The Chet Baker volume in this Concord Mellow Sound compilation series finds the trumpeter doing the very thing that made him nearly a household name in the 1950s, playing midtempo and slow ballads with a variety of bands -- including the legendary Gerry Mulligan piano-less quartet -- and leading his own early sessions. The 17 tracks include the instrumental version of "My Funny Valentine," "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "I'm Old Fashioned," "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "If You Could See Me Now," and "Soft Winds." There is no doubt that the music here is pleasant, warm, and romantic, and a good value for the price. That said, Baker fans have all this stuff many times over, and the newcomer should look for more definitive compilations rather than simply themed ones.
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