A slightly unusual format – a trio date, but with no piano – and instead guitar from Philip Catherine, plus both acoustic and electric bass! CD

Excellent work from Chet Baker's 1955 tour of the NATO nations – 13 recordings done with the legendary pianist Richard Twardzik, plus a few other surprising guest stars! Twardzik was one the the freshest talents of the west coast scene of the 50s, but a player who was sadly overlooked, due to his tragic early death. The set captures him at the height of his powers, working with Baker on 9 tracks recorded in the studio in Paris – with a lineup that includes Jimmy Bond on bass and Peter Littman on drums – plus 4 more live recordings from a 1955 concert in Stuttgart, with Lars Gullin joining the group on baritone sax, plus one especially great number that features Catherina Valente scatting along on jazz vocals! The set features 13 tracks in all – with studio titles that include "Rondette", "Mid Forte", "Sad Walk", "Re-Search", "Just Duo", "Piece Caprice", and "The Girl From Greenland" – plus live tracks that include "Cool Blues", "Brash", "Lover Man", and "I'll Remember April". And for discographers, note that some of this material has appeared on the albums Chet In Paris and Chet Baker In Europe. CD

Chet Baker on trumpet and vocals, Glauco Masetti on alto saxophone, Fausto Papetti on baritone saxophone, Gianni Basso on tenor saxophone, Mario Pezzotta on trombone, Renato Sellani on piano, Franco Cerri on bass, and Gene Victory on drums. CD

One of those great later albums that has Chet Baker working alongside an instrument you never would have expected in the early days – blowing his own trumpet lines next to fantastic work on guitar from Doug Raney – a pair who really make some magic with this album! The set's also got the mighty Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – handling rhythm in a way that's strong, but gentle at the same time – this beautiful balance that echoes the warmth of both of the other players, as Chet's sparkling trumpet lines resonate with the great colors from Raney's guitar. Titles include "Broken Wing", "Down", "Daybreak", and "For Minors Only". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "My Funny Valentine","Aren't You Glad You're You?", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Blue Room", "Spring Is Here", "The Wind", "Let's Get Lost", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Summer Sketch", "Halema", and more. CD

One of the many great later live dates from Chet Baker recorded overseas – done in Cologne, with the unusual group of Dennis Luxion on piano, Ricardo Del Fra on bass, and Nicola Stilo on flute! The album features two very long tracks – "Doodlin" and "Just Friends". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last albums that Chet Baker recorded – and a set that changes things up a bit from the smaller combo setting of most of his final decade! The set features some small group work, but also brings in larger orchestrations on a number of tracks – balancing the fragility of Baker's sound at the time, which we love – with some deeper tonal colors in the background. One track features a smaller group that includes Walter Norris on piano and John Schroeder on guitar – both of whom solo with Chet on some of the larger format works as well – one of which also features a nice alto appearance from Herb Geller. Titles include "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Django", "Well You Needn't", "All Blues", "Summertime", "In Your Own Sweet Way", and "My Funny Valentine". CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Chet Baker in the 80s was a really wonderful thing – hardly the sound of an aging musician stumbling towards the end of his life, as so many others tend to paint this time – and instead, a continually-creative individual who was really finding ways to get around his losses and make some tremendous new sounds in the process! One of the greatest things about Chet during these years was his sense of an unusual style of group – and that's definitely the case here as he works on both recordings with a drum-less trio – the great French pianist Michel Grailler on both sets, and either Dominique LeMerle or Riccardo Del Fra on bass – the latter of whom is a player who appeared on some of the best Baker recordings of the final decade. Tracks are nice and long, filled with unusual changes, and some wonderful phrasing from Baker – very different than the early days, but equally beautiful! Titles include "Arbor Way", "Walkin", "Lament", "Just Friends", "Stella By Starlight", "Easy Living", "But Not For Me", and "Funk In Deep Freeze". LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever Chet Baker recording with a quartet – and a set that shows just how completely magical the legendary trumpeter was even up to the end! Chet at this time is completely different than Chet in the 50s or 60s – as he'd really found a way to make all these amazing new sounds on his horn, partly as a way of getting around some of his physical limitations, but also as a way of opening up some of those mid 60s ideas that he barely explored on record at the time. He's working here with a very important musical partner from the last decade – getting great help on guitar and flute from Nicola Stilo – plus Marc Abrams on bass and Luca Flores on piano – on titles that include "Portrait In Black & White", "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Arborway", "In A Sentimental Way", and "If I Should Lose You". LP, Vinyl record album

Long, open-ended later work from Chet Baker – the kind of album that still had him working out interesting ideas in his music! The group features Harold Danko on piano, Greg Herbert on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums – on cuts that include "ESP", "Shifting Down", "Tidal Breeze", and "Once Upon A Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

