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If you\u2019re inclined that way, you can take issue with the title of Early Chet: Chet Baker in Germany 1955-1959<\/em>. By ’55, the renowned trumpeter had already risen to some level of fame in his native USA. He played with Charlie Parker<\/strong><\/a> in 1952, and by 1955 he had a tidy stack of releases under his own name. But viewed against the arc of his recording career (1952-1988), this eleven-track set does fall toward the beginning.<\/p>\n Typical of Jazzhaus’ releases, Early Chet<\/em> presents heretofore unheard sessions in surprisingly blemish-free audio quality. Opening with Benny Goodman<\/strong>‘s \u201cLullaby in Rhythm,\u201d Chet Baker<\/strong><\/a> is backed here by the hard-charging Orchester Kurt Edelhagen<\/strong><\/a>. It’s uncharacteristically uptempo; Baker was known mostly (if not exclusively) for softer, more romantic fare.<\/p>\n And that’s what he delivers on \u201cI’ll Remember April,\u201d from the same March 1956 studio session that yielded the opening cut. Caterina Valente<\/strong> sings while Baker and band provide understated backing. On Cole Porter<\/strong>‘s \u201cEvery Time We Say Goodbye,\u201d Baker is once again showcased with big band accompaniment; it’s an effective synthesis of his romantic delivery in a large ensemble setting. On \u201cEverything Happens to Me\u201d and \u201cBaker ’56,\u201d the band swings behind the trumpet player; his playing is clear, enunciated and lyrical. The first side of the vinyl LP closes with \u201cIt Never Entered My Mind,\u201d a soulful reading of the Richard Rodgers<\/strong> tune, from a second ’56 session with Edelhagen’s orchestra.<\/p>\n The second side kicks off with the sole number featuring Baker’s Quartet, performing \u201cBockhanal.\u201d It’s a nice change of pace from the big band selections, but in the end it’s the latter that are the most interesting. The remainder of the disc features Baker backed by the Tanzorchester des Sudwestfunks<\/strong> in a session from 1959. That set focuses mostly on standards, including Rodgers’ \u201cIsn’t it Romantic?\u201d (Answer: yes.) and Jimmy Van Heusen<\/strong>‘s \u201cPolka Dots and Moonbeams.\u201d The string-centric orchestra here is a bit syrupy, but Baker’s playing \u2013 accented with brief solo spots from clarinetists and such \u2013 enlivens things a bit.<\/p>\n With so many of jazz’s greats long gone, it’s a gift to modern-day listeners to hear these long-lost recordings from German TV and radio sessions. Early Chet<\/em> is another worthy entry in Jazzhaus’ highly-regarded \u201cLost Tapes\u201d series.<\/p>\n
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