Riverside Profiles collects tracks recorded by trumpeter/vocalist
Chet Baker in the late '50s. This was a troubled period personally for the iconic jazz artist as he had become addicted to heroin. Nonetheless, these are some of the most beautiful, melodic and improvisationally muscular of
Baker's cuts and easily stand next to his legendary Pacific Jazz recordings. Included are such stand-out tracks as "Do It The Hard Way" off his 1958 album
Chet Baker Sings It Could Happen To You, "September Song" off 1959's
Chet and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" off
Baker's highly-under appreciated 1958 session In New York. While most
Baker aficionados will have or want to get the full albums,
Riverside Profiles is still a great introduction to this part of
Baker's career. Included is a bonus compilation disc of other artists in the
Riverside Profiles series. ~ Matt Collar