That's "Heath", not "health" – as you might think the title's misspelled – as in Jimmy Heath, who arranged most of the numbers on the set! Heath's contribution is a good one too – as it helps Baker create one of his most tightly-wrapped albums of the time, a well-blown session recorded here with a group that includes Art Pepper on alto, Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums. The presence of Urso is especially appreciated – as his sharper, deeper tone really brings a wider sound to the album than some of Chet's other dates of the time – especially when combined with the excellent sound of Pepper! Titles include "CTA", "For Minors Only", "For Miles & Miles", and "Resonant Emotions". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that hides a bit under its title and cover – looking like a songbook session, and without Chet Baker's dreamy face on the front – but one that stands every bit as strongly with Baker's other late 50s sessions for Riverside, and done with an equally nice set of New York elements in the mix! The lineup is nicely unusual for a Chet Baker date – Herbie Mann on flute and tenor, Zoot Sims on alto and tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone, and even some piano from Bill Evans – and even though the tunes are all familiar Lerner & Loewe standards, they really come alive in the handling of these top shelf artists. Titles include "Show Me", "I Talk To The Trees", "On The Street Where You Live", "The Heather On The Hill", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", and "Almost Like Being In Love". CD

Later work from Chet Baker – served up here in a 3CD package! The first 2CDs feature the Sesjun Radio Shows albums – rare radio material from Chet Baker – all recorded in the Netherlands, with wonderful sound – and brought together here in a two volume series that offers up some excellent unreleased material from his later years! The tunes and performances are maybe a bit different than some of the looser live dates that Baker recorded for other labels – although many of the performances are quite long, and showcase that advance solo approach that makes Chet's later work so different than the shorter tracks on his early albums. Titles include "Chet's Theme", "Lady Bird", "Just Friends", "Blue N Boogie", "Ray's Idea", "This Is Always", and "I'm Old Fashioned". Straight From The Heart is material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! CD

Completely sublime late work from the great Chet Baker – recorded in the kind of stripped-down setting that we love so much from Chet during these years! Some folks were often claiming that the worn-out Baker would drop out some of the elements used in a quintet or bigger group because he couldn't fight alongside them – but listening to a record like this, you can tell that Chet just wanted more room to express some of the sensitive sides and more subtle elements that often showed in the last decade or so of his life – a tremendous reflowering of his talents, in ways that are very different than the past. Here, Baker blows trumpet next to the guitar of Philip Catherine and bass of Jean-Louis Rassinfosse – no drums, piano, or other instrumentation – which makes for a wonderfully open vibe. Titles include "But Not For Me", "Love For Sale", "My Foolish Heart", and "Funk In Deep Freeze". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Chet Baker on flugelhorn and vocals, Roger Rosenberg on baritone and soprano sax, Phil Markowitz on piano, Jon Burr on bass, and Jeff Brillinger on drums. Tracks include "But Not For Me", "Broken Wing", "Secret Love", and "Blue N' Boogie". CD

A warmly wonderful trio record – from a time when Chet Baker was exploring a whole new side of his talents! The group features just Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – which gives Chet a lot of room to open up – and he takes advantage of that fact to create all these wonderfully airy, sensitive lines on the trumpet – blowing in a completely different style than the classic years, and in a way that always makes us love these later albums so much! Tracks are all nice and long – and tunes include "Sad Walk", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "I'm Old Fashioned". CD

A warmly wonderful trio record – from a time when Chet Baker was exploring a whole new side of his talents! The group features just Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – which gives Chet a lot of room to open up – and he takes advantage of that fact to create all these wonderfully airy, sensitive lines on the trumpet – blowing in a completely different style than the classic years, and in a way that always makes us love these later albums so much! Tracks are all nice and long – and tunes include "Sad Walk", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "I'm Old Fashioned". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! CD

Overlooked later work by Chet Baker – with some nice long tracks that feature a unique trio with Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass! LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A subtle gem from one of the last years of Chet Baker's too-short life – with Butch Lacy on piano, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Jukkis Uotila on drums. Titles include "Two In The Dew", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" – all in nice long takes. CD

A subtle gem from one of the last years of Chet Baker's too-short life – with Butch Lacy on piano, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Jukkis Uotila on drums. Titles include "Two In The Dew", "Long Ago & Far Away", "Here's That Rainy Day", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" – all in nice long takes. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent session that stands as one of both players' strongest from the time! Baker's really opening up here, moving more into that hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Pepper's already hit his stride here – with the pair of them working in a group that includes Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Larry Marable on drums. The whole set's got that west coast cool crossover to hardbop feel that you'd get on Baker's Chet Baker And Crew set – thanks to fire from the rhythm section, and a sharp edge from Urso. Tracks include "Minor Yours", "Tynan Time", "For Miles & Miles", "CTA", and "Picture Of Heath". CD

