Chet... Of interest

[A.N.A.Mendez]

While in Italy the city of Lucca.... We walked by this prison many times. Just got this story !


Dear Jane
Today you should play this playlist while you read this Advent newsletter.

I am sure you will recognize the sound of these popular Christmas songs, but if you listen carefully you will also realize that the trumpet is predominant. It’s Chet Baker playing.

Born 1929 in Yale, Oklahoma. He was a self-taught jazz player and singer.

When he was about 30 years old, he escaped the States after a period of detention for drug posession and abuse.

He arrived first in Germany and later he moved to Italy. Milan first for a sleep therapy to detox, but in July 1960 he played for the first time at La Bussola, a very famous club in Viareggio (Lucca).

He had his own personal style to play the trumpet, he did not have the typical musician postures. He just seemed so natural and cool. He had that beautiful and damned look.

People used to say: “He is the only white man around who can compete with black men”.

Unfortunately his drug addiction continued. He was found collapsed in the restroom of a gas station and despite the help of a Lucchese doctor and jazz lover, he got arrested and convicted.

He spent 16 months at the Saint George jail (the one you can see from the walls) and maybe it is real or maybe not, but the judge allowed him to play his trumpet 5 minutes twice a day.

At sunset, it became a regular appointment for the Lucchese people to gather up on the walls to listen to this pied piper.

Henghel Gualdi, one of the best clarinetist of all time, came with four more musicians on Christmas night for a concert/jam session with Chet Baker.

The police came to arrest everybody, but apparently they did not do it because such a beautiful music.

A
_________________
"There is no necessity for deadly strife" A. Lincoln 1860

☛ "No matter how cynical you get, it's never enough to keep up" Lily Tomlin☚

[kehaulani]

Is there a Link to the songs you refer to? The rest is public record. Thanks.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[A.N.A.Mendez]

https://youtu.be/PXPa4w_KP9M?feature=shared
_________________
"There is no necessity for deadly strife" A. Lincoln 1860

☛ "No matter how cynical you get, it's never enough to keep up" Lily Tomlin☚

[kehaulani]

Thank you.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]

Moving.

Too bad there isn't someone in his league and style, today.
Feeling ... not just notes.

R del Fra on bass ... excellent.

Why, oh why, did Van Morrison get up there and "sing"? Ugh.
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Sub-Optimal Hillbilly Jazz