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Concerts & Tours Chet Baker

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Nov18

London

Toulouse Lautrec

From £27.81

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About Chet Baker

Chet Baker stands as one of the most iconic figures in the West Coast cool jazz movement of the early 1950s, renowned for his delicate trumpet tone and hauntingly intimate vocal style. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Glendale, California, Baker’s musical foundation was laid early, beginning with church choirs and later picking up the trumpet under his father's guidance. His breakthrough came in 1952 when he joined the piano-less Gerry Mulligan Quartet, a revolutionary ensemble that created a fresh sound in jazz, highlighted by Baker’s unforgettable rendition of "My Funny Valentine."

Baker’s 1954 album, "Chet Baker Sings," propelled him beyond the jazz niche, captivating a wider audience despite mixed reactions from purists. His boyish good looks opened doors to Hollywood, earning him film roles in the mid-1950s. However, behind the glamour lay a continual battle with heroin addiction, which led to multiple arrests across Europe in the 1960s and a serious 1966 assault in San Francisco that impaired his embouchure and playing.

Despite these setbacks, Baker staged a notable comeback in the 1970s, including a celebrated 1974 reunion at Carnegie Hall with Mulligan. Spending much of his later career performing in Europe and Japan, he also crossed genres by collaborating with rock artists like Elvis Costello on the 1983 track "Shipbuilding." Baker’s tragic death in Amsterdam in 1988, shortly before the release of the acclaimed documentary "Let's Get Lost," marked the end of a turbulent yet brilliant career. His extensive discography remains a lasting testament to his lyrical artistry and the profound challenges he faced.

Genres

Jazz•Pop