An excellent session that stands as one of both players' strongest from the time! Baker's really opening up here, moving more into that hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Pepper's already hit his stride here – with the pair of them working in a group that includes Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Larry Marable on drums. The whole set's got that west coast cool crossover to hardbop feel that you'd get on Baker's Chet Baker And Crew set – thanks to fire from the rhythm section, and a sharp edge from Urso. Tracks include "Minor Yours", "Tynan Time", "For Miles & Miles", "CTA", and "Picture Of Heath". CD

An excellent session that stands as one of both players' strongest from the time! Baker's really opening up here, moving more into that hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Pepper's already hit his stride here – with the pair of them working in a group that includes Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Larry Marable on drums. The whole set's got that west coast cool crossover to hardbop feel that you'd get on Baker's Chet Baker And Crew set – thanks to fire from the rhythm section, and a sharp edge from Urso. Tracks include "Minor Yours", "Tynan Time", "For Miles & Miles", "CTA", and "Picture Of Heath". LP, Vinyl record album

Two of the coolest trumpeters from the LA scene of the 50s – reunited here in a never-issued album from the start of the 70s! At the time of the set, Jack Sheldon was the real star of the date – big on TV, and a very confident, cool player – as well as a singer with a wonderfully distinct sound (which some folks might remember from Schoolhouse Rock or The Merv Griffin Show!) Jack started out in the mellow modes shared by Chet Baker during his early years – but by the time of this set, he was a nicely different player – which makes the pairing with Baker so great – especially as this was a time when Chet was really laying low, and hardly recording at all. The rest of the group features Jack Marshall on guitar, Dave Frishberg on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums – a very sprightly combo who add a lot to the record – and both Chet and Jack sing on the record, in addition to serving up trumpet solos too. The record is an especially great one for Sheldon – very confident vocally, and really at the height of his powers here as both a singer and instrumentalist – with that wry approach that we love so much. Titles include "Evil Blues", "You Fascinate Me", "Once I Loved", "Too Blue", "Just Friends", "But Not For Me", "I Cried For You", and "Historia De Un Amor". CD

A stunning European meeting of two great North American talents – the piano of Paul Bley and the trumpet of Chet Baker – coming together here without any other instrumentation in the mix! Bley is at a point where he's bringing back a bit more warmth to his music after so many years in both avant and colder territory – and Baker has that beautifully meditative tone of his late life recordings – which seems to encourage a sensitivity out of Bley's piano that you might not expect – making for a wonderful session throughout! Chet sings a bit, but his trumpet is his main voice – and titles include "Pent Up House", "If I Should Lose You"- "Diane", "Little Girl Blue", and "Skidadidlin". LP, Vinyl record album

Chet Baker did so many wonderful things in his later years, which are often sadly overlooked except for those in the know – and one of the best was to start working with guitar more often, instead of piano – using the gentleness of the instrument to really change his style and the different way he shaped his notes! That approach is heard to perfection here – as Baker blows alongside guitarist Philip Catherine – a partner on other late sessions, but performing here without any other instrumentation at all – just his guitar and Chet's trumpet, on these beautiful long tracks that stretch out with a sublime sound throughout! Chet sings a bit, but his trumpet "voice" dominates, and is completely mesmerizing – on titles that include "Beatrice", "Leaving", "My Foolish Heart", and "There'll Never Be Another You". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever official release of this rare live material, a set that collects two different dates – a quartet performance with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, and quintet date that adds Russ Freeman on piano and swaps in Shelly Manne behind the drum set. CD

The first-ever official release of this rare live material, a set that collects two different dates – a quartet performance with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, and quintet date that adds Russ Freeman on piano and swaps in Shelly Manne behind the drum set. CD

The complete 1956 Chet Baker performance at the Conservatorio Cherubini in Italy – augmented by a great set of notes and some excellent bonus work from the same time! The core part of the set features a rare Baker performance from his mid 50s European tour – one that features Chet on trumpet (plus a bit of vocals) – working with a quintet that includes Jean Louis Cheautemps on tenor sax, Francy Boland on piano, Eddie De Haas on bass, and the amazing Charles Saudrais on drums. The tunes are long and driving – often with a harder edge than Baker's American work from the time, in a way that really points the way towards some of the more soul-based recordings of the late 50s. The concert is represented by 8 long tracks that take up all of disc 1 and part of disc 2 – titles that include "Cool Blues", "Chekeetah", "This Is Always", "Ray's Idea", "Night In Tunisia", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Stella By Starlight", and "Exitus". Other material on the CD includes 2 tracks with the Kurt Edelhagen Orchestra ("Baker 56" and "Bockhanal"), 2 with vocalist Caterina Valente ("I'll Remember April" and "Every Time We Say Goodbye"), 2 from a 1955 Carnegie Hall date ("Night In Tunisia" and "You Don't Know What Love Is"), and 4 from a 1955 Newport Jazz Festival performance (including "Five Brothers", "Tiny's Blues", and "Walkin".) CD

