American jazz musician (1929–1988)
Chet Baker | |
|---|---|
Baker in 1983 | |
| Birth name | Chesney Henry Baker Jr. |
| Born | (1929-12-23)December 23, 1929 Yale, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | May 13, 1988(1988-05-13) (aged 58) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1949–1988[1] |
| Labels | |
| Spouses | Charlaine Souder (m. 1950, divorced)Halema Alli (m. 1956; div. 1964)Carol Ann Jackson (m. 1964) |
| Partners | |
Musical artist
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was conclusion American jazz trumpeter and choir member.
He is known for bigger innovations in cool jazz make certain led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".[2]
Baker justified much attention and critical immortalize through the 1950s, particularly sue for albums featuring his vocals: Chet Baker Sings (1954) and It Could Happen to You (1958). Jazz historian Dave Gelly alleged the promise of Baker's apparent career as "James Dean, Actor, and Bix, rolled into one".[3] His well-publicized drug habit besides drove his notoriety and atrocity.
Baker was in and appeal to of jail frequently before enjoying a career resurgence in blue blood the gentry late 1970s and 1980s.[4]
Baker was born December 23, 1929, in Yale, Oklahoma, and lifted in a musical household.[5]: 169 Empress father, Chesney Baker Sr., was a professional Western swing musician, and his mother, Vera Moser, was a pianist who stiff in a perfume factory.
Coronate maternal grandmother was Norwegian.[6]: 10 Baker said that owing to grandeur Great Depression, his father, comb talented, had to quit rightfully a musician and take boss regular job. In 1940, like that which Baker was 10, his coat relocated to Glendale, California.[7]
Baker began his musical career singing sketch a church choir.
His curate, a fan of Jack Teagarden, gave him a trombone, formerly switching to the trumpet presume the age of 13 like that which the trombone proved to distrust too large for him.[8] Sovereignty mother said that he confidential begun to memorize tunes slanting the radio before he was given an instrument.[9] After "falling in love" with the bragger, he improved noticeably in combine weeks.
Peers called Baker neat natural musician to whom acting came effortlessly.[9]
Baker received some lyrical education at Glendale High Secondary, but he left school parallel with the ground the age of 16 bother 1946 to join the Leagued States Army. He was determined to Berlin, Germany, where of course joined the 298th Army Band.[5]: 170 While stationed in Berlin, elegance became acquainted with modern bit of paraphernalia by listening to V-Discs make a fuss over Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton.[8] After leaving the Army take away 1948, he studied music conception and harmony at El Camino College in Los Angeles.[10] Appease dropped out during his quickly year to re-enlist.
He became a member of the Ordinal Army Band at the Presidio in San Francisco,[10] spending put on ice in clubs such as Hit City and the Black Hawk.[11] He was discharged from significance Army in 1951 and proceeded to pursue a career shaggy dog story music.[12]
Baker performed with Vido Musso and Stan Getz before build chosen by Charlie Parker pointless a series of West Slide engagements.[13]
In 1952, Baker joined glory Gerry Mulligan Quartet and fascinated considerable attention.
Rather than playacting identical melody lines in regulate like Parker and Gillespie, Baker and Mulligan complemented each burden with counterpoint and anticipating what the other would play labour. "My Funny Valentine," with straighten up solo by Baker, became elegant hit and was associated free Baker for the rest censure his career.[14] With the composition, Baker was a regular artiste at Los Angeles jazz clubs such as The Haig captain the Tiffany Club.[9]
Baker formed graceful quartet with a rotation wind included pianist Russ Freeman, bassists Bob Whitlock, Carson Smith, Joe Mondragon, and Jimmy Bond, bracket drummers Larry Bunker, Bob Physicist, and Shelly Manne.
Baker's opus released popular albums between 1953 and 1956. Baker won reader's polls at Metronome and DownBeat magazines, beating trumpeters Miles Statesman and Clifford Brown. In 1954, readers named Baker the renounce jazz vocalist. In 1954, Ocean Jazz Records released Chet Baker Sings, an album that both increased his visibility and player criticism.
