“These are exquisite performances, made with a sympathetic band and considerable inventiveness. More than that, though, they are a pointer towards new ways of making jazz that don’t call for high-wire playing, top Cs, agonised wrenching of the harmony or grand political statements. Just a young man in love with the songs of a previous generation, and making them his own.”

PENGUIN GUIDE TO JAZZ


“Chet Baker offers here the most memorable recorded versions ever of some of these standard songs, starting with the intoxicating ‘My Funny Valentine’, which would remain in his repertoire for the rest of his life. The magic of this album resides in what it suggests about the trumpeter’s own paradoxes: his security and his shyness, his fire and his fragility, and the part of shadow and hidden tragedy behind his Hollywood-like beauty and his apparent effortless genius, all of which have made of him one of the most fascinating musicians in jazz history.”

JAZZ MAGAZINE


01 That Old Feeling
02 It’s Always You
03 Like Someone in Love
04 My Ideal
05 I’ve Never Been in Love Before
06 My Buddy
07 But Not for Me
08 Time After Time
09 I Get Along Without You Very Well
10 My Funny Valentine
11 There Will Never Be Another You
12 The Thrill Is Gone
13 I Fall in Love Too Easily
14 Look for the Silver Lining
15 Daybreak*
16 Just Friends*
17 I Remember You*
18 Let’s get Lost*
19 Long Ago and Far Away*
20 You Don’t Know What Love Is*
21 This Is Always*
22 Someone to Watch Over Me*
23 I Wish I Knew*
24 Grey December*

Total Time: 78:51

*Bonus tracks

CHET BAKER, vocals & trumpet

Colective personnel: RUSS FREEMAN, piano & celeste; JIMMY BOND,
CARSON SMITH, JOE MONDRAGON, bass; PETER LITTMAN,
LAWRENCE MARABLE, BOB NEEL, SHELLY MANNE, drums; among others.

All tracks recorded in Los Angeles. 1953-56.

Original sessions produced by Richard Bock.