CHET BAKER SEXTET

Friday, May 27, 2011

Chet Baker Sextet

Chet Baker Sextet features tracks recorded by trumpeter Chet Baker in 1954 and 1957 for the Pacific Jazz label and released over the years on various albums, including the original Playboys date. These are stellar "West Coast"-style tracks reminiscent of the small group work Baker did with saxophonist Jerry Mulligan and featuring first class arrangements by Jack Montrose and Bob Zieff. However, the Zieff cuts feature an unusual for the period chamber-style group with French horn, bassoon, cello, bass clarinet, and bass. The result was softly angular and very modern for the time. Interestingly most of the tracks have remained largely unavailable until this collection. While there are far more influential Baker albums from the '50s, Sextet is a beautiful album and a must-hear for Baker aficionados.

Matt Collar
Source : http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-chet-baker-sextet-r153054

Chet BakerThe Chet Baker SextetTracks

1 Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day (Hoffman, Sigler, Wayne) 4:45
2 Dot's Groovy (Montrose) 4:34
3 Stella by Starlight (Washington, Young) 3:55
4 Tommyhawk (Mandel) 3:43
5 I'm Glad There Is You (Dorsey, Madeira) 3:14
6 The Half Dozens (Holman) 2:23
7 Dot's Groovy [EP Take] (Montrose) 3:09
8 Stella by Starlight [EP Take] (Washington, Young) 3:09
9 A Minor Benign (Zieff) 4:20
10 Ponder (Zieff) 4:27
11 Twenties Late (Zieff) 5:41
12 X (Zieff) 4:33

Arranged By Bill Holman [# 5, 6] ; Bob Zieff [# 9-12] ; Jack Montrose [# 1, 2, 7]
Johnny Mandel [# 3, 4, 8]

Personnel
[# 1-8]
Chet Baker - tp
Bud Shank - bs
Bob Brookmeyer - tb
Russ Freeman - p
Carson Smith - b
Shelly Manne - dr
[# 9-12]
Chet Baker - tp
Seymour Barab - cel
Gene Allen - b. cl
Jimmy Buffington - frch hrn
Bob Tricarico - bss
Russ Savakus - b

Recorded [# 2, 4, 6, 7] September 9, 1954 ; [# 3, 4, 8] Radio Annex, Los Angeles ; September 15, 1954 ; & Coastal Studios, New York ; [# 9-12] December 9, 1957

*

[# 1-6] originally issued on Pacific Jazz (10") LP-15 in 1955 ; [# 7, 8] originally issued on Pacific Jazz ER 4-24 in 1955 ; [# 11] originally issued on Playboy BR 1959 in 1959 ; [# 9, 10, 12] originally issued on Chet Baker - The Pacific Jazz Years (CD 89292) in 1994