The Music of Chet Baker - a complete Discography

Hi Folks,
I'm compiling a Chet's discography that also includes unreleased recording!
a huge job, because Baker was one of the most active musicians on the stage throughout Europe.
I have collected about fifty of them, to date, of different quality, but all of which present at least one effective match: the discography of Thorbjørn Sjøgren, newspaper articles, videos or even the presentation of the group by Chet Baker himself...

I've started cataloging my recordings here on Discogs as well
https://www.discogs.com/lists/Chet-Bakers-Lost-Tracks-_-for-an-complete-Discography/527150

if you are interested, if you also have unpublished gigs and want to exchange them, but also if you have only information and/or photographs of Chet on stage, posters, tickets or advertisements, you can contact me, please and I'll be forever grateful.

XXX
Mr. J

Hello,
Anyone interested in this research and exchange project?

:(

You might want to go to a jazz website and/or find a jazz historian who has also done some research on Chet if you can't find anyone with the information you're seeking on Discogs. Good luck! P.S. One good place to start is Jstor. Sign up, find an article on Chet, find the writer, who is probably an educator still teaching.

MasonRye
One good place to start is Jstor

Thank You so much MasonRye!

I just connected in this website and there are thousands of articles under the tag #chetbaker...
most are already published articles by many important authors, that I've already read such as Mike Zwerin or Ted Gioia, but also degree theses or excerpts from books, such as Doug Ramsey or "our" Vittorio Castelli.
Who knows if they will give credit to a "little aficionados" like me...

No reference, for now, to his Discography/Sessionography but I have always known that his "second period" (1974/1988) is more interesting for Europeans fan than for american jazzfans... will this be true?

Thanks once again, mate!

New add on Lost Tracks list!!!
https://www.discogs.com/it/lists/Chet-Bakers-Lost-Tracks-_-for-an-complete-Discography/527150

Where should a new Chet listener start?

cratediggerVT
Where should a new Chet listener start?

Hey Paul,
this is a good question, but the "correct" answer is worth a million dollars :)

almost forty years of music played every day and an endless, and very confusing, discography... I've cataloged almost 200 official recordings on my shelves and over fifty unreleased tapes - gosch! - but I'll try to give you my suggestion, gladly.

logically, many jazz aficionados prefer a chronological listening but, in my case, I got to know Chet's music starting from his last years. Anyway, we could define two great recordings periods:
the first, which goes from 1950 to 1965 and
the second, from 1974 to 1988

that said, and reducing the recommendations to a dozen fundamental albums, this is my suggestions list:

1. the partnership with Mulligan is an obligatory step; this is the most complete (but not cheap) The Original Gerry Mulligan Quartet* And Tentette* With Chet Baker - The Complete Pacific Jazz And Capitol Recordings Of The Original Gerry Mulligan Quartet And Tentette With Chet Baker
and these are good alternatives Gerry Mulligan - The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings Of The Gerry Mulligan Quartet With Chet Baker or The Original Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan Quartet* - The Original Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan Quartet: Complete Recordings

2. to hear Chet's solo trumpet instead - and also a good part of the young singer Chet - the best quartet of those years is The Chet Baker Quartet* With Russ Freeman - The Complete Pacific Jazz Studio Recordings Of The Chet Baker Quartet With Russ Freeman

3. his first "European" period with an exceptional partner, such as Dick Twardzik at the piano, cannot be missed: here, in it's complete edition Chet Baker - In Paris: The Complete 1955-1956 Barclay Sessions or in good alternative Chet Baker - In Paris (A Selection Of The Legendary Barclay Sessions 1955-1956)

4. at this point, I think it is appropriate to "taste" some Chet boppers, because he was, briefly (with Phil Urso, Bobby Timmons and also with Johnny Griffin); however, to remain in the dozen recommended titles, you can choose one at random:
Chet Baker & Crew Featuring Phil Urso & Bobby Timmons - At The Forum Theatre: Complete Recordings or
Chet Baker & Art Pepper - Playboys or
Chet Baker - In New York

5. I close the first block with a recording made in the RCA studios in Rome (with Ennio Morricone as "cameo"): Chet Baker Sextet - Chet Is Back!; but there would be many others that deserve attention up to that 1965 (e.g. I'm fall in love for Chet Baker - Baby Breeze)

6. the second period can only begin with Chet Baker - She Was Too Good To Me: Paul Desmond, Ron Carter, Jack DeJonnette... a great comeback despite Don Sebesky

XXX. I would ask you don't count this title, but to consider it, as well as for the presence of names like John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Tony Williams and Ron Carter once again, above all because in this session Chet recording "Love for Sale" for the first time Chet Baker - You Can't Go Home Again

7. the recordings with Phil Markowitz at the piano is the equivalent of that with Dick Twardzik; you choose one and everything will be fine, eg Chet Baker Quartet Featuring Phil Markowitz - Live At Nick's or Chet Baker - Broken Wing or Chet Baker - Oh You Crazy Moon

8. even with the Danish label SteepleChase it seems that Chet has only had "good days"; I love the ones in Trio, but you take it easy, you can't go wrong: Chet Baker Trio - This Is Always or Chet Baker Trio - Someday My Prince Will Come or Chet Baker Trio - Live In Montmartre Vol. 1 and again Chet Baker - The Touch Of Your Lips or Chet Baker Quartet - No Problem

9. if you enjoyed Chet's singing from the 1950s, you will surely enjoy the best vocal performances of his later years as well: Chet Baker - As Time Goes By or Chet Baker - Cool Cat

10. two wonderful albums have been released from Chet's last tour in Japan, unforgettable... Chet Baker - Memories - In Tokyo and Chet Baker - Four - Chet Baker In Tokyo

11. among the last recordings by Chet Baker, there are these with Orchestra (NDR Big Band or Rundfunkorchester Hannover) from April 28th, 1988, with a Chet in great shape Chet Baker - The Last Great Concert - My Favourite Songs Vol. 1 & 2

the last suggestion as a Bonus Tracks, come from 1980 and it's quite difficult to find: Chet Baker - Leaving, but it's just to tell you that all the recordings in which Chet is accompanied by Riccardo Del Fra's Bass deserve to be listened; this is a good alternative Chet Baker Trio - Live In Paris: The Radio France Recordings 1983-1984

Enjoy the Music and let's keep in touch,
ciao!

Wow, that's a lot of music. Time to start down the Rabbit hole.

cratediggerVT
that's a lot of music

this is true :))
good luck and enjoy the Music!