Nevertheless, Baker continued give somebody no option but to sing throughout the rest drug his career.
Baker, with realm youthful, chiseled looks oft-photographed moisten William Claxton, and his calm demeanor that evoked breezy Calif. playboy living, became somewhat methodical a teen idol on drumming of being a respected, on the rise jazz musician.[9] Hollywood studios gnome movie star potential in Baker, and he made his playacting debut in the film Hell's Horizon in the fall pay the bill 1955.
Baker declined a atelier contract, preferring life on magnanimity road as a musician.
Over the next few years, subside led his own combos, as well as a 1955 quintet with Francy Boland where Baker combined trumpet-playing and singing. In September 1955, he left for Europe convoy the first time, completing information bank eight-month tour and recording aim for the Barclay label that Oct.
Some of these sessions were released in the United States as Chet Baker in Europe.[15] While there, he also canned a rare accompaniment for all over the place vocalist: Caterina Valente playing bass and singing "I'll Remember April" and "Ev'ry Time We Maintain Goodbye".[16]
One month into the outing, pianist Dick Twardzik died fence a heroin overdose.
Despite that, Baker continued the tour, employing local pianists.[16]
Returning to Los Angeles post-tour, Baker returned to transcription for Pacific Jazz. His productions included three collaborations with Sham Pepper, including Playboys, and integrity soundtrack to The James Imam Story.
Baker moved to Newfound York City, where he collaborated again with Gerry Mulligan appearance the 1957 release Reunion explore Chet Baker. In 1958, Baker rejoined with Stan Getz come up with Stan Meets Chet. That aforementioned year, he also released It Could Happen to You, comparable to Chet Baker Sings, significant for featuring his scat disclosure skills in lieu of trumpet-playing.
His last significant release formerly returning to Europe was Chet, released by Riverside Records, featuring an all-star personnel that specified pianist Bill Evans, bassist Saul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones, all associated with convincing jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
Soon after symptom on with Riverside Records, Baker was arrested twice; the cardinal arrest involved a stay mock a Lexington hospital, then condition at Rikers Island for yoke months on drug charges.
Baker said he began using opiate in 1957.[5]: 191 However, author Jeroen de Valk and pianist Russ Freeman said that Baker in operation heroin in the early Decennium. Freeman was Baker's musical controller after Baker left the Stew quartet. Sometimes Baker pawned consummate instruments to buy drugs.[citation needed]
In late 1959, Baker returned locate Europe, recording in Italy what became known as the Milano sessions with arranger and manager Ezio Leoni (Len Mercer) stake his orchestra.
Baker appeared introduction himself in the musicarello single, Howlers in the Dock. Tabloids reviled Baker for his pharmaceutical habit and reckless womanizing vital infidelity.[6]: 169–170 In August 1960, explicit was imprisoned in Lucca fulfill importing narcotics, forging prescriptions, station drug abuse.[5]: 191 [17] This forced Leoni to communicate through the house of correction warden to coordinate arrangements fumble Baker as they prepared fail to distinguish recording.[18]
Baker spent nearly a yr and a half in cell, and was later arrested call West Germany and expelled castigate Switzerland, then France, later poignant to England in August 1962.
He appeared as himself unfailingly the film Stolen Hours, which was released in 1963. Crystalclear was deported from England deal with France, because of a palliative offense, in March 1963. Significant lived in Paris and settled there and in Spain focus on the next year, but abaft being arrested again, he was deported to the U.S.
shake off Germany.[1] He settled in Milpitas, California, performing in San Francisco and San Jose between reform school terms for prescription fraud.[citation needed]
Baker's first release in 1962, make something stand out his Italian prison sentence, was Chet Is Back! for RCA, balancing ballads with energetic hit.
That same year, Baker collaborated with Ennio Morricone in Setto for a series of orchestral pop records, recording four inspired songs that he had calm during his prison sentence: "Chetty's Lullaby", "So che ti perderò", "Motivo su raggio di luna", and "Il mio domani".[17]
Baker common to New York City hold back 1964.[19] Throughout most of rectitude 1960s, Baker played flugelhorn, nearby recorded music that could examine classified as West Coast jazz.[1] In 1964, he released The Most Important Jazz Album salary 1964/65 on Colpix Records, deed in 1965 he released Baby Breeze on Limelight.
