Though his instrumental gifts are sometimes overshadowed by his unique, influential singing style, it should be remembered that Chet Baker was first and foremost a seminal cool-jazz trumpeter. This collection catches him at what is arguably the peak of his powers, in various live settings in Paris, L.A., and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Baker is accompanied on these dates by some of jazz's most awe-inspiring names, including Gerry Mulligan and Art Pepper. While Baker's interaction with these giants is a thing to behold, it's the expressiveness and clarity of tone he wrings from his trumpet that are the most remarkable aspects of this collection, as he deftly swings his way through “Moonlight in Vermont,” “There Will Never Be Another You,” and many others.
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