Chet Baker - Cool Cat

180-gram clear vinyl w/ obi strip, limited to 500 copies!

Jazz trumpeter extraordinaire Chet Baker recorded this rare gem of an album in 1986 on Timeless Records, the legendary Dutch jazz label run by Ria and Wim Wigt (who were patrons and friends of Chet until his sudden passing in 1988). Released in 1989, the album comprises tracks written by some of the top jazz composers of all time (including Thelonious Monk) and played meticulously by Baker and his all-star lineup consisting of Jon Burr (Yo-Yo Ma), Ben Riley (Sonny Rollins, Alice Coltrane, Thelonious Monk) and many others.

Be prepared for six sublime tunes that bring out the more intimate and touching aspects of the Chet Baker sound, a fantastic session where the master plays his themes with an almost religious surrender. On Cool Cat the listener is treated to a mix of both instrumentals and mid-sung tunes with very moving vocals. The trumpeter's laid-back breathy approach and perfectly placed notes in combination with his superb rhythm section provides the listener with an unmistakable evidence that Baker still had considerable powers as a musician late in his career. Despite a seemingly chaotic and nomadic life, there is an unmistakable serenity emerging from the trumpeter's sound throughout the album...a deep and touching beauty can be felt, marking this as one of Chet's best from the period.

 

Side A

1. Swift Shifting

2. 'Round Midnight

3. Caravelle

Side B

1. For All We Know

2. Blue Moon

3. My Foolish Heart

Customer Reviews (4.25 Stars) 4 person(s) rated this product.

Luck of the draw? posted on 05/29/2022 5 Stars Reviewer: Marcus The copy i received is just perfect. Nice and quite with no pops or clicks. Beautiful recording that I enjoy more with each play. Might just be the luck of the draw as to the quality of the one you receive. Could not be more happy with the one i received.

Turn Up The Quiet posted on 03/23/2022 4 Stars Reviewer: Anthony The music and performance are top rate but as stated by another poster, there are many distracting ticks and pops even after a good cleaning. I'm not a big fan of clear vinyl. It makes it hard to see if there is any dust on the surface and with the noisy surface I'm not convinced it is a premium product.

Surprising Album posted on 08/20/2021 5 Stars This is a fantastic album. It sounds good and the music is amazing. This is at the end of Chet's career and the feel from his playing and singing is just everything. His bandmates are all outstanding and the overall package has blown me away. This is a favorite album after one listen.

Poor pressing posted on 08/15/2021 3 Stars Great music, great sound quality. Unfortunately also with a lot of pops and clicks. Poor pressing

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