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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 6:26 pm Post subject: Chet Baker |
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I just realized that Chet Baker died when he was 10 years younger than I am now. His trumpet playing has inspired me almost as much as Lee Morgan's.
Chet sure did change the way he played over the years. I love that early stuff with Russ Freeman. I miss Chet and Lee. I have their sounds in my head though.
For what it is worth I found this web page that claims to clear up what happened when Chet died. It is probably right, but who knows. It does not matter now.
I'm glad we have the recordings of Chet and Lee. |
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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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HERMOKIWI Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581
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Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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That's an interesting article and the first time I've ever heard it. Most people think that Chet just fell out of a window but according to the article that wasn't the case. Thanks for posting it.
Chet didn't die particularly young compared to other great trumpeters who did (Lee Morgan, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, etc.).
To me the greatest tragedy in terms of a great jazz trumpeter dying young was Clifford Brown. A kind, gentle, clean living man with unbelievable skill and talent. I consider Clifford to be one of the all time 4 most influential jazz trumpeters (Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis are the other 3). _________________ HERMOKIWI |
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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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That soft playing Chet did when he got older is something to behold.
I can get the great resonant sound playing loud. I need to work on getting it as soft as Chet played.
Gosh, he was only 58. |
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HERMOKIWI Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581
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Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 2:16 am Post subject: |
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To me Chet had a very distinctive sound and timing that can be difficult to reproduce. Sort of like Patsy Cline in the vocal world in terms of the timing and textures. It's very difficult to accurately imitate Chet's timing and textures. _________________ HERMOKIWI |
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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 2:36 am Post subject: |
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Chet's fall occurred at the Prinz Hendrik Hotel in Amsterdam. There's a placque on the front of the building which is not far from the main railroad station.
https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMHGNC_Chet_Baker__Amsterdam_Netherlands _________________ Jim Hatfield
"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus
2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle |
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GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 4:47 am Post subject: |
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so what wrote: | That soft playing Chet did when he got older is something to behold.
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For sure. I do an hour's practice at 5 am every morning. I live in my own home but there is a house on each side of mine and I didn't want to annoy the neighbors so I learned to play softly during my comeback in 2016. It's fun to open up with the Brass and Reed band I play with, but I play ballads in the afternoon and I always like playing them softly.
As for Chet, well he left us far too soon. _________________ GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 4:53 am Post subject: |
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Chet had great ears. A member of one of the Army bands he played with said “the first time through a tune he was the worst. The second, he was the best.”
Jack Sheldon said of Chet, “He always knew where he was in a tune. I’m never sure of where I am, even now.” _________________ Jim Hatfield
"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus
2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle |
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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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HERMOKIWI wrote: | To me Chet had a very distinctive sound and timing that can be difficult to reproduce. Sort of like Patsy Cline in the vocal world in terms of the timing and textures. It's very difficult to accurately imitate Chet's timing and textures. |
That's for sure. Chet's textures are truly wonderful. No one plays now like Old Chet did (although I am out of the loop of what is happening now for the most part).
Tonight, I listened to The Last Great Concert and Chet.
It is catching that the Last Great Concert had a big band with a trumpet section. They played well, like a big band trumpet section. Chet sounded like he was playing a totally different instrument.
Anyway, I love the way Chet played on these discs. If I had to pick one word to describe his playing it is wistful. It sounds like he has played these songs 10,000 times and still loves them. It sounds like he remembers playing them with the high energy he did earlier, but now, a lot later, he has distilled the song and he is playing the essence of it. The meaningful part. It is wonderful to listen to. I need to work on playing like this.
Also, it is interesting that the flute is a good instrument for getting that wistful character.
By the way , he has remarkable intonation. (So, does Lee Morgan, another one of my favorites.)
If you drink wine, you'll want to drink your oldest wine when you are listening to Chet on these recordings. Gosh, and I'm older than he ever got to be. Although I don't look as old as he did.
I don't know how these sessions were miked, but it sounds like the mike was right in Chet's bell. |
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king leopardi Veteran Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 278
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Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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I found the complete Prestige recordings he did in 1965 at Half Price Books a couple of weeks ago and am still listening to them. I particularly like "Lament for the Living".
Dave Brewer |
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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I've been listening to old Chet this week.