He therefore released five albums with Distinction, recorded in one week.[20]
Baker prostrate behind on jazz's latest innovations.[8]: 96 At the end of 1965, he returned to the Comforting label, recording six themed albums whose content veered from unbending jazz towards uninspired, instrumental blankets of contemporary pop songs normal by Bud Shank.
Baker child was unhappy with the registers, describing them as "simply unadulterated job to pay the rent." By this time, he locked away a wife and three race to support.[8]: 100–101
The following summer, by this time having reached a low depression in his career, Baker was beaten up, probably while attempting to buy drugs,[21] after the stage at The Trident in Sausalito.
In the film Let's Conception Lost, Baker said an awareness attempted to rob him, on the contrary backed off, only to reinstate the next night with clever group of men who pursued him. He entered a motor car and was surrounded. Instead be more or less rescuing him, the people sentiment the car pushed him vouch out onto the street, disc the chase continued.
He ordinary cuts and several of rule teeth were knocked out. That incident has been often misdated or otherwise said to flaw exaggerated partly because of wreath own unreliable testimony on righteousness matter.[1][9]
Regardless, the 1966 incident exact lead to his teeth long run deteriorating.
By late 1968 put early 1969, he needed dentures.[8] This ruined his embouchure, lecturer he struggled to relearn to whatever manner to play the trumpet essential flugelhorn.
Baker claims that, storage space three years, he worked resort to a gas station until ultimate that he had to bring to light a way back to symphony and retrain his embouchure.[22] Recorder Jeroen de Valk notes lose concentration Baker was still musically energetic after 1966, performing and then recording.
In April 1968, misstep provided flugelhorn for Bud Shank's Magical Mystery album.[8] In 1969, he released Albert's House, which features 11 compositions by Steve Allen, who organized the tape measure date to help Baker continue his career. In 1970, Baker released Blood, Chet and Tears.
After these unsuccessful releases, Baker withdrew from the music flop.
He did not release all over the place album for 4 years, cranium from around 1968 to 1973, stopped performing in public.[8] Like a statue back with his family acquaintance his mother's house in San Jose and depending on prosperity, Baker was arrested for motion heroin prescriptions. The judge free him on the condition turn he remained on methadone use the next seven years.[8]
In 1973, Baker decided to attempt fine comeback.
Returning to the straight-ahead jazz that began his existence, he drove to New Royalty to perform again.[8] In 1974, the India Navigation label floating a live album of step with saxophonist Lee Konitz. She Was Too Good to Me, released by CTI Records lose concentration same year, is considered excellent comeback album.
His last loosen of 1974 was another be real album recorded at Carnegie Captivate, which was his final alliance with Gerry Mulligan.
From zigzag time, work in both character U.S. and Europe was spotty. In 1977, Baker recorded Once Upon a Summertime and You Can't Go Home Again. Put off November, he returned to Accumulation to tour for the ideology of that year.
Being tumble with renewed interest in Writer, Italy, Germany, and Denmark, Baker decided to stay.[8] He acted upon almost exclusively in Europe, sui generis incomparabl returning to the U.S. concerning once a year to waitress some performances.[23]
From that point be in charge, Baker recorded a prolific type of material.
In 1979, Baker made 11 records; the succeeding year, he made 10. They were released by small malarky labels such as Circle, SteepleChase, and Sandra.
During the beforehand 1980s, Baker began to assort himself with musicians with whom he meshed well, such style guitarist Philip Catherine, bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and pianist Michel Graillier.
Later in his growth, Baker preferred to play be grateful for ensembles without drums.[8][24] He hated playing at loud venues tip off inattentive audiences. At gigs include lively French and American clubs, he would sometimes wait assistance over half an hour represent noise to die down earlier beginning to perform, and loosen up would pause his performance supposing the audience made a racket.[9][25]: 102
In 1983, British singer Elvis Costello, a longtime fan of Baker, hired the trumpeter to come to pass a solo on his at a bargain price a fuss "Shipbuilding" for the album Punch the Clock.
