finetune artist: Chet Baker

As the poster boy for cool jazz in the '50s, trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker symbolized, at least briefly, that decade's soulful underside. But rather than ascend the throne of celebrity, he remained the outsider, the quintessential beautiful loser. For the next three decades, Baker wandered in and out of the spotlight, with moments of brilliance scattered amidst physical decline and personal travails. After getting his teeth knocked out in a drug-related scuffle, he quit playing for years. When he finally returned he was still powerful, but something of a haunted presence. An acclaimed Baker documentary, LET'S GET LOST, was released in 1987, but the next year Baker fell out of a window while under the influence of drugs and died a death as tragic as much of his genius-speckled life.

Listen to Chet Baker at Finetune.

(2009) Plays For Lovers
(2008) Chet Baker & Crew
(2007) Chet [Keepnews Collection]
(2006) Each Day Is Valentine's Day
(2006) Chet Baker Love Songs
(2006) The Best Of Chet Baker
(2006) Chet
(2006) Sings It Could Happen To You
(2006) Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe
(2006) Once Upon A Summertime
(2006) Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe
(2006) Chet Baker In New York
(2006) Chet Baker With Fifty Italian Strings
(2006) Chet Baker In Milan
(2006) It Could Happen To You
(2006) Riverside Profiles: Chet Baker
(2006) The Art Of The Ballad
(2006) Chet
(2006) Lonely Star
(2006) Stairway To The Stars
(2006) On A Misty Night
(2006) Out Of Nowhere
(2006) Chet Baker Introduces Johnny Pace
(2006) Witch Doctor
(2005) The Most Important Jazz Album Of 1964/65
(2005) The Very Best
(2004) Prince Of Cool-The Pacific Years
(2004) The Best Of Chet Baker Plays
(2004) Reunion With Chet Baker
(2004) Picture Of Heath
(2004) Chet Baker Big Band
(2004) Chet Baker Sings
(2003) Chet For Lovers
(2003) Chet is Back
(2002) Deep In A Dream
(2000) Chet In Paris
(2000) You Can't Go Home Again
(1999) Romance
(1999) Baby Breeze
(1997) Songs For Lovers
(1996) The Italian Sessions
(1996) This Is Jazz #2
(1995) Young Chet
(1995) Embraceable You
(1994) My Funny Valentine
(1994) Jazz Masters 32
(1992) Grey December
(1991) Jazz 'Round Midnight
(1989) Bakers Holiday
(1989) The Route
(1989) Let's Get Lost: The Best Of Chet Baker Sings
(1974) Jazz Moods - Cool
(1974) She Was Too Good To Me
(1954) Love Songs
(1953) Chet Baker & Strings

My Funny Valentine
Over The Rainbow
My Funny Valentine (Remastered 04) (2004 Digital Remaster)
Embraceable You
These Foolish Things