A nice collection, with some previously unissued tracks by Riverside's hippest trumpet players – all cuts that are exclusive to this album! Titles include "Optional" by Kenny Dorham, "Studio B" by Blue Mitchell, "Fluegelin The Blues" by Clark Terry, "Mammy Yokum" by Nat Adderley, and "Early Morning Mood" and "Soft Winds" by Chet Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Pent-Up House", "My Old Flame", "Indian Summer", "Look For The Silver Lining", "My Funny Valentine", "I'll Take Romance", "These Foolish Things", "Deep Purple", "What a Difference A Day Made", "How Deep Is The Ocean?", "Smoge Gets In Your Eyes", "Embraceable You", "But Not For Me", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". CD

A great later date from CTI – proof that the label still had its magic going on well into the 80s! The session's a larger group effort headed up by Don Sebesky, and featuring key solos by Chet Baker, Jim Hall, and Hubert Laws – all of whom get plenty of room to do their thing on the album's longer tracks! Other players include Kenny Barron, Jack Wilkins, Jorge Dalto, George Mraz, and Steve Gadd – plus bit of added percussion – and although the group is large, the overall sound is relatively lean – spacious and airy, in keeping with Baker's best moments on records like these, and always sensitive enough to let Hall's gentle work on the strings of his guitar shine through nicely! Titles include "Malaguena", "Django", "Swan Lake", and "All Blues". CD

An early document of a surprisingly great pairing – the tenor of Stan Getz and the trumpet of Chet Baker – working together here in a live date from 1953, served up in tight quartet formation! The group features Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums – and the overall feel's a bit like Chet's Pacific Jazz sides of the time, but a bit more soulful. Titles include "Move", "Half Nelson", "Strike Up The Band", "Yesterdays", "Whispering", and "Soft Shoe". 12 tracks in all! CD

Chet Baker blows trumpet here with one of the tightest rhythm sections of his later albums – a killer trio led by pianist Kirk Lightsey, who also gets in some great solos here too! The session's led by Kirk, and has a nicely different vibe than some of those issued under Baker's own name – less of the airy tones that Chet was exploring in less traditional lineups – and more focus on soulful swing, with help from David Eubanks on bass and Eddie Gladden on drums – who often groove in a way that opens up the lyrical tones on Lightsey's piano. Chet sings on "Ray's Ideas" and "Everything Happens To Me", and blows trumpet throughout – and other titles include "Girl With The Purple Eyes", "Speak No Evil", and "Inner Urge" – the last of which is the Joe Henderson's classic, and gets a nicely burning take. LP, Vinyl record album

Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax and Chet Baker on trumpet joined by Bobby Whitlock, Carson Smith and Henry Grimes on bass, and Chico Hamilton, Larry Bunker, and Dave Bailey on drums. CD

A surprisingly wonderful 70s meeting between Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker – recorded live, with sweet electric touches from CTI – in a style that shouldn't work so well, but which really comes off great! The approach is simple – Mulligan and Baker solo in a manner that's a bit like their 50s work, but which also unfolds more than usual with backing from a group that includes Bob James on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, John Scofield on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums. Tracks are long, with lots of space – hanging in a beautiful balance between electric and acoustic sounds. Titles include "It's Sandy At The Beach", "Bernie's Tune", "K-4 Pacific" and "There Will Never Be Another You". LP, Vinyl record album

2LP set released in the 70's featuring work from both of these West Coast giants. The first half focuses on recordings of Gerry Mulligan working with a strong early group – Chet Baker on trumpet, Chico Hamilton on drums, and Carson Smith on bass – on 4 tracks recorded in San Francisco, and 4 others recorded slightly later in LA. The tunes are short, piano-less, and have that fluid 50s Mulligan groove – and titles include "Turnstile", "Limelight", "Carioca", "Bark For Barksdale", and "Line For Lyons". Also included are recordings that feature Gerry's own group – an ensemble that features Nick Travis on trumpet, Allen Eager on tenor, and George Wallington on piano – on all original Mulligan titles that include "Ide's Side", "Bweebida Bobbida", "Kaper", "Funhouse", and "Mulligan's Too". The second half of this set contains material recorded for Prestige by Chet Baker in 1964. Baker plays fluegelhorn, and he's backed by a fairly soulful combo that includes George Coleman on tenor, Kirk Lightsey on piano, Herman Wright on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums. The set grooves in a way that few other Chet Baker albums do, which is something you might expect from a record that has tracks with titles like "Go Go", "Bevan Beeps", and "Rearin' Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax, with Chet Baker on trumpet, Bobby Witlock and Carson Smith on bass, and Chico Hamilton and Larry Bunker on drums. CD