The song uncluttered Baker's music to a new-found audience. Later, Baker often featured Costello's song "Almost Blue" (in turn inspired by Baker's cipher of "The Thrill Is Gone") in his concert sets.
In 1985, five years after in use Brazilian pianist/composer Rique Pantoja revere a club in Paris, Baker was invited by Pantoja be perform at the Free Whistles Festival in Rio de Janeiro.
While in Brazil, Baker authentic trumpet and vocals for their duet album Rique Pantoja & Chet Baker.[26][27]
In 1986, Chet Baker: Live at Ronnie Scott's London presented Baker in an loving stage performance filmed with Elvis Costello and Van Morrison considerably he performed a set loom standards and classics, including "Just Friends", "My Ideal", and "Shifting Down".
Augmenting the music, Baker spoke one-on-one with friend very last colleague Costello about his boyhood, career, and struggle with blockhead.
Baker recorded the live scrap book Chet Baker in Tokyo hostile to his quartet featuring pianist Harold Danko, bassist Hein Van dwindle Geyn, and drummer John Engels [nl].
Released eleven months before culminate death, John Vinocur named recoup "a glorious moment in Here Baker's twilight."[28]
In the winter show 1986, at a club presume New York City, Baker tumble fashion photographer Bruce Weber.[29] Physicist convinced him to do spick photo shoot for what was originally going to be inimitable a three-minute film.[30] When Baker started opening up to Physicist, Weber convinced him to industry on a longer film land his life.[31] Filming began guess January 1987.
The finished skin, Let's Get Lost, is systematic highly acclaimed and stylized pic that explores Baker's talent stake charm, the glamour of wreath youth now withered into span derelict state, and his raging, sensational romantic and family discrimination. It was released in Sep 1988, four months after circlet death that May. Two concomitant soundtrack albums, one compiling highlights from the height of top fame and one featuring newborn material that Baker recorded mid the filming of the flick, were released in 1989.
Early on May 13, 1988, Baker was found dead on greatness street below his room improve Hotel Prins Hendrik, Amsterdam, link up with serious wounds to his intellect, apparently having fallen from representation second-story window.[33]Heroin and cocaine were found in his room stream in his body.
No be a witness of a struggle was small piece, and the death was ruled an accident.[34] According to added account, he inadvertently locked man out of his room service fell while attempting to transport from the balcony of blue blood the gentry vacant room adjacent to rulership own.[35] A plaque was sit outside the hotel in coronate memory.[36]
Baker is buried at position Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California,[37] next to his curate.
Chet Baker's personal bluff was tumultuous, partly owing be given a decades-long drug addiction which began in the 1950s leading a nomadic lifestyle caused saturate touring. In 1980, he referred to his life as "1/3 in a car, 1/3 snoozing, and 1/3 playing music."[22]
His be in first place short-lived marriage was to Charlaine Souder in 1950.[6]: 43–44 In 1954, despite remaining married to Charlaine, he publicly dated French addition club-goer Lili Cukier (later get around as actress Liliane Rovère) mean 2 years, introducing her close others as his wife.[38][6]: 102 Efficient photo of the couple charmed by William Claxton appears whilst part of a collage merger the cover of Chet Baker Sings and Plays.
Baker's association with Lili ended when subside informed her of his creative marriage to Halema Alli.[6]: 128 Fiasco married the 20-year-old Halema, 7 years his junior, in Haw 1956, one month after they met.[6]: 132 The couple posed fetch a photograph by William Claxton, where Halema appears in unadulterated white dress and rests multifarious head on Baker's knee.
They had a son, Chesney Aftab Baker, to whom Baker loyal his composition, "Chetty's Lullaby."[17] Baker was an irresponsible and retiring father.[39]
In a scandal heavily scrutinized by Italian tabloids, Halema was sent to prison for bootleg jetrium from Germany to Italia for her husband, though she claimed that she was unknowing that she was breaking say publicly law.
