Music The Prince Of Cool
Before the term “blue eyed soul” found its place in musical lexicon, there was Chet Baker. The brass savant, blessed with talent and an infinite “it” factor, yet burdened with inner demons and turmoil, ascended as a titan of his craft, and is widely received as an immovable force in the annals of jazz.
Reared in Oklahoma by a devout, God fearing family, the son of a guitarist cut his teeth in the church choir. Settling on the trumpet (the trombone proved to be too large) as his muse, he would hone his skills during back- to- back Army stints as a key component of the highly received G.I. Band, adding the titles of flugelhorn player, pianist, composer and crooner to his versatile repertoire. Baker soon found himself under the thumb of maestros such as Stan Getz and Vido Musso at San Francisco’s Bop City, the hipster joint of the times.
Circa 1953
Building his myth regionally, Baker achieved international acclaim upon being courted by Charlie “Bird” Parker for a series of Golden State engagements. That acclaim morphed into idol worship when the anointed “Prince of Cool” became a founding father of the west coast “Cool School” of jazz.
Personal discord ravaged the trumpeter, and a heroin dependency culminated in a rap sheet of overseas incarceration and deportation, events that would create infamy and a tribe of cult disciples, whilst robbing us of surefire melodic tours de force. An episode of violence, purportedly with a drug peddler, left the Prince in ruins, his embouchure altered eternally. Relearning his chops with dentures, the hep cat with silent swagger went on to swoon the world with his frangible tone until his chemically induced death at the Hotel Prins Hendrick, Amsterdam, in 1988.
Juxtaposition between his life and his art, his catalogue forges through as a testament to love and passion. Scores such as “My Funny Valentine”, “Chettty’s Lullaby”, and “Early Morning Mood”, are without generational bounds. One might suggest the language of amore that Baker orated is a direct circumstance of the 1950’s baby boom. In an era of uncertainty, it is certain that somewhere in the universe right now, in a dimly lit, gin soaked lounge, a Chet Baker tune fills the midnight hour, helping two souls celebrate that they found each other.
Savoy Ballroom
King Records
Reader Comments (5)
I was introduced to Chet's music in college, My Funny Valentine to be exact. An amazing talent, his look and style would hold up today jut as the music. If his music is available for download do yourself a favor and hit the button.
Amazing artist thanks.
Thoughtful story I'm glad you didn't jump to conclusions about his death. Another remarkable talent taken away chemically. He lives on through my LP's .
Cool story about one seriously cool man.
I've always found this man fascinating but didn't
know much about him. Thanks for the insightful and well
written story.