A strange session for Chet Baker – but a pretty nice one too! The album was recorded with mellow fusion backing by Brazilian keyboardist Rique Pantoja, who composed all the tunes on the album – and overall, the approach is quite different than that used on most of Baker's other sessions of the time. Rique's a great talent with a soulful smooth jazz approach – and the record works very well on his terms, even if it's strange for Baker to be playing in such a setting. Titles include "Cinema 1", "Saci", "Arborway", "Depois Da Praia", and "So Hard To Know", which has vocals by Chet. CD

Three broadcast sessions from the historic Storyville Club in Boston! The group here includes Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, Bob Neel on drums, and Baker on trumpet. Tracks include "Maid In Mexico", "Long Ago & Far Away", "My Funny Valentine", and "The Wind" – 19 tracks including intermissions. CD

A set recorded in Tokyo, but one that has the great Chet Baker working with players from the Dutch and American scenes – all coming together in a quartet session that's maybe one of the strongest records from Chet's later years! The material was recorded live – and Chet's got a surprisingly strong bite on his horn at times – very different than the wispier modes of European sessions from earlier in the decade – perhaps in part because of the superb rhythmic accompaniment he gets from Harold Danko on piano, Hein Van De Geyn on bass, and John Engels on drums! And as with all these late recordings, the shift in Chet's style is wonderful – even at times when he was "lost" to so many, he's still a master of phrasing – coming up with all these new modes of expression that are so different than his classic work – on long tracks that stretch out beautifully. Titles include "Arborway", "Broken Wing", "Four", "I'm A Fool To Want You", and "Seven Steps To Heaven". CD

A rare Italian-only album from Chet Baker – wonderfully cooking small group work that's a far bit greater than his more familiar "with strings" session recorded in Italy during the same period! The album's got Chet working with an array of great players from the local scene – including Gianni Basso on tenor sax, Renato Sellani on drums, and Glauco Masetti on alto sax – all in a groove that shows plenty of traces of that opened-up sound that Baker was exploring in the very late 50s – the modes he was crafting in his group with Phil Urso on tenor, as he started to get a bit more bit in his style! Yet there's also a nicely compressed approach going on here too – that west coast sound that was a strong influence on the Italian players of the postwar years, but which was unfolded to new ends in their hands. Titles include "Lady Bird", "Line For Lyons", "Tune Up", "Cheryl Blues", "Indian Summer", and "Pent Up House". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice soundtrack to the now-legendary film by Bruce Weber that tracked Chet Baker during some of the last days of his life. The set's got a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tracks, with Chet in fine enough form at the time of the recording. Titles include "You're My Thrill", "Moon & Sand", "Zingaro", "My One & Only Love", and "Almost Blue". CD

One of the better-known sessions from Chet's time in Italy at the end of the 50s – a really beautiful album that has Chet working with a string orchestra in a set of lush arrangements that really bring a lot to his sound! The album really sounds great – not sleepy, but warm and beautiful, in a style that was perfect for Chet's fading romanticism. A few cuts have Chet taking a vocal chorus or two, but mostly, the focus is on trumpet solos. Titles include "Violets For Your Furs", "Goodbye", "Angel Eyes", "I Should Care", and "The Song Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely evocative late life work from Chet Baker – one of the last albums he ever recorded, and a set that shows just how much Baker kept evolving in the later years of his career! Given some of the personal troubles that plagued Chet over the decades, there's sometimes a thought out there that he was a weaker version of himself at this time – but that's definitely not the case, as Baker really shifted his sound and style to accommodate some of his challenges, at a level that maybe made the music even more powerful than some of his music from years before! Some of the best moments here feature contributions from key musical partner of the 80s Nicola Stilo, who uses flute, guitar, and piano in these light ways while Chet's soloing with this strong, fluid vibe that's a real surprise – gentle, but extremely powerful. A few cuts bring in a bit of keyboards, and Chet sings a bit – but his best "singing" here is through his trumpet, which is still a hell of a voice in jazz. Titles include "Chet's Blues", "Waiting For Chet", "The Party Is Over", "With Sadness", "Deep Arabesques", and "Like The Precedent" – plus a lovely reading of the Elvis Costello tune "Almost Blue". CD