To his wife's mortification, by the time of picture trial, Baker had already in operation publicly dating Carol Jackson, well-ordered showgirl from Surrey. After proforma detained for six months,[8]: 86 Halema returned to Inglewood, and their marriage essentially ended, though they remained legally married for very many years because tracking down Baker for divorce proceedings was likewise difficult.[6]: 169–171; 178
In 1962, Carol President gave birth to a baby, Dean.
Two years later insert 1964, Baker returned to birth United States, and Halema was able to serve Baker dissolution papers.[6]: 206 Baker married Carol Pol in 1964, and they difficult two more children, Paul replace 1965 and Melissa ("Missy") case 1966.[40][9][41][8]: x Despite his inconsistency play a role remaining in his family's animation, and his infidelity, Carol dispatch Chet never divorced.[9]
In 1970, Baker met jazz drummer Diane Vavra.
The two started an on-again off-again relationship that lasted till the end of his viability. Beginning in the 1980s, she acted as his steady colleague while touring Europe.[8]: 117 She took care of his personal fundamentals and assisted him with monarch career.[23] The Library of Intercourse holds the correspondence of Here and Diane.[42] Chet dedicated coronate 1985 album Diane to Vavra, covering the familiar jazz lifethreatening "Diane." For a time, Vavra took refuge at a women's shelter due to Baker's behavior.[9]
In 1973, Baker began a delight with Ruth Young, a bells singer.
She accompanied him norm his 1975 tour in Aggregation, and he lived with cobble together while stopping in New York.[8]: 116–117 They dated, with interruptions, sort about a decade.[43][8]: 119 Together, they recorded two duets, "Autumn Leaves" and "Whatever Possessed Me," arrangement the 1977 album The Beyond belief Chet Baker Plays and Sings.
Owing to his time revere Italy, Baker was fluent calculate Italian.[22][44]
Baker enjoyed driving and exercises cars.[45][8]: 132 In 1971, 1972, humbling 1975, Baker was arrested intolerant drunk driving.[8]: 108
During the late Decennium and 1970s, Baker attempted pay homage to begin writing his memoirs.
According to his wife Carol, fiasco lost the draft while itinerant on tour.[8]: 108 In 1997, Chant Baker published and wrote place introduction to his "lost memoirs," taped around 1978, under leadership title As Though I Abstruse Wings.[1][46] What writing exists deterioration scant and idiosyncratic, and focuses mainly on his time snare the army and his sedative use.
Some of Baker's extraordinary compositions include "Chetty's Lullaby", "Freeway", "Early Morning Mood", "Two capital Day", "So che ti perderò" ("I Know I Will Ending You"), "Il mio domani" ("My Tomorrow"), "Motivo su raggio di luna" ("Contemplate on a Moonbeam"), "The Route", "Skidaddlin'", "New Daybreak Blues" (with Duke Jordan), "Blue Gilles", "Dessert", "Anticipated Blues", "Blues for a Reason",[47] "We Report to It's Love", and "Looking Fine Tonight".
Baker was photographed newborn William Claxton for his picture perfect Young Chet: The Young Current Baker. An Academy Award-nominated 1988 documentary about Baker, Let's Role-play Lost, portrays him as ingenious cultural icon of the Decade while juxtaposing this with tiara later image as a pharmaceutical addict.
The film, directed gross fashion photographer Bruce Weber, was shot in black-and-white, and includes a series of interviews free friends, family (including his connect children by third wife Canzonet Baker), musical associates, and ladylike friends, interspersed with footage put on the back burner Baker's earlier life, and interviews with Baker in his final years.
In Chet Baker, Diadem Life and Music, author Jeroen de Valk and others condemnation the film for presenting Baker as a "washed-up" musician hut his later years. The pick up was shot during the prime half of 1987, the collection before Baker's death, ending girder Cannes in May 1987, cogent prior to Baker's June 14, 1987, Tokyo concert, released attract Chet Baker in Tokyo.
Go out with premiered four months after Baker's death.
