Chet Baker

"Chet Baker Quartet Vol.2" was the second album recorded by Baker in Europe. Before that 1955 tour, he had never been to the Old Continent. Traveling with him was Dick Twardzik, a highly talented pianist who would die in Paris at the age of 24 due to a heroin overdose a few days after Chet’s group recorded its first two sessions for the Barclay label.

he pianist’s death profoundly shocked Chet, who decided not to go back to the United States for a while, and continued playing in Europe with a variety of musicians. While the formation with Twardzik was highly innovative and favored playing new compositions with modern chord progressions, after the pianist’s death Chet concentrated on recording standards. The session that resulted in this LP features Chet playing well-known songs in the company of French pianist Gérard Gustin, Swedish drummer Nils-Bertil Dahlander, and bassist Jimmy Bond (the latter a member of the original Chet Baker Quartet that started the tour). Scott Yanow gave this album a four-star rating in All Music Guide, stating that “The music (all are standards) finds Baker in top early form, making this cool-toned bop set well worth hearing.”

PERSONNEL:

CHET BAKER, trumpet
GÉRARD GUSTIN, piano
JIMMY BOND, bass
NILS-BERTIL DAHLANDER, drums

Pathé-Magellan Studio, Paris, France, October 24, 1955.

SIDE A:

01 THERE IS A SMALL HOTEL
02 I’LL REMEMBER APRIL
03 THESE FOOLISH THINGS
04 AUTUMN IN NEW YORK

SIDE B:

01 SUMMERTIME
02 YOU GO TO MY HEAD
03 TENDERLY
04 LOVER MAN