The Best of Chet Baker Plays

Chet Baker

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 14, 1992)
• Original Release Date: January 14, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000002UZA
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #132,104 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #44 in

  Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Cool Jazz

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Whether as a trumpeter or singer, Chet Baker was always the subject of controversy among jazz listeners, a victim of fashion who was doomed in his lifetime to be either over- or underrated. These Pacific Jazz recordings from the mid-1950s present Baker the instrumentalist at the height of his popularity. While his coolly passive treatments of ballads like "Imagination" and "Stella by Starlight" may play to the languid stereotype of West Coast jazz, there's boppish fire and invention on the medium- and up-tempo tunes, with Baker emphasizing the middle register that was his forte. Altoist Art Pepper and valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer turn up among the supporting cast, and there's a good choice of material by boppish heads from both coasts, including Carson Smith's "Carson City Stage," Jimmy Heath's "C.T.A.," and Al Haig's "Jumping Off a Clef." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CHET!, June 16, 2000

By A Customer

one more piece portraying Chet's amazing talents. If you're a jazz fan...this is a must-have