Biography of Chet Baker

So damn what legendary

23 December 1929 13 May 1988 Chesney Henry Baker Jr., better known as Chet Baker, was born in Yale, on 23 December 1929. Was one of the greatest trumpeters in the history of jazz music, without a shadow of a doubt the best among whites, second only, perhaps, to fellow Miles Davis. Singer from vocal timbre more than singular, linked his name to the famous song "My funny Valentine", old jazz standards went up suddenly in the Olympus of the great works of 20th-century music following his sensational performance. Chet Baker is considered the benchmark of style of jazz called "cool jazz", born between the years ' 50 and ' 60. Drug addict for over thirty years, he spent several moments of his life either in prison that in some institutions. To give the shock to little Henry Junior, from the point of view of musical inspiration, is his father, an amateur guitarist who dreams for him a future in music. When Chet has indeed just thirteen, receives as a gift from Daddy a trombone but, despite best efforts, is unable to play in any way. Fall back on a trumpet, which from that moment becomes the companion of life and journey of the little Baker. During this period, his family moved to California, in the town of Glendale. Here the little trumpet player plays for the school band, but must also help out at home, because her family is not particularly wealthy. Once the lessons work in a bowling alley as collector of pins. In 1946 he was drafted into the army and is sent to Berlin. Here his occupation is almost exclusively that of a musician in the band of his regiment, but within a few years, and as a result of some of his behaviors not really aligned with the military style that won him some psychiatric tests, was discharged and declared unfit to live full-time in the army of the United States. In the early ' 50 Chet returns home determined to do the only thing he does well: playing the trumpet. Spend a couple of years now and the trumpeter September 2, 1952 finds herself in San Francisco for his recording of one of his first recordings, in the company of another great musician of the time, saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. On that day, in the recording studio, you realize that it lacks the tracks a ballad, whereupon bassist Carson Smith offers the song that would become the workhorse of Chet Baker: "My funny Valentine". Also at that time, this was a ballad that no one had yet recorded and it was an old song of the years ' 30, signed Rodgers and Hart, two known authors in the field, but certainly no thanks to "My funny Valentine". When Baker the affects, for that album of 1952, the song becomes a classic and that recording, the first of hundreds and hundreds of versions, will always remain the best of the Repertoire of the legendary trumpeter. Anyway, thanks to the recording of the album, a few months later the jazz musician gets the call from Dick Bock, from Los Angeles. The number one label World Pacific Records wants him for an audition with Charlie Parker at the Tiffany Club. After only two songs, "Bird" as it is dubbed the greatest saxophone player ever, decides that the 22-year-old Chet Baker may be part of his ensemble and takes it with him. After the tour with Parker, Baker is being done with the Quartet of "Mulligan, a musical experience not very long but still intense and interesting. The two, together, make time to give life to the white version of cool jazz, called those years "West Coast sound". Unfortunately, because of drug problems that beset even Mulligan, training must melt almost immediately. These were the years stronger than life of the musician from Yale who see it affect different albums with World Pacific Records while starting his existence of heroin addict. Manages to give life to his jazz education in which also begins to sing, inventing from scratch a hitherto unheard of in contemporary, intimate, deeply cool, as you would say, and subdued as his own trumpet solo. In early 1955 Chat Baker is named the best trumpet player of America. In the poll of the magazine "Downbeat" off of his pursuers, totalizing first with ben 882 votes, ahead of Dizzy Gillespie, second with 661 ratings, Miles Davis (128) and Clifford Brown (89). That year however also melts his Quartet and begin his troubles with the law, again because of the heroin. He moved to Europe where you move between Italy and France especially. He met his future wife, the British model Carol Jackson, with whom he had three children. However Chet Baker must battle against her drug addiction which also cause many legal problems, as happens in the early ' 60, when arrested in Tuscany. Must spend over a year in prison. Subsequently, suffers the same fate in West Germany, in Berlin, and in England. In 1966 Baker leaves the scene. The official cause is severe pain that has to endure because of his front teeth, he decides to be extracted. Many, however, argue that the trumpeter has lost front teeth due to some settling scores, for reasons related to payments of heroin use, and abuse, had already damaged the teeth. Certainly we know that, after several years of anonymity and that of him no longer know anything, it's a jazz fan to find him while Chet works as a gas station, offering you a chance to get back together, even finding the money to risistemargli mouth. From that moment on Chet Baker has to learn to play the trumpet with dentures, by changing their musical style. In 1964, partially detoxified, the jazz musician back in the Usa, in New York. It is the time of the british invasion, the rock is raging and Chet must adapt. Either way makes some discs with other renowned musicians, like the great guitarist Jim Hall, evidenced by the yummy work titled "Concierto". But soon gets tired again and returns to Europe, starting to work with the English artist Elvis Costello. At this time the trumpeter commutes with the city of Amsterdam, the better to live the abuse of heroin and drugs generally thanks to Dutch laws more lax. At the same time he attended the Italy, where he made many of his best concerts, often alongside the Italian flutist Nicola Stilo, a discovery. Also featured in several Italian films, called into question by directors such as Nanni Loy, Lucio Fulci, Enzo Nasso and Elio Petri. Since 1975 lies almost exclusively in Italy, with relapse in heroin sometimes devastating. There are quite a few ones that towards the beginning of the years ' 80 I glimpsed at Rome, Monte Mario, to beg for money for a dose. In addition, when these falls is in decent conditions, alterna, during this period, performances by street with his trumpet, in via del Corso, unfortunately for him ever to scrape together money to spend to satisfy his own addiction. On 28 April 1988 Chet Baker holds his last memorable concert, in Hanover, Germany. Is an event dedicated to him: there is an orchestra of over sixty items waiting for five days of rehearsal before the evening of the concert, but he is never alive. However on 28 day takes the stage and takes one of his best performances ever. Especially sounds, say critics, the best version of his "My funny Valentine", which lasts over 9 minutes: a long version unforgotten. After the concert, the trumpet player no longer see. At three and ten in the morning on the day of Friday May 13, 1988 Chet Baker is found dead on the sidewalk of the hotel Prins Hendrik Amsterdam. When the police found the body, without identification documents, initially traced the remains to a man of thirty-nine years. Only later would establish that the corpse was to be attributed to the famous trumpeter, died at the age of fifty-nine years not yet accomplished. Baker was buried on 21 May following in Inglewood, in the United States. Upon his death, however, hovers always some mystery, given the circumstance never clearly defined. In 2011 the writer Roberto Cotroneo writes the book "no regrets", published by Mondadori, whose plot revolves around the never died down legend that Chet Baker would have faked his death and moved in disguise and in full anonymity in an Italian village.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.