One of those great later albums that has Chet Baker working alongside an instrument you never would have expected in the early days – blowing his own trumpet lines next to fantastic work on guitar from Doug Raney – a pair who really make some magic with this album! The set's also got the mighty Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – handling rhythm in a way that's strong, but gentle at the same time – this beautiful balance that echoes the warmth of both of the other players, as Chet's sparkling trumpet lines resonate with the great colors from Raney's guitar. Titles include "Broken Wing", "Down", "Daybreak", and "For Minors Only". CD

Chet Baker on trumpet and vocals, Dick Twardzik on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Peter Littman on drums. CD

Great work from Chet Baker, and one of his strongest jazz albums of the 60s – even if the title makes a pretty ambitious claim! (And given those heady years of 1964 and 1965, Chet's got an awful lot of important albums to contend with!) The album steps nicely off of some of Chet's late 50s work for Pacific Jazz – the harder, more burning sides he cut at the end of the previous decade – records that marked a real departure from some of his mellower early work. The group here is well suited to help Chet reach a new level – as players include Phil Urso on tenor, Hal Galper on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Charlie Rice on drums – all working in tight formation to arrangements by Galper, Tadd Dameron, and Jimmy Mundy. Titles include "Soultrane", "Mating Call", "Flight To Jordan", "Retsim B", "Walkin", and "Gnid". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Bud Shank on flute and saxophone, Russ Freeman and Pete Jolly on piano, Shelly Manne on drums, and others. Tracks include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "This Is Always", "Let's Get Lost", "Moon Love", "Sweet Lorraine", and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". CD

The last in a series of rare 50s live material from Chet Baker – featuring a near-lost performance from the Tiffany Club in LA, recorded in 1954 with a group that includes Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums. The tracks are presented in crystal-clear long versions – really sparkling with a sound that's tremendous for a live set at the time – and which is even more amazing, considering that most of the tracks hadn't been issued before. A few numbers were issued in edited form on an Italian label, and later briefly on one of the out of print Mosaic box sets – but the CD features the full performance – 12 tracks in all, all in unedited takes. Titles include "Lullaby Of the Leaves", "Russ Job", "The Wind", "Frenesi", "Carson City Stage", and "A Dandy Line". CD

That's "Heath", not "health" – as you might think the title's misspelled – as in Jimmy Heath, who arranged most of the numbers on the set! Heath's contribution is a good one too – as it helps Baker create one of his most tightly-wrapped albums of the time, a well-blown session recorded here with a group that includes Art Pepper on alto, Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums. The presence of Urso is especially appreciated – as his sharper, deeper tone really brings a wider sound to the album than some of Chet's other dates of the time – especially when combined with the excellent sound of Pepper! Titles include "CTA", "For Minors Only", "For Miles & Miles", and "Resonant Emotions". LP, Vinyl record album

Chet Baker on trumpet, Duke Jordan on piano and Jesper Lundgaard on bass. Includes the tracks "Walkin", "Solar", and "Star Eyes". CD

Excellent lost jazz work from Chet Baker! The CD combines 5 tracks from a never-before-heard live set recorded in 1953 at the Curran Theatre in LA, plus 9 more cuts from 1954 session that was issued on the long out-of-print LP Jazz At Ann Arbor. Both sessions feature Chet playing with pianist Russ Freeman, an amazingly understated player whose graceful darkness perfectly matches young Chet's sound on the trumpet. The pair are backed by Carson Smith on bass and either Larry Bunker or Bob Neel on drums – and the extended set's a wonderfully no-nonsense batch of jazz tunes that really sparkles in comparison with some of Baker's later live work. Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Maid In Mexico", "Lover Man", "My Funny Valentine", "Stella By Starlight", and "Russ Job". CD

The first-ever official release of this rare live material, a set that collects two different dates – a quartet performance with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, and quintet date that adds Russ Freeman on piano and swaps in Shelly Manne behind the drum set. CD

Chet Baker plays trumpet on four of the six tracks here – a mid 80s session with a Dutch octet that also features Dick DeGraaf on tenor! CD

A very cool album from the Italian branch of RCA Records – and a set that features a host of artists from other nations who briefly stopped over in Italy, and recorded some of these gems for the label! There's a core energy to the set, which balances contributions from a few key artists, mostly from America – and for jazz fans alone, the set is noteworthy for two tracks that have trumpeter Chet Baker blowing with orchestrations from a young Ennio Morricone – "So Che Ti Perdero" and "Il Mio Domani"! And there's plenty of other great bits too – singer Helen Merrill working with maestro Armando Trovajoli on "Nessuno Al Mondo" and "Estate" – plus Perez Prado on "Guaglione" and "Arrivederci Roma", Antonio Prieto on "Papa" and "Baciami", and even some very cool cuts from young poppers Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool 60s session from the great Chet Baker – one that moves away from the standard sound of his 50s work, and shows that unusual sense of careful sonic energy that would mark his further development over the decades! Chet's got a great sound here – blowing flugelhorn instead of trumpet, with a cool compressed vibe that's augmented by work from a very hip group that includes Frank Strozier on alto and flute, Phil Urso on tenor sax, and piano work by either Bob James or Hal Galper – both at a very early point in their careers! Titles include "Baby Breeze", "This Is The Thing", "I Wish You Love", "Pamela's Passion", and "Comin Down". CD

