Chet Baker, a true survivor, performs on perhaps his final unreleased recordings…
Chet Baker – Swimming by Moonlight – Slow Down Sounds #SDS 1515 – Two 180 gm audiophile vinyls – 1986-1987 – ****1/2 – (Street Date- 11/7/25)
(Chet Baker – trumpet and vocals; Frank Strazzeri or Rique Pantoja – piano; Hubert Laws, Nicola Stilo – flute; Ricardo Silveira – guitar; John Leftwich, Sizao Machado – bass; Ralph Penland, Bob Wyatt- drums; Chris Wabich – percussion)
Initially blessed with matinee idol looks and later in life ravaged by hard drugs, jazz trumpeter, Chet Baker’s life and musical career have had more “ups and downs” than the best roller coasters in the world. Largely, self taught, Chet created quite a stir (including resentment by Miles Davis), in the early 1950s in Los Angeles, during the West Coast “cool” period. During the next three decades, between periods of incarceration and drug use, Baker rose like a phoenix several times and spent considerable time in Europe where he was revered. He passed away in Amsterdam in May, 1988, after falling out of a hotel window. The circumstances of his fall have been debated over the years.
In the Winter of 1986, while in New York,, Chet met with fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, for a photo shoot. Weber became fascinated by Baker’s life story and convinced him to agree to be filmed for a documentary, which became titled, Let’s Get Lost. The resulting film was acclaimed, and two albums of recorded music were released.
Now nearly forty years later, unreleased concert and studio recordings from this period are being released in a “top-shelf” manner. Mastered from 48kHz/24bit files onto 180 gm vinyl (pressed at RTI), in a package with Stoughton heavyweight tip-on jacket, and new essays from both Weber and producer/bassist, John Leftwich, in a limited pressing, it may be our last chance to hear previously unreleased Chet Baker. There has been occasional European live concert issues, but certainly none with the deluxe audiophile acoustics as on this exquisite package.
Blessed with a soft, tender, tenor voice that charmed women throughout his life , (often times with tragic consequences), Chet retained this vulnerable quality, even in his toughest times. It’s fully on display here, and especially on ballads, its ability to elicit pathos is so readily apparent.
There are no other brass horns to compete with, and only complimentary flute, and guitar, outside of piano, bass, and non-intrusive drumming, to help set the proper mood for Baker’s soft voice.
Song selection is classic Standards from the masters, such as Irving Berlin’s, “Remember,” Alec Wilder’s “I’ll Be Around,” Jobim’s “Quiet Nights,” and visits with tracks written by Miles Davis, Elvis Costello, and Sam Rivers.
Making the experience even more memorable are comments by Baker, and his reading of the poem, “Deep in a Dream of You.”
This deluxe set is officially licensed from the archive of Bruce Weber. It would make a great holiday gift for fans of Chet Baker’s unique vocals.
—Jeff Krow
Chet Baker – Swimming by Moonlight – Slow Down Sounds
Tracklist:
Side A (Hollywood Studio, 1986):
Make Me Rainbows, Remember, Relaxin’, Deep in a Dream of You (poem), I Can Dream, Can’t I
Side B (Studio, Paris, France, 1987):
C’Est Si Bon, Quiet Nights, Haunted Heart, I’ll Be Around
Side C (Live in Cannes, France, 1987):
Arbor Way, Just Friends, Beatrice
Side D (Live in Cannes, France, 1987) :
Milestones, So Hard to Know, Kind of Quiet, Almost Blue
