Baker's 210

Recently I've been listening to a lot more jazz and blues than usual, anything from Django Reinhardt to Count Basie (it may not sound like a big step, but compare Django's You Rascal You to Basie's Jumpin' At The Woodside and you'll hear the difference, gypsy guitar to dixieland trumpet.)

The one who's been played so much recently is neither.

Introducing... Chet Baker

1929-1988
Commonly, he's seen as a tortured artist and drug addict, while it's true he had problems with narcotics it's also true that he's phenomenally brilliant, an accomplished trumpet player and pianist, he's probably best known for his tender and delicate vocals (case in point : My Funny Valentine or I Get Along Without You Very Well) unfortunately he died, presumably by accident after falling out of a window of room 210 at the Prins Hendrik Hotel in Amsterdam in 1988. I urge anyone, whether or not a fan of jazz or not to at the very least hear a few of his songs. He has rapidly worked his way to becoming one of my favourite musicians, not just of jazz but of everything.

Chet Baker: Herinneringen aan een lyrisch trompettist