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
136 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 136 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.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman 1953
Chet Baker & Strings 1954
Chet Baker Sings 1954
Gerry Mulligan Quartet 1955
Sings and Plays With Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings 1955
The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker 1955
Playboys 1956
Quartet: Russ Freeman Chet Baker 1957
Chet Baker in New York 1958
It Could Happen to You: Chet Baker Sings 1958
Chet 1959
Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner & Loewe 1959
Chet Is Back! 1962
The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 1964
Baby Breeze 1965
Baker’s Holiday 1965
A Taste of Tequila 1966
Double Shot 1966
Hats Off 1966
In The Mood 1966
Quietly There 1966
Swings Pretty 1968
Albert's House 1969
Blood, Chet and Tears 1970
She Was Too Good To Me 1974
You Can’t Go Home Again 1977
All Blues 1979
Ballads for Two 1979
Tender Variations - Original Soundtrack aus dem Film "Der Windhund" 1979
Chet Baker & Wolfgang Lackerschmid 1980
Leaving 1980
Soft Journey: Chet Baker Meets Enrico Pieranunzi 1980
The Touch of Your Lips 1980
"Broken Wing" 1981
In Concert 1982 · Live
Peace 1982
Studio Trieste 1982
Mister B. 1984
Once Upon a Summertime 1984
Candy 1985
Diane 1985
Strollin' 1985
There’ll Never Be Another You 1985 · Live
Chet Baker Sings Again 1986
Love Song 1987
Blåmann! Blåmann! 1988
Little Girl Blue 1988
The Heart of the Ballad 1988
Chet Baker live in Rosenheim 1989
Chet On Poetry 1989
Cool Cat 1989
Rique Pantoja & Chet Baker 1989
Stella by Starlight 1989
The Best Thing for You 1989
The Route 1989
"The Pacific Years" 1952-1957 1990
As Time Goes By 1990
Chet Baker Introduces Johnny Pace 1990
The Italian Sessions 1990
Chet Baker & The Boto Brasilian Quartet 1991
Chet Baker - Steve Houben 1991
Chet Baker With Fifty Italian Strings 1991
Chet Baker with Strings / Heartbreak 1991
Live At Fat Tuesday's 1991 · Live
Two a Day 1991
Witch Doctor 1991
Grey December 1992
In Concert 1992 · Live
The Best of Chet Baker Plays 1992
Chet Baker 1993
Chet Baker Big Band 1993
Chet Baker in Europe 1993
The Incredible Chet Baker Plays and Sings Recorded in 1977 1993
Autumn in New York 1995
Embraceable You 1995
Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker 1995
Welcome Back 1995
At Capolinea 1996
Nightbird 1996
Chet Baker - The Jazz Masters 1997
Jazz Profile 1997
White Blues 1997
'Round Midnight 1998
Hazy Hugs 1998
Once Upon a Summertime 1998
I Remember You 1999
I Remember... 1999
A Man Who Used To Be 2001
I Grandi Del Jazz - Chet Baker - Jazz Round Midnight 2002
Portrait 2002
Sentimental Walk in Paris 2002
But not For Me 2003
Le Prince De La Ballade 2003
Nights At The Turntable 2003
Oh You Crazy Moon 2003
Quartet Featuring Dick Twardzik 2003
Chet Baker - Sings Again Vol. 2 2004
Chet Baker Sings And Plays (Remastered 2004) 2004
Complete Studio Sessions with Dick Twardzik 2004
Night Birds & Broken Wings 2005
Riverside Profiles 2006
In Paris: The Complete 1955-1956 Barclay Sessions 2007
Let's Get Lost - Cool and Iconic Sides 2007
Chet in Chicago 2008
Original Sessions 1952–1953 2008
Chet Baker's Finest 2009
Sings Sessions 2010
Telemark Blue 2010
The Complete Chet Baker 2010
The Sesjun Radio Shows 2010
Blue Thoughts 2011
Chet Baker in Paris: The Complete Original Recordings 2012
Baker's Holiday 2013
Early Chet (Chet Baker in Germany 1955–1959) 2013
Alone Together 2016
At Onkel Pö's Carnegie Hall Hamburg 1979 2017
Embraceable You (The Complete Session) 2017
Ballads for Two 2018
Early Chet (Chet Baker In Germany 1955-1959) 2018
Original Jazz Recordings 2018
Sextet & Quartet 2018
In Paris: 1955-56 (Remastered) 2019
In Paris:1955-56 Vol. 2 (remastered) 2019
The Hits 2019
A Lonely Winter 2022
Blue Room - The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions in Holland 2023
Essential Classics, Vol. 284: Chet Baker 2024
Hit Collection 2024
In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album 2024
Shine (Live at Teatro Estense, Ferrara, 1987) 2026 · Live · Red Records
Chet Baker
Chet and Me
Italian Movies: Music by Piero Umiliani
On a Misty Night
Original Jazz Classics Collection - Chet Baker
Sounds Of The City

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 Shine (Live at Teatro Estense, Ferrara, 1987) (2026), Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman (1953), Chet Baker & Strings (1954), Chet Baker Sings (1954) and Gerry Mulligan Quartet (1955).

External links

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