Chet's only session for Columbia, arranged in conjunction with the Pacific Jazz label – which seems strange for some reason, because Baker hardly needed to move to a big label, given his success on the LA indie scene. Still, Richard Bock and the Pacific Jazz crew are firmly in place here – and despite the presence of added strings, players like Zoot Sims, Russ Freeman, and Bud Shank keep a nice west coast groove that fits well with Baker's breathy trumpet. Titles include "Love", "The Wind", "A Little Duet", and "Trickleydidlier". CD

Recorded live at Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen – with Doug Raney on guitar, Jesper Lundgaard on bass, and Aage Tanggaard on drums. CD

An album that definitely lives up to its title – as it's one of those nicely stripped-down sessions that Chet Baker recorded overseas in the last years of his life – done in close collaboration with the great Nicola Stilo, a musician who really helps bring something special out in Baker's music! Nicola plays guitar, flute, and piano – shifting between each to fit the mood of the long, blue performances by Chet – and the pair also get help from bassist Rocky Knauer, who comes in gently to just move things along with a light touch. Tracks are nice and long, and titles include "Arborway", "Margarine", "Zingaro", "You Can't Go Home Again", "DS Dilemma", and "But Not For Me". CD

One of Chet Baker's most classic albums of the 50s – a record that features both vocals and strong trumpet solos – all from a time when Baker was one of the hottest things going in jazz! The album's different from records from previous years, in that it moves Baker from LA to New York – where he works with a great quartet that features Kenny Drew on piano, George Morrow or Sam Jones on bass, and Philly Joe Jones or Danny Richmond on drums – all players who have a slightly different approach than some of Baker's compatriots on Pacific Jazz sessions, which also seems to bring out a bit more bite in Chet too. Tracks are still shortish, with those breathy Baker vocals we love so much, balanced with really well-crafted trumpet solos – and titles include "It Could Happen To You", "Do It The Hard Way", "Old Devil Moon", "Dancing On The Ceiling", and "The More I See You". CD features 2 bonus tracks! CD

The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". CD

The session was recorded in Rome in 1962, at a time when Chet's star had fallen quite a bit on the American scene, and it features him working with some of the hippest European players at the time – like Rene Thomas on guitar, Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, Amadeo Tomassi on piano, and Daniel Humair on drums. Titles include "Blues In The Closet", "Barbados", "Star Eyes", "Pent Up House", and "Ballata In Forma Di Blues". CD

Albums included – The Voice Of, At The Forum Theater, The Crew & Co, Live From Florence, Resonant Emotions, Zing!, Chet, This Time's The Dream's on Me, Bea's Flat, and Swing House with Gerry Mulligan Quartet. CD

A rock-solid set from the late 70s European years of Chet Baker – a set that's done with a more conventional quartet, which is different than some of his looser, lighter lineups of the time! The vibe is a bit like old school Chet, but the tracks are still open and have that nicely exploratory sense of sound that made the last decade of Baker's life such a musical revelation – a time of renewed creativity, even when most of the American scene had written him off! The group features Phil Markowitz on piano, Scott Lee on bass, and Jeff Brillinger on drums. All tracks nice and long – with versions of "Broken Wing", "Beautiful Black Eyes", and "This Is Always". CD

Chet Baker on trumpet and vocals, Michel Grailler on piano, and Riccardo Del Fra on bass – plus guest vocals from Van Morrison on "Send In The Clowns"! CD

A great return to form for Chet Baker – his first record in a number of years away from the studio, and proof that his genius could adapt to just about any setting! The album's got a tight focus that's probably one of the keys to its success – a set of arrangements by Don Sebesky that mix lusher moments with some more tightly snapping rhythms – a blend that allows Chet to display the full range of his talents without veering too far in one direction. Paul Desmond plays some great alto on the record, really bringing in a strong sense of crispness to a few numbers – and instrumentation also includes great electric piano from Bob James, vibes from Dave Friedman, and flute from Hubert Laws. Baker sings on a few numbers, and titles include "Autumn Leaves", "She Was Too Good To Me", "Funk In Deep Freeze", "Tangerine", "With A Song In My Heart", "What'll I Do", and "It's You Or No One". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely sublime late work from the great Chet Baker – recorded in the kind of stripped-down setting that we love so much from Chet during these years! Some folks were often claiming that the worn-out Baker would drop out some of the elements used in a quintet or bigger group because he couldn't fight alongside them – but listening to a record like this, you can tell that Chet just wanted more room to express some of the sensitive sides and more subtle elements that often showed in the last decade or so of his life – a tremendous reflowering of his talents, in ways that are very different than the past. Here, Baker blows trumpet next to the guitar of Philip Catherine and bass of Jean-Louis Rassinfosse – no drums, piano, or other instrumentation – which makes for a wonderfully open vibe. Titles include "But Not For Me", "Love For Sale", "My Foolish Heart", and "Funk In Deep Freeze". CD

