Chet Is Back (45rpm-edition) - Plak

ENGLISH

Chet is back! And how. In a career filled with ups and downs, Chet Baker sounds divine on this 1962 set of bop-driven tunes and elegant standards cut in Italy after the trumpeter's two-year hiatus from recording. Reason for its superiority owes to a sextet anchored by burgeoning, young European musicians such as saxophonist Bobby Jaspar, pianist Amedeo Tommasi, guitarist Rene Thomas, and bassist Benoit Quersin.<br /><br /> Compositionally, ballads (including "These Foolish Things" and the only new composition, "Ballata In Forma Di Blues") are tucked in between a surfeit of engaging, uptempo pieces. Yet the most staggering revelation here, aside from the fact that, no exaggeration, "Chet Is Back!" might contain the 'cool' musician's most gorgeous playing, is the version of "Over the Rainbow", given a reading that encapsulates the classic songs longing, hope, and beauty. Noteworthy, too, are Jaspar's statement-making performances.<br /><br /> Now, an even 50 years after its original release, "Chet Is Back!" benefits from the audiophile-quality sound it's always deserved courtesy of ORG Music and being mastered from the original analog tapes by Bernie Grundman. Few, if any, audiophile pressings of Baker’s music match the tones and timbres present on this astoundingly transparent reissue. It's what jazz is all about.