Chet Baker - BEST OF SINGS - [CD]

Chet Baker's trumpet and vocal approach is immediately recognizable and striking, especially in his prime. He was known for his clear tone, reflective and subdued style, soft volume and careful, restrained approach in his choices of notes for melodic sequences. He played in an army of bands before working briefly with Charlie Parker in 1952. Baker's voice on this recording clings to the melody, threatening to disintegrate at any moment. Many of his best tunes-"I Fall in Love Too Easily," "But Not for Me," "Let's Get Lost"-are collected here, and as such, there is no better place to begin an appreciation of Baker's unique singing. Once Chet Baker arrived in California from his native Oklahoma, his career exploded. After landing gigs with Charlie Parker and Gerry Mulligan, Baker soon found himself a solo star and bandleader. Not long after that, he also found himself whispering love songs into a microphone. Baker was not gifted with the most robust voice of the day. Indeed, listening to pure singers like Nat King Cole or Johnny Hartman can expose Baker's weaknesses, but what Baker did he did well. By choosing wistful, so-young, so-in-love tunes, Baker was able to pour his heart into the material, sketching soft, romantic moods and painting himself as the broken-hearted innocent. The effect can be devastating, as Baker's voice clings to the melody, threatening to disintegrate at any moment. Many of his best tunes--"I Fall in Love Too Easily", "But Not for Me", "Let's Get Lost"--are collected here, and, as such, there is no better place to begin an appreciation of Baker's unique singing. --S. Duda