ENDEIT
Chet Baker
Photo: Studio Harcourt., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Trumpeters · 1929–1988

Chet Baker

American jazz trumpeter and vocalist (1929-1988)

Born
23 December 1929
Yale
Died
13 May 1988
Amsterdam
Country
United States
Active
1949–1988
Record labels
Columbia Records, Enja Records, EmArcy Records, Pacific Jazz Records, Galaxy Records
Discography
137 albums

Biography

Chet Baker was a jazz musician who played trumpet, flugelhorn and voice. Chet Baker was born on 23 December 1929 in Yale and died on 13 May 1988 in Amsterdam. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Columbia Records, Enja Records, EmArcy Records and Pacific Jazz Records. The discography here lists 137 albums, from “Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman” (1953) to “Shine (Live at Teatro Estense, Ferrara, 1987)” (2026).

Chesney Henry 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.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman 1953 · Pacific Jazz Chet Baker & Strings 1954 · Columbia Chet Baker Sings 1954 · Pacific Jazz
Gerry Mulligan Quartet 1955
Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings 1955 · Pacific Jazz The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker 1955 · Pacific Jazz Playboys 1956 · World Pacific Quartet: Russ Freeman Chet Baker 1957 · Pacific Jazz Chet Baker in New York 1958 · Riverside It Could Happen to You: Chet Baker Sings 1958 · Riverside Chet 1959 · Riverside Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner & Loewe 1959 · Riverside Chet Is Back! 1962 · RCA Victor The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 1964 · Colpix Baby Breeze 1965 · Limelight Baker’s Holiday 1965 · Limelight A Taste of Tequila 1966 · World Pacific Double Shot 1966 · World Pacific Hats Off 1966 · Fontana In The Mood 1966 · World Pacific Records Quietly There 1966 · World Pacific Swings Pretty 1968 · Sunset Records Albert's House 1969 · Beverly Hills Blood, Chet and Tears 1970 · Verve She Was Too Good To Me 1974 · CTI You Can’t Go Home Again 1977 · A&M Records All Blues 1979 · Bingow Records Ballads for Two 1979 · Sandra Music Productions Tender Variations - Original Soundtrack aus dem Film "Der Windhund" 1979 · Decca Records Chet Baker & Wolfgang Lackerschmid 1980 · Sandra Music Productions Leaving 1980 · Intercord Soft Journey: Chet Baker Meets Enrico Pieranunzi 1980 · Edipan The Touch of Your Lips 1980 · SteepleChase "Broken Wing" 1981 · Inner City Records
In Concert 1982 · Live
Peace 1982 · enja Studio Trieste 1982 · CTI Mister B. 1984 · Timeless Records Once Upon a Summertime 1984 · Original Jazz Classics Candy 1985 · Gazell Diane 1985 · SteepleChase Strollin' 1985 · ENJA
There’ll Never Be Another You 1985 · Live
Chet Baker Sings Again 1986 · Timeless Records Love Song 1987 · Baystate Blåmann! Blåmann! 1988 · Hot Club Records Little Girl Blue 1988 · Philology The Heart of the Ballad 1988 · Philology Chet Baker live in Rosenheim 1989
Chet On Poetry 1989
Cool Cat 1989 · Timeless Records Rique Pantoja & Chet Baker 1989 Stella by Starlight 1989 · West Wind The Best Thing for You 1989 · A&M Records The Route 1989 · Capitol Records "The Pacific Years" 1952-1957 1990 · Zounds As Time Goes By 1990 · Timeless Records Chet Baker Introduces Johnny Pace 1990 · Original Jazz Classics The Italian Sessions 1990 · BMG Chet Baker & The Boto Brasilian Quartet 1991 · Disques Dreyfus Chet Baker - Steve Houben 1991 · 52e rue est Chet Baker With Fifty Italian Strings 1991 · Original Jazz Classics Chet Baker with Strings / Heartbreak 1991 · Timeless Records
Live At Fat Tuesday's 1991 · Live
Two a Day 1991 · Dreyfus Jazz Witch Doctor 1991 · Original Jazz Classics Grey December 1992 · Pacific Jazz
In Concert 1992 · Live
The Best of Chet Baker Plays 1992 · Blue Note Chet Baker 1993 · Jazz Portraits Chet Baker Big Band 1993 · Pacific Jazz Chet Baker in Europe 1993 · B&W Music The Incredible Chet Baker Plays and Sings Recorded in 1977 1993 · ANS Records Autumn in New York 1995 · Castle Pie Embraceable You 1995 · Pacific Jazz Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker 1995 · Original Jazz Classics Welcome Back 1995 · West Wind At Capolinea 1996 · Red Records Nightbird 1996 · Prime Cuts Chet Baker - The Jazz Masters 1997 · e.f.s.a. collection Jazz Profile 1997 · Blue Note White Blues 1997 · Camden 'Round Midnight 1998 · Challenge Records Hazy Hugs 1998 · Challenge Records Once Upon a Summertime 1998 · Galaxy I Remember You 1999 I Remember... 1999 · E2 A Man Who Used To Be 2001 I Grandi Del Jazz - Chet Baker - Jazz Round Midnight 2002 · RCS Quotidiani S.p.A. Portrait 2002 · Joan Records Sentimental Walk in Paris 2002 · DRG Records But not For Me 2003 · Random Chance Le Prince De La Ballade 2003 · Warner Jazz Nights At The Turntable 2003 · Back Up Oh You Crazy Moon 2003 Quartet Featuring Dick Twardzik 2003 · Universal Music Jazz France
Chet Baker - Sings Again Vol. 2 2004
Chet Baker Sings And Plays (Remastered 2004) 2004 · Blue Note Complete Studio Sessions with Dick Twardzik 2004 · Lone Hill Jazz Night Birds & Broken Wings 2005 · Newsound 2000
Köln Concert 2006 · Live
Riverside Profiles 2006 In Paris: The Complete 1955-1956 Barclay Sessions 2007 · Barclay Let's Get Lost - Cool and Iconic Sides 2007 · After Hours Chet in Chicago 2008 · enja Original Sessions 1952–1953 2008 Chet Baker's Finest 2009 · Dopeness Galore Sings Sessions 2010 · Midnight Records Telemark Blue 2010 · Hot Club Records The Complete Chet Baker 2010 · Sony Music The Sesjun Radio Shows 2010 · T2 Entertainment Blue Thoughts 2011 · Not Now Music Chet Baker in Paris: The Complete Original Recordings 2012 · Master Jazz Records Baker's Holiday 2013 · Verve Music Group Early Chet (Chet Baker in Germany 1955–1959) 2013 · Jazzhaus Alone Together 2016 · Jazz Images At Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall Hamburg 1979 2017 · Jazzline
Embraceable You (The Complete Session) 2017
Ballads for Two 2018
Early Chet (Chet Baker In Germany 1955-1959) 2018
Original Jazz Recordings 2018 · Voices & History Records Sextet & Quartet 2018 · Jazz Images In Paris: 1955-56 (Remastered) 2019 · RevOla Records In Paris:1955-56 Vol. 2 (remastered) 2019 · RevOla Records The Hits 2019 · New Continent A Lonely Winter 2022 · RevOla Records Blue Room - The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions in Holland 2023 · Deep Digs Essential Classics, Vol. 284: Chet Baker 2024 · Chet Baker Estate Hit Collection 2024 In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album 2024 · Elemental Music Shine (Live at Teatro Estense, Ferrara, 1987) 2026 · Live · Red Records
Chet Baker
Chet and Me
Italian Movies: Music by Piero Umiliani · Liuto Records On a Misty Night
Original Jazz Classics Collection - Chet Baker
Sounds Of The City

