Tag Archives: Chet Baker

Chat Baker: Chat Baker & Strings

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On April 14, 1954, “Columbia” label released “Chet Baker & Strings”, album by Chet Baker. It was recorded December 1953 – February 1954, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker – trumpet
  • Bud Shank – alto saxophone, flute
  • Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone
  • Russ Freeman – piano
  • Joe Mondragon – bass
  • Shelly Manne – drums
  • Sam Cytron, Jack Gasselin, George Kast, Eudice Shapiro, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin – violin
  • Lou Kievman, Paul Robyn – viola
  • Victor Gottlieb – cello
  • Jack Montrose, Johnny Mandel, Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers – arrangements

Track listing:

  1. You Don’t Know What Love Is – Don Raye, Gene de Paul
  2. I’m Thru With Love – Fud Livingston, Gus Kahn, Matty Malneck
  3. Love Walked In – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  4. You Better Go Now – Irvin Graham, Bickley Reichner
  5. I Married An Angel – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  6. Love – Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
  7. I Love You – Cole Porter
  8. What a Diff’rence a Day Made – María Grever, Stanley Adams
  9. Why Shouldn’t I? – Cole Porter
  10. A Little Duet for Zoot and Chet – Jack Montrose
  11. The Wind – Russ Freeman
  12. Trickleydidlier – Shorty Rogers

Chet Baker: Chet Baker & Crew

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In February 1957, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Chet Baker & Crew”, the 15th Chet Baker album. It was recorded in July 1956, at “Forum Theater” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker – vocal, trumpet
  • Phil Urso – tenor saxophone
  • Bobby Timmons – piano
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Peter Littmann – drums
  • Bill Loughborough – chromatic timpani 
  • William Claxton – photography
  • Woody Woodward – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. To Mickey’s Memory – Harvey Leonard
  2. Slightly Above Moderate – Bob Zieff
  3. Halema – Phil Urso
  4. Revelation – Gerry Mulligan
  5. Something For Liza – Al Cohn
  6. Lucius Lu – Phil Urso
  7. Worryin’ the Life Out of Me – Miff Mole, Bob Russell, Frank Signorelli
  8. Medium Rock – Bob Zieff

Chet Baker and the Carmel Strings: Into My Life

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In December 1966, “World Pacific” label released “Into My Life”, album by Chet Baker and the Carmel Strings (the 26th Chat Baker album overall). It was recorded in October 1966, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker – flugelhorn
  • The Carmel Strings
  • Harry Betts – arangements, conductor
  • Dick Bogert – engineer
  • Dave Hassinger – engineer
  • Woody Woodward – art direction
  • Bernard Yeszin – design
  • George Jerman- cover photography
  • Burt Nelson – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. A Man and a Woman (Un Homme et une Femme) – Francis Lai
  2. Guantanamera – Joseíto Fernández
  3. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm – Irving Berlin
  4. The Ballad of the Sad Young Men – Jay Landesman, Fran Landesman, Thomas Wolf
  5. Here, There and Everywhere – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  6. Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) – Louis Guglielmi, Mack David
  7. Serenata – Mitchell Parish, Leroy Anderson
  8. More and More Amor – Sol Lake
  9. All
  10. If He Walked into My Life – Jerry Herman
  11. Trains and Boats and Planes – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  12. Got to Get You into My Life – John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Duško Gojković 

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On April 5, 2023, Duško Gojković died aged 91. He was musician (trumpet), composer and arranger. Regarded as one of the best jazz trumpet players in the world, he recorded and performed with many famous musicians, including Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Oscar Pettiford, Maynard Ferguson, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Duke Jordan, Slide Hampton, Rolf Ericson, Kenny Clarke, Francy Boland and Woody Herman. In 1966, he released “Swinging Macedonia”, which is regarded as the definitive album of the Balkan’s jazz music. As leader, Gojković released 32 albums.

Howard Johnson

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On January 11, 2021, Howard Lewis Johnson died aged 79. He was musician (tuba, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet), member and leader of the tuba ensembles Tuba Libre, Substructure, and Gravity. He recorded and performed with some of the world best known musicians and bands, including George Gruntz, Hank Crawford, Gil Evans, Charles Mingus, Hank Crawford, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Archie Shepp, Hank Mobley, Levon Helm, Tomasz Stanko, Gary Burton, Gábor Szabó, Bob Thiele, Charlie Haden, Jazz Composers, Andrew Hill, Leon Thomas, Johnny Coles, Taj Mahal, Charles Tolliver, The Band, Carla Bley, John Lennon, Sam Rivers, Gato Barbieri, Jaco Pastorius, Muddy Waters, Dexter Gordon, Clifford Jordan, David “Fathead” Newman,  James Taylor, Jack De Johnette, Jimmy Heath, Franco Ambrosetti, George Gruntz, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, NDR Big Band, Ray Anderson, Barbara Dennerlein, John Scofield, T. S. Monk, Mario Pavone, and Chet Baker. As leader he released four albums.

