Chet Baker – Sings And Plays For Lovers Vol.1 (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:13:03 minutes | 694 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla

Chesney Henry “Chet” Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the “Prince of Cool”.

Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals: Chet Baker Sings (1954) and It Could Happen to You (1958). Jazz historian Dave Gelly described the promise of Baker’s early career as “James Dean, Sinatra, and Bix, rolled into one”. His well-publicized drug habit also drove his notoriety and fame. Baker was in and out of jail frequently before enjoying a career resurgence in the late 1970s and 1980s.

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Chet Baker – Italian Movies: Chet Baker Plays Piero Umiliani (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 46:54 minutes | 484 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla

Brings together the complete film recordings by legendary Italian composer Piero Umiliani featuring iconic West Coast trumpeter Chet Baker. This, the first release on the critically acclaimed Jazz On Film series dedicated to jazz icons also includes one of the rarest Umiliani soundtracks, ‘Intrigo A Los Angeles’… a marvelous jazz score with the maestro himself at the piano. In 1964, C. A. M released an album with 15 mono cues (38:00 in length) that is now one of the rarest vinyl’s in their catalogue, coveted by fans of the Firenze composer and jazz lovers alike. For this CD, the original mono master session tapes were used on which was discovered some unreleased material, bringing the total running time up to 43:12 – everything that was recorded for the movie. Audio restoration has improved the sound immensely making for a great listening experience.

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Chet Baker – In Paris 1955-56 (2008)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:10:35 minutes | 718 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla

At the age of ten, Baker received a trombone from his father, who was a guitarist. Chet soon switched to the trumpet and quickly learned to play swing tunes and improvise as a self-taught musician. His special ability was to grasp harmonic relationships melodically. Baker composed very little.

At first he played in the school orchestra, then at public dances. In 1946 he enlisted in the military and joined the 298th Army Band in Berlin. In 1948 he was mustered out. He studied theory and harmony at El Camino College in Los Angeles, playing in clubs at night. In 1950 he rejoined the Army and became a member of the 6th Army Band at Presidio in San Francisco. Then he asked for his discharge and decided to become a professional jazz musician.

In spring 1952 he became a trumpet player in Charlie Parker’s band. Baker became famous as a trumpet player in Gerry Mulligan’s piano-less quartet that played at The Haig in Los Angeles. The single My Funny Valentine, released in 1952 on Fantasy Records, became a hit and it was henceforth a kind of signature for Baker, which he played again and again in countless variations until the end of his life. Baker is often referred to as a representative of this style, partly because of his association with Mulligan, who, along with Lennie Tristano, is considered a leading figure in cool jazz. His recordings demonstrate his great versatility in many styles of jazz.

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