Also plays on

Albums where Chet Baker is credited as a sideman

1953 Lee Konitz Plays With the Gerry Mulligan Quartet — Lee Konitz Plays With the Gerry Mulligan Quartet trumpet
1958 Reunion With Chet Baker and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet — Gerry Mulligan trumpet
1959 Sings a Song With Mulligan — Annie Ross & The Gerry Mulligan Quartet trumpet
1965 Lee Konitz meets Keith Jarrett, Chet Baker & Bill Evans: Live in Europe — Lee Konitz trumpet, vocals
1975 Concierto — Jim Hall trumpet
1975 Carnegie Hall Concert — Gerry Mulligan / Chet Baker trumpet
1975 Carnegie Hall Concert - Volume 2 — Gerry Mulligan / Chet Baker trumpet
1981 Patrão — Ron Carter trumpet
1982 Gershwin Carmichael Cats — “Sir” Roland Hanna trumpet
1982 Collection privée (Extraits de concerts inédits) — René Urtreger trumpet
1984 Line for Lyons — Stan Getz & Chet Baker trumpet
1986 Round Midnight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack — Herbie Hancock vocals
1989 Silence — Charlie Haden with Chet Baker, Enrico Pieranunzi, Billy Higgins trumpet, lead vocals
1989 In Memory Of — Archie Shepp & Chet Baker Quintet trumpet, vocals
1992 L.A. Get-Together! — Stan Getz & Chet Baker trumpet
1992 Sweetie Pie — Stan Getz trumpet
1993 Gerry Mulligan Quartet & Chubby Jackson Big Band — Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker trumpet
1996 Stan Meets Chet — Stan Getz & Chet Baker trumpet
1998 Theme Music From "The James Dean Story" featuring Chet Baker & Bud Shank — Johnny Mandel & Bill Holman trumpet
2001 Jazz Seen — Till Brönner trumpet
2010 Magical Mystery — Bud Shank flugelhorn

Analysed solos by Chet Baker

Studied with

Jimmy Rowles 1918–1996 · (1918–1996) American jazz pianist

Films about Chet Baker

2015Born to Be Blue2015 film by Robert Budreau

Historic 78 rpm records

  • NIGHTS AT THE TURNTABLE THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Bob… archive.org ↗
  • FRENESI THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Bob… archive.org ↗
  • Funny Valentine The Gerry Mulligan Quartet · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Carson… · 1956 archive.org ↗

Books about Chet Baker

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Chet Baker play?

Chet Baker is known for playing trumpet, flugelhorn and voice.

When and where was Chet Baker born?

Chet Baker was born 23 December 1929 in Yale.

What are Chet Baker's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman (1953), Chet Baker & Strings (1954), Chet Baker Sings (1954), Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings (1955) and The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker (1955).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.