Previously Unreleased Chet Baker Sessions Make For a Sweet Record Store Day Release
1979 Vara Studio sessions are a dutch treat
Chet Baker is probably more popular today than when he was actively recording, and boy, was he active. Craft Records has lovingly reissued his early Riverside output, including some RSD specials. I was digging through my Baker holdings and found "Smoking'/With the Chet Baker Quintet",(Prestige PR7449), "Quartet: Russ Freeman and Chet Baker" (World Pacific WP-1232) that previously belonged to Billy Taylor (!)
two great ones on Steeplechase: "The Touch of Your Lips" (SCS1132) and "No Problem" (SCS1131), "Chet Baker the legacy Vol. 1)" a November 14, 1987 performance in Hamburg, Germany with the NDR big band six months before he was found dead on the sidewalk in front of his Amsterdam hotel and released on Enja in 1995 (I think i have here somewhere "Chet Baker: The Last Great Concert" also on Enja but I couldn't find it), "Chet Baker She Was Too Good To Me" (CTI 6050 S1), a sumptuously produced Don Sebesky orchestral date with Paul Desmond, Hubert Laws, Jack DeJohnette and others, and of course the soundtrack to Bruce Weber's disturbing film "Let's Get Lost" starring Chet Baker, which he never got to see.
Herbie Hancock's liner notes from the Let's Get Lost release sum Baker up well: "Chet...was from the west coast, and even though he played in that cool, California style, with aa lightly swinging rhythm, he was one of a handful of the west coast jazz musicians who played with a subtle strength that was n a par with the great power emanating from the east coast. The notes he chose had an incredible depth that really appealed to me." Hancock, writing about his experience with Baker, who performed on Hancock's score for the film "Round Midnight", added, "I remember how fresh his first take was. He followed the chords as if he had known them all his life. The notes became pivots connecting the chords. His intuition was flawless, his musical choices perfect."
Elsewhere in the annotation Hancock noted, "He sang some romantic ballads in a smooth, smokey voice. Many people would agree that he played a very important role in their love life."
So, yes, there's a lot of great Baker on many stellar Baker records. Producer Feldman is a "completist", particularly where Bill Evans and Chet Baker are concerned (among many others). Last year for Black Friday he released Chet Baker Live In Paris for Elemental Music.This year for RSD it's this set, which finds Baker in excellent musical and physical condition backed by different rhythm sections, one April 10, 1979 and the other November, 9th, 1979 playing a combination of standards and jazz originals by Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter.
These were not "pick up backing band" sessions. Rather, Baker was well tuned in to the musicians with whom he was playing, and the playing is very fine Baker. The sound is also remarkably fine, with Baker's horn and voice especially well-captured. Not stated but clearly the tapes were digitized and Bernie Grundman cut from files. The overall sonic picture is clean, and pleasingly dry with a well organized instrumental spread. The reverb behind the instruments is modest and tastefully applied. However, though of course I don't know the recording, it sounds as if more than a modest amount of dynamic compression was applied during the digital mastering. Nonetheless, this is aa very pleasing sounding recording and record.
In addition to an attractive gatefold package, the set includes a full sized, glossy booklet with photos and extensive annotation written by the original producer and by musicians who played with Baker on this record. The written material helps bring to life these forty plus year nearly forgotten performances.
With all that Baker material out there, if you're looking for a Chet Baker introduction, this wouldn't be my recommended choice, but for fans, (especially those for whom Baker played an important role in their love life), this previously unknown recorded performance will make for a welcomed addition to the wall of Chet Baker records.
Though the set is limited to 5000 copies, I think you'll be able to find it well after RSD.
