Chet Baker: Baker's Holiday [VERVE]

Why you'll love it

This Verve Acoustic Sounds series pressing was mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes and pressed at Quality Record Pressings, with a tip-on gatefold and a replica of the original 8-page booklet. Baker sings and plays flugelhorn on ten songs Holiday made her own.

This edition

• Verve Acoustic Sounds series
• 180g vinyl
• Mastered from the original analog tapes
• Tip-on gatefold jacket
• 8-page booklet
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings
• Stereo mix

About the album

Two of jazz's great hushed voices meet on this one, even if just one of them was in the room. In 1965 Chet Baker took ten songs associated with Billie Holiday into the studio for Limelight, and came out with an album that plays as much like a love letter as a tribute. Limelight, Mercury's adventurous imprint of the day, gave it a lavish package, which this reissue reproduces down to the booklet.

Jimmy Mundy wrote the arrangements, setting Baker's flugelhorn against a five-man reed section, with Hank Jones on piano, Richard Davis on bass, Connie Kay on drums and Everett Barksdale on guitar. "That Ole Devil Called Love," "You're My Thrill," "Mean to Me," "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" and "Don't Explain" all get the treatment, Baker singing in that soft, close-up voice and slipping his horn lines in between.

AllMusic's Scott Yanow called the performances often exquisite, and the reeds give it the glow of a late-night radio broadcast, with "Crazy She Calls Me" and "There Is No Greater Love" among the quiet highlights. Following Lady Day is a tall order; Baker wisely chose to keep her company instead.

Also at Kops: more Chet Baker on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Limelight / Verve (cat# LS 86019), a reissue of the 1965 album.