par)
- Blood, Chet & tears (1970) (Verve)
- She was too good to me (1974) (Columbia)
- Once upon a summertime (1977) (Original Jazz Classics)
- The best thing for you (1977) (A&M)
- The incredible Chet Baker plays and sings (1977) (Carosellp)
- At le Dreher (1978) (West Wind)
- Broken wing (1978) (Inner City)
- Live at Nick's (1978) (Criss Cross)
- Live in Chateauvallon, 1978 (1978) (Esoldun)
- Sings, plays: Live at the Keystone Korner (1978) (High Note)
- Two a day (1978) (All live)
- 79 (1979) (Celluloid)
- Ballads for two (1979) (Sandra)
- Chet Baker with Wolfgang Lackerschmid (1979) (Inakustik)
- Day break (1979) (SteepleChase)
- Live in Montmartre, vol. 2 (1979) (SteepleChase)
- No problem (1979) (SteepleChase)
- Someday my prince will come (1979) (SteepleChase)
- The touch of your lips (1979) (SteepleChase)
- This is always (1979) (SteepleChase)
- Together (1979) ( Enja Records)
- With special guests (featuring Coryell, Williams & Williams) (1979) (Inakustik)
- Burnin' at Backstreet (1980) (Fresh Sounds)
- Chet Baker and the Boto Brazilian Quartet (1980) (Dreyfus)
- Just friends (1980) (Circle)
- Live at the Subway, Vol. 1 (1980) (Circle)
- Live at the Subway, Vol. 2 (1980) (Circle)
- Night bird (1980) (WestWind)
- Nightbird (1980) (Retro Music)
- Live at Fat Tuesday's (1981) (Fresh Sound)
- Live at the Paris Festival (1981) (DIW)
- Live in Paris (1981) (Norma)
- In concert (1982) (India Navigation)
- Out of nowhere (1982) (Milestone)
- Peace (1982) (Enja Records)
- Studio Trieste (1982) (CTI)
- At Capolinea (1983) (Red)
- Club 21 Paris, Vol. 1 (1983) (Philology)
- Live at New Morning (1983) (Marshmallow)
- Live in Sweden with Åke Johansson trio (1983) (Dragon)
- Mister B (1983)
- Mr. B (1983) (Timeless)
- September song (1983) (Marshmallow)
- Star eyes (1983) (Marshmallow)
- The improviser (1983) (Cadence Jazz)
- Blues for a reason (1984) (Criss Cross)
- Line for Lyons (1984) (Sonet)
- Chet Baker Plays Vladimir Cosma (1984) (Carrere[F] CA 800 96 251)
- Candy (1985) (Gazell)
- Chet Baker in Bologna (1985) (Dreyfus)
- Chet's choice (1985) (Criss Cross)
- Diane: Chet Baker and Paul Bley (1985) (SteepleChase)
- Hazy hugs (1985) (Limetree)
- Live from the moonlight (1985) (Philology)
- Misty (1985) (IRD)
- My foolish heart (1985) (IRD)
- Sings again (1985) (Bellaphon)
- Strollin' (1985) (Enja Records)
- Symphonically (1985) (Soul Note)
- There'll never be another you (1985) (Timeless)
- Time after time (1985) (IRD)
- Tune up (1985) (Westwind)
- As Time Goes By (1986) (Timeless)
- As time goes by [love songs] (1986) (Timeless)
- Chet Baker featuring Van Morrison live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) (DRG)
- Live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) (Drg)
- When sunny gets blue (1986) (SteepleChase)
- A night at the Shalimar (1987) (Philology)
- Chet Baker in Tokyo (1987) (Evidence)
- Chet Baker sings and plays from the film « Let's get lost » (1987) (Jive/Novus)
- Four: live in Tokyo, vol. 2 (1987) (Paddle Wheel)
- Memories: Chet Baker in Tokyo (1987) (Paddle Wheel)
- Welcome back (1987) (Westwind)
- "Blåmann! Blåmann!" (1988) (Hot Club Records, Oslo)
- Farewell (1988) (Timeless)
- In memory of (1988) (L & R Music)
- Little girl blue (1988) (Philology)
- My favourite songs, vol. 2: Straight from the heart (1988) (Enja Records)
- My favourite songs, vols. 1-2: The last great concert (1988) (Enja Records)
- Oh you crazy moon (1988) (Enja Records Justin Time)
- Straight from the heart (1988) (Enja Records)
- The heart of the ballad (1988) (Phililogy)
- The best of Chet Baker sings (1989) (Blue Note Records)
- Lonely Star, The Prestige Sessions (1996) (Prestige)(CD Reissue of the Prestige Sessions from 1965)
[edit] References
- ^ Jeroendevalk.nl
- ^
- ^ TIME AFTER TIME: THE CHET BAKER PROJECT.(Review) (theater review) | Variety | Find Articles at BNET.com
- ^ MTV Movies Blog » Josh Hartnett Won’t Be Getting Jazzed For ‘Cool’ Chet Baker Flick
