Chet Baker

Bobthebuilder · January 8, 2024, 12:40pm

Chet’s next release ‘Two In a Day’ according to the sleeve notes was actually recorded in 1978 but wasn’t Mixed until December 8th, 1979 at Studios Davout, Paris which also threw my time line a bit, the slightly chaotic nature this thread is taking perfectly reflects Chet’s career and personal life at the time.

Chet went into the Studio “Le Chateau”, Hérouville on December 29th 1978 accompanied by the brilliant pianist Phil Markowitz, Belgian bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse and Jeff Brillinger on drums and recorded in my opinion a hidden gem Chet’s vocals and trumpet playing are as good as it gets and the backing band too are at times incredibly good. The version of ‘This is Always’ is to die for.

Bobthebuilder · January 8, 2024, 12:52pm

Chet Baker - Two In a Day, All Life (1979)

A1 Two A Day
Written-By – Chet Baker
3:30
A2 Blue Room
Written-By – Hart, Rodgers*
7:50
A3 If I Should Lose You
Written-By – Robin*, Rainger*
6:58
B1 This Is Always
Written-By – Warren*, Gordon*
9:14
B2 The Best Thing For You Is Me
Written-By – I. Berlin*

Bass – Jean-Louis Rassinfosse
Drums – Jeff Brillinger
Piano – Phil Markowitz
Trumpet, Vocals – Chet Baker

Recorded at “Le Chateau”, Hérouville on December 29th 1978
Mixed at Studios Davout, Paris, December 8th 1979

Bobthebuilder · January 8, 2024, 12:53pm

Bobthebuilder · January 9, 2024, 1:19pm

Recorded in April & November 1979 and then rediscovered in time for the first RSD release of 2023 are the VARA Studio Sessions recorded in VARA Studio 2, Hilversum, the Netherlands. Released as Blue Room these two sets of recordings where remastered by Bernie Grundman and released on the Jazz Detective label.

A very rare find and rarer still that it’s such incredible quality usually these ‘hidden gems’ aren’t great and are just collector curios but this is a first rate addition to Chet’s catalogue.

Bobthebuilder · January 9, 2024, 9:51pm

Chet Baker – Blue Room (The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions In Holland), Jazz Detective (2023)

Tracklist
A1. Beautiful Black Eyes - Written By L. McConnell & W. Shorter

A2. Oh, You Crazy Moon - Written By J. Burke, J. Van Heusen

A3. The Best Thing For You - Written By Irving. Berlin

B1. Blue Room - Written By R. Rodgers, L. Hart

B2. Down - Written By M. Davis

C1. Blue Gilles - Written-By – C. Baker

C2. Nardis - Written By [M. Davis

D1. Candy - Written By Alex-Kramer, J. Whitney, David

D2. Luscious Lou - Written By Phil-Urso

D3. My Ideal - Written By Written By L Robin, N. Chase, R. Whiting

D4. Old Devil Moon - Written By B. Lane, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg

Bass – Jean-Louis-Rassinfosse)(tracks: A1 to C2), Victor-Kaihatu (tracks: D1 to D4)
Drums – Charles-Rice (tracks: A1 to C2), Eric-Ineke (tracks: D1 to D4)
Piano – Frans-Elsen (tracks: D1 to D4), Phil-Markowitz, (tracks: A1 to C2)
Trumpet, Vocals – Chet Baker

Sides A-C: Recorded on April 10, 1979 at VARA Studio 2, Hilversum, the Netherlands
Side D: Recorded on November 9, 1979 at VARA Studio 2, Hilversum, the Netherlands

Bobthebuilder · January 9, 2024, 9:52pm

Bobthebuilder · January 9, 2024, 10:56pm

Chet went into the studio again in November 1979 this time in Brussels with an American, Belgian Sextet consisting of Belgians, Steve Houben on Alto and Bruno Castellucci on drums and Americans Kermit Driscoll on bass, Dennis Luxion on piano, Bill Frisell on guitar who would within a year or two begin to find international fame on the ECM label and of course Chet.

Again the tunes where picked with Chet in mind and in general followed a familiar pattern but the musicians along with the sound engineer Allan Meyerson elevate the two Chet vocal tracks This is Always and Deep In a Dream into something very special indeed.