Thomas Tedesco

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On November 10, 1997, Thomas J. Tedesco died aged 67. He was a musician (guitar), part of the loose collective of Los Angeles area’s session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. As he played on hundreds studio recordings, “Guitar Player” magazine described him as “the most recorded guitarist in music history”. He recorded with the Beach Boys, Chet Baker, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, the Association, Bobby Darrin, Barbra Streisand, Jan and Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Ricky Nelson, Cher, Neil Diamond, Van Dyke Parks, Michael Franks, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, Peggy Lee, Johnny Rivers, Al Kooper, Michael Nesmith, Paul Anka, Don Ellis, Minnie Riperton, Maria Muldaur, Leon Russell, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, J.J. Cale, Quincy Jones, Stephen Bishop, Kenny Loggins, Jack Nitzsche, Sarah Vaughan, Lalo Schifrin, Randy Newman, Hugh Masakela, and Joan Baez. Tedesco performed on soundtracks including The French Connection, Jaws, The Godfather, Field of Dreams, and The Deer Hunter. As a leader he released ten albums.

Lawrence Knechtel

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On August 20, 2009, Lawrence William Knechtel died aged 69. He was a musician (keyboards, bass), a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles-based session musicians, and the band Bread. He recorded with big number of renowned artists including Elvis Presley, The Byrds, Barbra Streisand, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Cher, Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees, the Partridge Family, Paul Simon, Chet Baker, Jerry Garcia, Dave mason, Nancy Sinatra, Howard Roberts, Thelma Houston, Glen Campbell, Peter Allen, Barry Mann, Lalo Schifrin, Jimmy Webb, José Feliciano, Jackie DeShannon, Brian Cadd, Bobby Darin, Art Garfunkel, Stephen Bishop, David Clayton-Thomas, Billy Joel, Barry McGuire, Paul Young, Dolly Parton, Al Kooper, Johnny Rivers, John Denver, Chet Atkins, Helen Reddy, Joan Baez, Alen Roth, and Neil Diamond. Knechtel released two solo albums.

Chet Baker & Art Pepper: Playboys

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On December 2, 1956, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Playboys”, album by Chet Baker and Art Pepper. It was recorded in October 1956, at “Radio Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker— trumpet
  • Art Pepper— alto saxophone
  • Phil Urso— tenor saxophone
  • Carl Perkins— piano
  • Curtis Counce— bass
  • Larance Marable— drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Heath except where noted.

  1. For Minors Only
  2. Minor-Yours – Art Pepper
  3. Resonant Emotions
  4. Tynan Tyme – Art Pepper
  5. Picture of Heath
  6. For Miles and Miles
  7. T.A.

Chet Baker: Chet Baker Sings

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In April 1954, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Chet Baker Sings”, the ninth  Chet Baker album and his debut vocal album. It was recorded on February 15, 1954, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Chet Baker- vocals, trumpet
  • Russ Freeman- piano, celesta
  • Carson Smith- double bass
  • Joe Mondragon- double bass
  • Bob Neel – drums
  • Jimmy Bond – double bass
  • Larance Marable- drums
  • Peter Littman – drums
  • Gerald Heard – liner notes
  • William Claxton– photography

Track listing:

  1. But Not for Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  2. Time After Time – Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
  3. My Funny Valentine – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  4. I Fall in Love Too Easily – Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
  5. There Will Never Be Another You – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
  6. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes) – Hoagy Carmichael
  7. The Thrill is Gone – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
  8. Look for the Silver Lining – Jerome Kern, Buddy DeSylva

Barney Kessel

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On May 6, 2004, Barney Kessel died aged 80. He was musician (guitar), noted for his inversions and chord-based melodies. In his successful solo career he has recorded 31 album as a leader, was member of the group of session musicians  The Wrecking Crew, and has performed with many famous musicians including Georgie Auld, Chet Baker, Louis Bellson, Benny Carter, Buddy Collette, Harry Edison, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Hampton Hawes, Woody Herman, Billie Holiday, Milt Jackson, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Oliver Nelson, Anita O’Day, Art Pepper, Zoot Sims, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Rollins and Pete Rugolo.