Chet Baker Bill Evans

Chet Baker's penultimate session for Riverside - which was strictly instrumental - produced an all-star lineup to support him, including jazz heavyweights Pepper Adams, Bill Evans, and Kenny Burrell. Each of them makes important contributions to the session. Adams' baritone sax solo on "Alone Together" is one of the album's high points, while Herbie Mann and Bill Evans make their presence known on several cuts. Baker possessed one of the most melodious trumpets in jazz, compelling in its simplicity. Rarely extending his range above a single octave, he nonetheless had few peers when it came to slow, romantic ballads, which make up the playlist here. His characteristically soft approach is heard to good effect on "It Never Entered My Mind," where he works with the guitar of Kenny Burrell. Burrell and Baker also collaborate on a moving rendition of "September Song"…

This album brings together the only recorded sessions that Chet Baker and Bill Evans shared, together, yes, but with other great musicians as Herbie Mann, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell and Zoot Sims among others. The records were held in New York in two sessions during 1958 and 1959. Whoever possesses the records 'The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker' and 'Chet Baker plays the best of Lerner & Loewe', already has fourteen of the fifteen tracks on the album, except for the bonus in which the pianist Bob Corwin replaces Evans ('Almost like being in love').

All but two of these 13 tracks date from the late 1950s (the other two were done in 1965), and while Baker's talents were undimmed at this point, this wasn't his best era recording-wise, in terms of either material or bands. For his best you should turn to the earlier Pacific Jazz discs, but this is still a good set of slow and sentimental Baker for those who have heard the peak stuff in this vein and want yet more. "Autumn in New York," recorded in Italy with a string orchestra, is one extreme of his sentimental predilections, yet there's also stuff in a far more straight-ahead vein with the likes of Bill Evans and Kenny Burrell among the backup musicians…

This is one of the last Chet Baker (trumpet) long players recorded in the States prior to the artist relocating to Europe in the early '60s. Likewise, the eight-tune collection was the final effort issued during his brief association with the Riverside Records imprint. The project was undoubtedly spurred on by the overwhelming success of the Shelly Manne-led combo that interpreted titles taken from the score to My Fair Lady (1956). In addition to becoming an instant classic, Manne's LP was also among of the best-selling jazz platters of all time. While Baker and crew may have gained their inspiration from Manne, these readings are comparatively understated. That said, the timelessness of the melodies, coupled with the assembled backing aggregate, make Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe (1959) a memorable concept album…

Recorded 1959-1962. An obscure Bill Evans trio set (with bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones), On Green Dolphin Street went unissued until the mid-'70s, when the pianist decided that it was worth releasing as a fine example of Chambers' work. Very much a spontaneous set - it was recorded after the rhythm section made part of a record accompanying trumpeter Chet Baker - the group runs through a few standards such as "You and the Night and the Music," "Green Dolphin Street," and two versions of "Woody 'N You." Although lacking the magic of Evans' regular bands, the date has its strong moments, and the pianist's fans will be interested in getting this early sampling of his work.

Chet Baker - Chet Baker Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe (1959) {2004 Riverside 20bit K2 Remaster} (ft. Bill Evans)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 283 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 103 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 42 Mb
© 2004 Riverside / Fantasy | RCD-1152-2
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

This is one of the last Chet Baker (trumpet) long players recorded in the States prior to the artist relocating to Europe in the early '60s. Likewise, the eight-tune collection was the final effort issued during his brief association with the Riverside Records imprint. The project was undoubtedly spurred on by the overwhelming success of the Shelly Manne-led combo that interpreted titles taken from the score to My Fair Lady (1956). In addition to becoming an instant classic, Manne's LP was also among of the best-selling jazz platters of all time.

Chet Baker - Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe (1959) {OJC Remasters Complete Series rel 2013, item 27of33}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 277 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 103 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 145 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1959, 2013 Riverside / Concord | 60th Anniversary of Riverside Records | 0888072345997
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Concord Music Group will release five new titles in its Original Jazz Classics Remasters series. Enhanced by 24-bit remastering by Joe Tarantino, several bonus tracks on nearly each disc (some previously unreleased) and new liner notes providing historical context to the original material, the series celebrates the 60th anniversary of Riverside Records, the prolific New York-based label that showcased some of the most influential jazz artists and recordings of the 1950s and '60s.

Craft Recordings is pleased to announce the release of Chet Baker’s The Legendary Riverside Albums. The deluxe album set presents the artist’s output as a leader for the renowned jazz label, recorded and released between 1958 and 1959: (Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen To You, Chet Baker In New York, Chet and Chet Baker Plays The Best Of Lerner And Loewe. The recordings, which feature such icons as Bill Evans, Johnny Griffin and Kenny Burrell, have been cut from their original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.