Ian · January 10, 2024, 9:40am

Bobthebuilder · January 10, 2024, 1:07pm

Thanks Ian I have the French Carrere copy from 1984 I’ll take some photos later.

Chet always sounds great with a backing guitarist.

Bobthebuilder · January 13, 2024, 3:29pm

Bobthebuilder · January 13, 2024, 10:33pm

Also in November 1979 Chet went into the Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik in Stuttgart, Germany with Wolfgang Lackerschmid and expanded on their Ballads for Two record by adding Larrry Coryell, Buster & Tony Williams.

They put down 6 tracks all of which apart from Jimmy Van Heusen’s ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’ where written by members of the band. For me the material didn’t suit Chet or Wolfgang and to be honest it’s not a record I listen too which is a shame because it’s an excellent line up.

Bobthebuilder · January 13, 2024, 10:43pm

Chet Baker, Wolfgang Lackerschmid Feat. Larry Coryell, Buster Williams & Tony Williams , Sandra Music Productions (1980)

Tracklist
A1. Mr. Biko - Written-By Tony Williams

A2. Balzwaltz - Written-By Wolfgang Lackerschmid

A3. The Latin One - Written-By Larry Coryell

B1. Rue Gregoire Du Tour - Written-By Larry Coryell

B2. Here’s That Rainy Day - Written-By Jimmy Van Heusen

B3. Toku Do - Written-By Buster Williams

Bass – Buster Williams
Drums – Tony Williams
Guitar – Larry Coryell
Trumpet – Chet Baker
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Wolfgang Lackerschmid

Recorded November 1979 at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik, Stuttgart, Germany.

Bobthebuilder · January 15, 2024, 9:42pm

Moving into 1980 Chet continues where he left off with lots of live gigs around Europe but his record releases are few and far between first up ‘In Your Own Sweet Way’ on German label Circle Records was a live recording at the Subway Club, Cologne, Germany on March 22nd then his run of dates at “Le Dreher” in Paris in June produced 3 records also on Circle Records, 'Live in Paris - Night Bird released in 1980, Live in Paris - Tune Up in 1981 and ‘It Never Entered My Mind’ in 1990.

None of the Circle Records releases including ‘Just Friends’ from the Cologne date which I don’t own are Chet’s best work producing only sporadic moments of quality and neither are they anything other than average sounding recordings.

The successes of 1979 as was usually the case led to Chet’s use of Opiates increasing and these Circle Recordings where a means to end to pay for drugs. Al Levit who played drums on the
‘Le Dreher’ recordings said later that Chet never told the band he’d been paid for the recordings and even lied on the night telling the band that the microphones placed around the stage where there for a test recording it was only when back in New York that Levit discovered the truth after picking up a copy of ‘Night Bird’ in a record shop.

Angry at the poorly recorded record Levit wrote angry letters to both Chet and Circle Records owner Rudolph Kreis who in turn sent Levit a copy of the contract Chet had signed on 26th June, 1980 the day of the concert Kreis also stated Chet had received a one off payment in cash and had promised to pay the band himself. Chet never replied to Levit’s letter.

Bobthebuilder · January 15, 2024, 9:56pm

Chet Baker - In Your Own Sweet Way, Circle Records (1983)

Tracklist
A1. Intro By Chet Baker

A2. No Ties - Written-By Russ Freeman]

B1. In Your Own Sweet Way - Written-By Dave Brubeck

B2. Old Devil Moon - Written-By Burton-Lane, E.Y. Harburg

Bass – Ricardo Del Fra
Flute – Nicola Stilo
Piano – Dennis Luxion
Trumpet – Chet Baker

Recorded 22nd. March, 1980, live at the Subway Club, Cologne, Germany.

Bobthebuilder · January 15, 2024, 10:04pm

During Chet’s two week run at ‘Le Dreher’ French film producer Leon Terjanian made a recording ‘An Evening With Chet Baker’ in it you can see an underwhelming Chet held up by an excellent band.

It was sometimes the case during this period that an under par Chet Baker was carried along by a list of excellent and mostly young group of Jazz musicians whose payment was usually the pleasure of playing with Chet plus a few dollars or Francs or Guilders.