Chet Baker

CD plus DVD

Released two years after James Dean’s death in a car crash on September 30, 1955 (aged 24), the 1957 documentary The James Dean Story chronicles his short life and career via black-and-white still photographs, interviews with the aunt and uncle who raised him, his paternal grandparents, a New York City cabdriver friend, the owner of his favorite Los Angeles restaurant, and outtakes from East of Eden. Martin Gabel’s narration was written by Stewart Stern, who scripted Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause, and a directing credit was shared by Robert Altman and George W. George.

James Dean’s story has been recently successfully recreated in the 2015 film Life, directed by Anton Corbijn and written by Luke Davies. It is based on the friendship of Life photographer Dennis Stock and Hollywood actor James Dean and features Robert Pattinson as Stock and Dane DeHaan as Dean.

The music accompanying the 1957 Altman film was composed and conducted by Leith Stevens, but a homonymous album, Theme Music from “The James Dean Story” (World Pacific Records P-2005), reissued here in its entirety in its original STEREO version, presented the same compositions in jazzier versions arranged by Bill Holman and Johnny Mandel, and featuring such stars as Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Charlie Mariano, Richie Kamuka, Pepper Adams, and Mel Lewis.

A vocal version by Chet Baker of the documentary’s theme song, “Let Me Be Loved,” wasn’t included on the World Pacific LP. Instead, it was issued by the same label as a single. It has been added here as a bonus along with Leith Stevens’ complete original soundtrack to the film Private Hell 36 (1954), which also presents a star-studded jazz personnel.

PERSONNEL:

CHET BAKER trumpet (also vocals on 11)
BUD SHANK alto sax & flute

PLUS:
Don Fagerquist, Ray Linn (tp), Milt Bernhart (tb),
Charlie Mariano, Herbie Steward (as), Bill Holman (ts),
Richie Kamuca (ts), Pepper Adams (bar), Claude Williamson (p),
Monty Budwig (b), Mel Lewis (d), Mike Pacheco (bgo).

Los Angeles, November 8, 1956.

CD: Total Time: 69:34

01 JIMMY’S THEM
02 THE SEARCH
03 LOST LOVE
04 PEOPLE 3:37
05 THE MOVIE STAR
06 FAIRMONT, INDIANA
07 REBEL AT WORK
08 SUCCESS – AND THEN WHAT?
09 LET ME BE LOVED
10 HOLLYWOOD
11 LET ME BE LOVED [vocal version]
12 PRIVATE HELL 36
13 HAVANA INTERLUDE
14 EASY MOOD
15 DADDY, LONG LEGS
16 JOSHUA
17 DIDN’T YOU KNOW?
18 LILLI
19 DANCE OF THE LILLIPUTIAN
20 PRIVATE BLUES


DVD: THE FILM

• THE COMPLETE FEATURE REMASTERED
• ORIGINAL ENGLISH SOUNDTRACK
• SCENE SELECTION