The complementary talents of Chet Baker (1929-1988), both as a trumpet player and as a singer, are now well known, and Will MacFarland’s original liner notes for the 10-inch LP Chet Baker Sings, on which he compared Chet with Louis Armstrong, still seem quite appropriate. Both his trumpet and his voice seem to be extensions of the same musical personality, and once you’ve become familiar with both facets of Baker, you expect to hear them both.

However, this album was a revelation at the time and brought Baker new fame and a new audience that was less familiar with jazz than with pop music. The reasons are quite clear: Chet’s voice is tender and beautiful, and at the same time his phrasing always swings and surprises. This album was initially issued in 1954 as a 10-inch Long Play containing eight songs. Its success soon led to it being reissued as a 12” LP, with the addition of material from later 1956 sessions. On all of them Chet is backed by Russ Freeman on piano, who was a member of the trumpeter’s regular group at the time. This edition presents all of the songs from the 12” LP plus one bonus track from the same period.

PERSONNEL:
CHET BAKER - (vocals & trumpet, plus:
A1-A2 & A5: Russ Freeman (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Littman (d).
Forum Theater, Los Angeles, July 23, 1956.
A3-A4 & A6: Russ Freeman (p, celeste), Jimmy Bond (b), Lawrence Marable (d).
Forum Theater, Los Angeles, July 30, 1956.
B1-B5 & B7-B8: Russ Freeman (p), Carson Smith (b), Bob Neel (d).
Los Angeles, February 15, 1954.
B6: Russ Freeman (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d).
Los Angeles, October 27, 1953.

(*) BONUS TRACKS: Chet Baker (tp, vc), Russ Freeman (p), Carson Smith (b), Bob Neel (d).
Los Angeles, March 7, 1955.

TRACKS:
SIDE A:
1 THAT OLD FEELING
2 IT’S ALWAYS YOU
3 LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
4 MY IDEAL
5 I’VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE
6 MY BUDDY
7 JUST FRIENDS

SIDE B:
1 BUT NOT FOR ME
2 TIME AFTER TIME
3 I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL
4 MY FUNNY VALENTINE
5 THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU
6 THE THRILL IS GONE
7 I FALL IN LOVE TOO EASILY
8 LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING