Chet Baker
(1929-1988)

Died aged 58

The music of Chet Baker is characterised by a cool, ‘West Coast’ aesthetic.The jazz trumpeter possessed a seemingly innate melodic ability; certainly, at his best every phrase sounds utterly natural.A foray into singing saw his popularity crossover into the mainstream, including movies, no doubt helped by record labels sensing a marketing opportunity in his striking looks.However, he was beset by personal problems and addiction, spending time in prison before his mysterious and untimely death in 1988.That said, he had experienced something of a musical renaissance prior to this, with aficionados rating some of his later European work alongside his classic early recordings with Gerry Mulligan’s influential chordless group, his own quartet featuring Russ Freeman, and the live takes with the great Charlie Parker.

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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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