Chet Baker

Born to Be Blue (JWR 4585 LP)

Born to Be Blue Ver más grande

Born to Be Blue

Chet Baker

Jazz Wax Records

8436559462877

LPS 150392

JWR 4585 LP

JAZZ

1

Born to Be Blue

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LP 14,98 €

A HEARTFELT HOMAGE TO THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF CHET BAKER

Few jazz musicians obtained equal celebrity both as instrumentalists and as singers. Earl Hines sang besides playing the piano, but he’s fundamentallyknown for his keyboard work. Sarah Vaughan was also a pianist and once in a while she accompanied herself on a couple of tunes during live performances, but nobody thinks of her as a pianist. ChetBaker, on the other hand, presents us with the same case as, for instance, Louis Armstrong (equally famous for his singing and trumpet playing), Nina Simone (both a glorious singer and an interesting pianist), Nat King Cole (an amazing pianist and a superb singer) and Jack Teagarden (whose vocal style was just as easily identifiable as the sound of his trombone). Like the aforementioned musicians, Chet Baker’s voice was as unique as the improvisations coming out of his horn.

The recent release of the biopic film based on the life of Baker reminds us of the superb talents of the perennial trumpeter and singer. In that dual role, Baker was one of the undisputed masters of the jazz ballad, able to reach climaxes of intense feeling and intimacy. This LP compiles Chet Baker’s original versions of many of the songs heard in the film.

PERSONNEL:

A1 & A5:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Russ Freeman (p), Carson Smith (b), Bob Neel (d).
Los Angeles, February 15, 1954.

A2 & B2:
Chet Baker (tp), Bobby Jaspar (ts & fl); René Thomas (g), Amedeo Tommasi (p),
Benoît Quersin (b), Daniel Humair (d). Rome, Italy, January 5, 1962.

A3:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Russ Freeman (p), Carson Smith (b), Bob Neel (d).
Los Angeles, March 7, 1955.

A4:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Russ Freeman (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Littman (d).
Forum Theatre, Los Angeles, July 23, 1956.

A6:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Russ Freeman (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d).
Los Angeles, October 27, 1953.

A7:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Kenny Drew (p), Sam Jones (b), Philly Joe Jones (d).
New York, August 1958.

B1:
Chet Baker (tp), Gerard Gustin (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Bert Dahlander (d).
Paris, France, October 24, 1955.

B3 & B5:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Bud Shank (fl), Russ Freeman (p), Red Mitchell (b),
Bob Neel (d), plus string section.
Arrangers: Johnny Mandel (B3) & Frank Campo (B5).
Los Angeles, February 28, 1955.

B4:
Chet Baker (tp, vc), Len Mercer’s Orchestra. Len Mercer [aka Ezio Leoni] (arr, cond).
Milan, Italy, September 28, 1959.

SIDE A:

01 MY FUNNY VALENTINE
02 OVER THE RAINBOW
03 LET’S GET LOST
04 I’VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE
05 THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU
06 THE THRILL IS GONE
07 EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO ME

SIDE B:

01 THERE’S A SMALL HOTEL
02 BALLATA IN FORMA DI BLUES
03 SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
04 DEEP IN A DREAM
05 GREY DECEMBER