A warmly wonderful trio record – from a time when Chet Baker was exploring a whole new side of his talents! The group features just Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – which gives Chet a lot of room to open up – and he takes advantage of that fact to create all these wonderfully airy, sensitive lines on the trumpet – blowing in a completely different style than the classic years, and in a way that always makes us love these later albums so much! Tracks are all nice and long – and tunes include "Sad Walk", "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Someday My Prince Will Come", and "I'm Old Fashioned". LP, Vinyl record album

Material from the last concert Chet Baker ever recorded – a surprisingly tight session that has the trumpeter blowing solos in front of the NDR Big Band. The setting is relatively relaxed – not a blasting big band session, but one that colors in the space between Baker's notes with gentle shades of sound – really respecting his role as a soloist, and providing just the right amount of gentle accompaniment to flesh out the sound of the set. Chet sings on 2 numbers – "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" – and other tracks include "Sippin At Bells", "Conception", "Look For The Silver Lining", and "Tenderly". Herb Geller also solos on 2 numbers too! LP, Vinyl record album

Great later work from Chet Baker – one of the key sides in marking out his new, more open approach to the trumpet – with long tracks overall. The setting here is spare – with backing by Doug Raney on guitar and Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass – and Chet's mostly blowing on trumpet, but also gets in some sad vocals on two tunes – "But Not For Me" and "The Touch Of Your Lips". Other tracks include "I Waited For You", "Blue Room", and "Star Eyes". CD

Chet Baket on trumpet and vocals, Phil Markowitz on piano, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse on bass, and Jeff Brillinger on drums. Titles include "Two A Day", "Blue Room", "If I Should Lose You", "The Best Thing For You", and "This Is Always". CD

A surprisingly great electric session by Chet Baker from the 70s – and a record that's got a bit more force and power than most of his other sets at the time! The format here is a bit tighter and more focused than Baker's recordings for CTI from the period – with electric piano from Kenny Barron or Richie Beirach on all tracks, plus guitar on 3 of the album's 4 tracks, and a fair bit of other horns to flesh out the overall sound. The approach isn't exactly funky, but it's quite driving at times – and Baker's work on trumpet is more sharply pronounced in the setting – a bit bolder and less sorry for itself, with a majesty that rises above the potentially-cluttered feel of the set to take its own at the top. Titles are all long – and include "Love For Sale", "Un Poco Loco", "You Can't Go Home Again", and "El Morro". LP, Vinyl record album

2 CD set of the albums "You Can't Go Home Again" and "The Best Thing For You", as well as 9 bonus tracks! A surprisingly great electric session by Chet Baker from the 70s – and a record that's got a bit more force and power than most of his other sets at the time! The format here is a bit tighter and more focused than Baker's recordings for CTI from the period – with electric piano from Kenny Barron or Richie Beirach on all tracks, plus guitar on 3 of the album's 4 tracks, and a fair bit of other horns to flesh out the overall sound. The approach isn't exactly funky, but it's quite driving at times – and Baker's work on trumpet is more sharply pronounced in the setting – a bit bolder and less sorry for itself, with a majesty that rises above the potentially-cluttered feel of the set to take its own at the top. Titles are all long – and include "Love For Sale", "Un Poco Loco", "You Can't Go Home Again", and "El Morro". Lost material by Chet Baker – recorded for his late 70s album You Can't Go Home Again, and released in this special package after his untimely death in 1988. As with the album that did get released, there's a focus here that's a nice change from some of Baker's looser European material of later years – a sense of Chet's presence and phrasing that comes through quite strongly, and which is supported here by a sensitive group of top-shelf accompanists who include Paul Desmond, Kenny Barron, Tony Williams, and Ron Carter. The set features a great 17 minute take on "El Morro" by arranger/producer Don Sebesky – plus the tracks "Oh You Crazy Moon", "If You Could See Me Now", "The Best Thing For You", and "You've Changed". CD

With Richie Kamuca on tenor, Pete Jolly on piano, Leroy Vinegar on bass, and Stan Levey on drums. CD