I never liked his singing much. But, now, I realized that his singing is the same way he play trumpet. No surprise, I guess. Anyway, I've now got a new appreciation for his singing and I appreciate a new nuance to his trumpet playing.
On the "Last Great Concert", it is amazing that All Blues seems like it was written for Chet. I love the way Miles played it, too. However, this is a song for Chet. It seems like it was written for Chet's mature wistful style.
The way Chet played seems to not be money making music. His younger days with Russ Freeman were better for that. Those are the songs that got me interested in Chet years ago. The older Chet is really growing on me. Beautiful stuff indeed.
Also, it is interesting to think about how Chet, as good and unique as he was, still had to hustle gigs anywhere he could just to make ends meet. Unless your are a pop tune winner, the music life is a tough one |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596
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Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 6:29 am Post subject: |
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In other recountings I've heard it was stated it wasn't known exactly what happened, that it was just assumed he was sitting in the window and passed out because he was high.
It seems odd that this story didn't come out at the time. You've supposedly got numerous people there and none of them spoke to the police or press? _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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blbaumgarn Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2017 Posts: 705
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Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:40 pm Post subject: Chet Baker |
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To me, as one who always admired him, there is one thing for certain no matter how anyone feels about how he lived, how he died, and all the in between. If you listened to Chet play and if you never had the advantage of seeing him play or seeing videos of him playing, this man had a "deep-deep soul." _________________ "There are two sides to a trumpeter's personality,
there is one that lives to lay waste to woodwinds and strings, leaving them lie blue and lifeless along a swath of destruction that is a
trumpeter's fury-then there is the dark side!" Irving Bush |
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GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:06 am Post subject: Re: Chet Baker |
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blbaumgarn wrote: | To me, as one who always admired him, there is one thing for certain no matter how anyone feels about how he lived, how he died, and all the in between. If you listened to Chet play and if you never had the advantage of seeing him play or seeing videos of him playing, this man had a "deep-deep soul." |
I couldn't agree more. _________________ GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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irememberchet Regular Member
Joined: 27 Sep 2006 Posts: 61 Location: Tecumseh, MI
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:08 am Post subject: Chet Baker |
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As my screen name suggests, I have a deep respect for Chet Baker.
His lyrical style, his beautiful phrasing, and his musicality have deeply influenced my own style and playing.
I listen to his great music, his trumpet and his singing, and love his sense of style and respect for the music he played.
I will always remember Chet. _________________ Richard Harris
Monette MF Prana
1940 Martin Handcraft Committee #3 Large Bore
Yamaha 8335 LA II Bergeron Custom
Yamaha 8340 EM Eric Miyashiro
Schilke Handcraft HC1
Taylor Phatboy Flugelhorn |
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Halflip Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1925 Location: WI
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 7:13 am Post subject: |
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I recall buying the album "Broken Wing" decades ago and listening to it for the first time in my car. I was particularly taken by Chet's rendition of "Oh You Crazy Moon". His scatting and trumpet playing were marvelously lyrical, and his choice of pivot notes as he navigated the changes was sublime.
I set the CD player on "repeat track" and just drove around for hours, basking in the sound. |
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Brent Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 1099 Location: St. Paul, MN
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 8:48 am Post subject: CB |
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Most people seem to like Chet's playing in the 50's - 60's. I actually like his playing from the 70's-80's better. His CTI records were fantastic, and I also liked a lot of his trio recordings. His live Tokyo concert from '87 is masterful.
To me, his later playing seemed to have more focus and direction. Purely a subjective observation.
Regarding his lifestyle and such, I have minimal interest in that. It was what it was.
Brent S _________________ Brent |
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Bill Ortiz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2007 Posts: 904
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:51 am Post subject: |
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I agree Brent, his CTI stuff was great, although I love all his stuff. I was fortunate to have been able to see him live once in the early 80's. He was inspiring.... _________________ '56 Martin Committee Deluxe #2 trumpet
14B Schilke mouthpiece
Couesnon Paris flugelhorn
Bob Reeves Sleeves and PVA |
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so what Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 617 Location: near Dallas
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Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2021 11:20 am Post subject: Re: CB |
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Brent wrote: | .... His live Tokyo concert from '87 is masterful. ..... |
It really is. There is some really great trumpet playing on there. |
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