Chet (20 Bit Mastering) [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Chet Baker With Bill Evans, Chet Baker

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 1, 2000)
• Original Release Date: March 1959
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Riverside
• ASIN: B00004UENB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #194,935 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
While Chet Baker was famous for his almost evanescent singing voice and was strongly associated with West Coast jazz, this all-instrumental, all-ballad album recorded with some of New York's finest musicians may have been his most beautiful recording. These 1958-59 sessions place Baker in groups ranging from quartet to sextet, and his trumpet playing is strong, secure, and clear, capable of the subtlest inflections. The settings simply couldn't be better. Pianist Bill Evans was in the midst of redefining the piano ballad, and he's masterful at creating fresh harmonic underpinnings for Baker from the opening chords of "Alone Together," here reminiscent of "Blue in Green." Guitarist Kenny Burrell adds comparable support on a wistful treatment of "September Song," while Pepper Adams's baritone saxophone, present on seven tracks, is a craggy, rough-hewn complement to Baker's smoothly melodic trumpet. Herbie Mann contributes flute and arrangements to several sextet tracks, while the rhythm section, with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones and Connie Kay sharing the drumming, is resilient and lightly propulsive. The concluding "Early Morning Mood" is a long, slow Baker blues that's a nice addition to the well-chosen set of standards. The 20-bit K2 super coding system results in excellent sound, capturing every drum detail and particularly enhancing Adams's broad, overtone-rich sound. --Stuart Broomer

Product Description
Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing includes one bonus tracks. Universal. 2008. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Stated, a Beautiful Chet Baker CD, November 9, 2001

By	R. Angeloni "slicktiger28" (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Feeling stressed by events of the day? Then by all means, purchase this CD and pop it into your stereo. This is a total stress reducer. There's no singing on this album, it's all ballads. Chet is surrounded by a host of jazz greats -- including Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Bill Evans and Philly Joe Jones -- and the sound is rich, delicate, and soothing. Recorded in the late 1950s, the 20 bit, K2 remastered version sounds great. You can almost hear the breathing.
Highly recommended.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fallen Angel - Chet, May 27, 2001

By	Dino Fantegrossi (Scituate, Ma United States) - See all my reviews

I own 20 Chet Baker CDs, and I play them virtually every day. As a "50 something" jazz fan with over 250 jazz CDs I can honestly say that the only time my wife will join me in the music room is when I have a Chet Baker Cd playing. I think that this is significant...Chet Baker's appeal seems to cross over more lines than that of any other jazz performer. I used to think that it was the VOICE that grabbed my wife's attention, but her favorite Chet Baker album is this one..."CHET". This album has no singing. It does have 9 extended cuts of standards played perfectly by Chet Baker and a sextet of brilliantly accomplished musicians. Some of the personnel matchups are (for me) like a dream come true: Chet Baker and Bill Evans; Chet Baker and the great Kenny Burrell; Chet and Herbie Mann.

I think the keys to this albums great success are easy to define: 1. A lucid and motivated Chet Baker on trumpet 2. A tremendous group of "name" musicians 3. A great grouping of excellent jazz standards. 4. An adequate amount of playing time to develop and explore each piece completely.

I do admit that I love ballads and never find an album completely composed of "mood" songs or "slow" songs boring. This is an album totally devoted to the ballad, so if you are looking for bop or up tempo stuff I suggest that you look elsewhere. But if you know Mr. Baker's lyrical approach to jazz or if you appreciate the almost zen like quality of Miles Davis'"Kind of Blue" album, then I am sure you will appreciate "Chet".

I think that this CD is timeless and of the highest quality available. There are times on this album (You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" is one) when Chet Baker is off in a world of beauty of his own. The rest of the band tries to play with him, but Chet has moved to another plane leaving the listener to sit in almost stunned amazement, and plan the next Chet Baker Cd purchase.

I hope that you will try this CD. I am very sure that you will find it to be one of the permanent jazz classics if you do. Cheers!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Chet cd of all time..., May 11, 2000

By	Jack Dempsey (South Miami Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chet (Audio CD)

Such a beautiful, beautiful recording from a life fraught with tragedy.

I guess I pretty much sum it up with the caption above. This is my favorite Chet Baker recording ever. I own approximately 12 other Chet cd's, yet this is the one I play over and over and over.

This is Chet at his best. A, fairly, young Chet, still in his prime. It's very smooth, soft, and laid back. Pefect Chet. No singing Chet here though. In order to hear the naivete at it's best, you'll just have to pick up "Chet sings."

In short, I love this recording. It's one of the best out there. And lastly, Chet's version of "September Song" is one of the best you will EVER hear.