BAKER, CHET - CHET BAKER SINGS & PLAYS (TONE POET SERIES)

Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist, known for his contributions to the cool jazz movement. He gained recognition in the 1950s for albums such as "Chet Baker Sings" (1954) and "It Could Happen to You" (1958), and was often noted for his lyrical trumpet playing and vocal style. Baker was born in Yale, Oklahoma, and raised in a musical household. His father, Chesney Baker Sr., was a Western swing guitarist, and his mother, Vera Moser, was a pianist. The family moved to Glendale, California, in 1940. Baker began singing in a church choir and later took up the trombone, switching to the trumpet at age 13. He briefly studied music at Glendale High School before joining the United States Army in 1946, where he performed in the 298th Army Band in Berlin. After leaving the Army, he studied music theory at El Camino College but re-enlisted and joined the Sixth Army Band, performing in clubs in San Francisco before his discharge in 1951. Baker performed with Vido Musso and Stan Getz before joining the Gerry Mulligan Quartet in 1952. With Mulligan, he developed a style emphasizing counterpoint rather than unison lines. "My Funny Valentine" became a signature piece for him. Baker led several quartets and released albums between 1953 and 1956, winning reader polls in magazines such as Metronome and DownBeat. In 1954, Pacific Jazz Records released "Chet Baker Sings", which featured his vocals alongside trumpet performances. Baker toured Europe in 1955 and recorded "Chet Baker in Europe" and collaborations including accompaniment for Caterina Valente. He continued recording in Los Angeles and New York, including "Playboys" with Art Pepper, "The James Dean Story" soundtrack, "Reunion with Chet Baker" with Mulligan, "Stan Meets Chet" with Stan Getz, and "It Could Happen to You". He also released "Chet" on Riverside Records, featuring musicians such as Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. Baker struggled with heroin addiction from the 1950s, resulting in multiple arrests, imprisonment, and periods of inactivity. He spent time in Italy, West Germany, Switzerland, France, and England, often facing legal issues related to drug use. His early 1960s releases included "Chet Is Back!" and recordings with Ennio Morricone, such as "Chetty's Lullaby", "So che ti perderò", "Motivo su raggio di luna", and "Il mio domani". Baker also recorded albums including "The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65" and "Baby Breeze", as well as multiple sessions for Prestige Records. An incident in 1966 caused damage to his teeth, affecting his embouchure and ability to play trumpet and flugelhorn, which contributed to a decline in his career. After a period of inactivity, Baker attempted a comeback in the 1970s, performing in the U.S. and Europe. His comeback albums included "She Was Too Good to Me" (1974) and a live album at Carnegie Hall. He recorded prolifically in Europe from the late 1970s onward, collaborating with musicians such as Philip Catherine, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Michel Graillier. In 1983, Baker played a solo on Elvis Costello's song "Shipbuilding" for the album "Punch the Clock". In 1985, he performed and recorded in Brazil with Rique Pantoja for the album "Rique Pantoja & Chet Baker". In 1986, "Chet Baker: Live at Ronnie Scott's London" documented an intimate performance. Later recordings included "Chet Baker in Tokyo". Baker’s life and career were documented in the film "Let's Get Lost" (1988), directed by Bruce Weber, with accompanying soundtrack albums released in 1989 and a compilation, "Swimming by Moonlight", released in 2025. Baker died on May 13, 1988, in Amsterdam after falling from a hotel window. Heroin and cocaine were found in his system, and his death was ruled accidental. He was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in California. Baker’s personal life included several marriages and relationships. He married Charlaine Souder in 1950, Halema Alli in 1956 (with whom he had a son, Chesney Aftab Baker), and Carol Jackson in 1964 (with whom he had three children, including Dean, Paul, and Melissa). He also had long-term relationships with Diane Vavra and jazz singer Ruth Young. Baker’s life was affected by his drug use and nomadic touring lifestyle. He was fluent in Italian and had an interest in driving and sports cars. Posthumous publications include his "lost memoirs," edited by Carol Baker under the title "As Though I Had Wings" (1997). Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.