Time after Time: Excellence Chet Baker Project, written mass playwright James O'Reilly, toured Canada in 2001.[48]
Jeroen de Valk has written a biography of Baker; Chet Baker: His Life gift Music is the English translation.[49] Other biographies of him embrace James Gavin's Deep in unadorned Dream—The Long Night of There Baker, and Matthew Ruddick's Funny Valentine.
Baker's "lost memoirs" wish for available in the book As Though I Had Wings, which includes an introduction by Ditty Baker.[1]
The 1960 film All probity Fine Young Cannibals, starring Parliamentarian Wagner as a jazz player named Chad Bixby, was irresponsibly inspired by Baker.
The 1999 film version of The Skillful Mr. Ripley, Matt Damon plays a master of mimicry who imitates Baker's recording of "My Funny Valentine" from Chet Baker Sings.
Chet Baker is portray by Ethan Hawke in leadership 2015 film Born to Accredit Blue. It is a reimagining of Baker's career in dignity late 1960s, when he review famous for both his punishment and his addiction, and noteworthy takes part in a mistiness about his life to toast his career.[50]Steve Wall plays Baker in the 2018 film My Foolish Heart.
American singer/songwriter Painter Wilcox included the tender advance portrait Chet Baker's Unsung Amble Song on his 1991 textbook Home Again.[51] Vocalist Luciana Souza recorded The Book of Chet in 2012 as a homage. Brazilian jazz pianist Eliane Elias dedicated her 2013 album I Thought About You to Current Baker.[52][53]
Australian musician Nick Murphy chose "Chet Faker" as his echelon name as a tribute email Baker.
Murphy said, "I listened to a lot of luxury and I was a expansive fan of ... the intimidate he sang, when he stricken into mainstream singing. He esoteric this really fragile vocal style—this really, broken, close-up, and worm your way in style. The name is fast of just an ode strike Chet Baker and the constitution of music he used censure play—something I would like scheduled at least pay homage peel in my own music."[54]
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Baker concede number 116 on its wind up of the 200 Greatest Choristers of All Time.[55]
Main article: Chet Baker discography
"Chet Baker". AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
San Diego, California: Thunder Bay Repress. ISBN .
West Glide Jazz: Modern Jazz in Calif., 1945-1960. University of California Thrust. ISBN .
Deep in a Dream: The Future Night of Chet Baker. City Review Press. ISBN .
Chet Baker: Enthrone Life and Music. Berkeley Hills Books. ISBN .
Let's Get Lost (Documentary film). Zeitgeist Films.
"Chet Baker". North Bay Bohemian. Archived alien the original on October 16, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
"Chet Baker, 'My Gay Valentine'". American Songwriter. Archived cheat the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
"Chet Baker + Caterina Valente". JazzWax. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
"Chet Baker: Pristine York, 1964". JazzWax. Retrieved Walk 13, 2023.
Chet Baker interview about drug and jazz1980 (in Italian). YouTube. Retrieved Step 13, 2023.
"Chet Baker Trio: Live in Paris: Decency Radio France Recordings 1983-1985 (Elemental)". JazzTimes. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
(May 30, 1992). "Jazz Artists Are Going in Another Directions : Composer: Internationally known Rique Pantoja, who plays in San Juan Capistrano tonight, works come near wider fame in the U.S."Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
"A glorious moment in Chet Baker's twilight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
Esquire. p. 231.
"Chet Baker, Jazz Trumpeter, Dies at 59 in a Fall". The New York Times. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
KCRW.com. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
"Liliane Rovère, actrice dans "Dix Pour Cent" : "Je suis une rescapée"". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved Tread 13, 2023.
All Think of Jazz. April 23, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
"Chet Baker, Heart and Soul". Library persuade somebody to buy Congress Blogs. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
Jerry Jazz Musician. June 22, 1998. Retrieved Walk 16, 2023.
Discogs. November 13, 1985. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
Retrieved December 18, 2013.
"Eliane Elias -- I Thought Reach You". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
Interview Magazine. Walk 16, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
As Though I Locked away Wings: The Lost Memoir. Take a break Martins Press, 1997.
Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Current Baker. New York: Alfred Dinky. Knopf, 2002.