Chet Baker In Paris – 3CD

This 3-CD collection presents all of the music originally issued from Chet Baker’s studio sessions made for the Barclay label during his first European tour in 1955 and 1956, which was initially presented on three LPs. Most of these sessions are in a quartet or a quintet format. The very first two feature the splendid pianist Dick Twardzik, who would die in Paris from a drug overdose soon after the recordings were made. Also featured on this set are Bobby Jaspar, René Urtreger, Francy Boland & Jean-Louis Viale, among others.

Back in Los Angeles in 1956, Chet re-recorded with a larger group five of the tunes from the French sessions using the very same arrangements by Pierre Michelot and Christian Chevallier. Those tunes have been added here as a bonus, along with five all-time classics by Chet, among them his unforgettable readings of “I Fall in Love Too Easily” and “My Funny Valentine.”

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. Rondette – 211   2. Mid-Forte – 3:08   3. Sad Walk – 4:14   4. Re-Search – 5.00   5. Just Duo – 4:12   6. Piece Caprice – 5:12   7. Pomp – 4:42   8. The Girl From Greenland – 5:16   9. Brash – 5:53   10. Summertime – 4:16   11. You Go To My Head – 5:54   12. Tenderly – 6:39

CD2:
1. Lover Man – 4:52   2. There’s A Small Hotel – 3:48   3. Autumn In New York – 7:06   4. These Foolish Things – 4:41   5. I’ll Remember April – 5:51   6. Chet – 3:10   7. Dinah – 3:03   8. V-Line (first version) – 3:02   9. Alone Together – 3:53   10. Exitus – 8:31   11. Once In A While – 5:33   12. Chekeetah – 6:03

CD 3: 1. How About You – 4:29   2. Anticipated Blues – 2:30   3. Tasty Pudding – 4:44   4. Mythe – 3:02   5. Not Too Slow – 2:56   6. V-Line – 2:56   7. In A Little Provincial Town – 3:00   8. Mythe * - 4:27   9. Chet * - 4:13   10. Not Too Slow * - 3:54   11. Dinah * - 4:41   12. V-Line * - 3:25   13. Let Me Be Loved * - 2:13   14. Just Friends * - 2:42   15. Let’s Get Lost * - 3:42   16. I Fall In Love Too Easily * - 3:22   17. My Funny Valentine * - 2:19
(*) Bonus tracks

Personnel:
Chet Baker (trumpet on all tracks) , Bobby Jaspar (tenor sas) , Dick Twarzik (piano) , Gérard Gustin (piano) , Raymond Fol (piano) , René Utreger (piano) , Jimmy Bond (bass) , Benoit Quersin (bass) , Peter Littman (drums) , Nils-Bertil Dahlander (drums) , Jean-Louis Vale (drums) , and others ...
Recorded in Paris, France, between October 11, 1955 & March 15, 1956.