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Chet Baker in Paris 1955-1956, the Barclay sessions


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  • 4 weeks later...

I received this set a week or so ago from amazon.fr I must say I'm really enjoying this. The book(let) is beautiful. The sound on these discs is wonderful. There's something interesting about having each session on a disc. I'm a happy camper; this has always been among my favorite music by Chet, and to have it showcased so with such majesty is pleasing.

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I really like this set and I have been digging it big time lately. The booklet is top class with some very nice photos and good comments. This is a very good set to own in my opinion. Obviously, the fact that I didn't own much Chet Baker music apart from the Mosaic sets made the purchase of this set much easier...

I strongly recommend it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

While you're at it, don't overlook Jazz at the Concertgebouw, The Complete 1955 Concerts in Holland, put out in the Dutch Jazz Archive Series, which has the quartet with Twardzik, just before you know what... Imo, some of the finest early Chet on disc ... (just one CD, and a very fine production).

Q

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Yeah... I failed, too. Oh well. I tried, right? :rolleyes:

It's a gorgeous box set. Sturdy packaging with large, 12x12 book with lots of great, color photos. As much as I love my Mosaic sets, after seeing how well this set was put together makes me wish Mosaic would take it up a notch when it comes to their packaging.

Like Lon said earlier in this thread - it's kind of nice to have the sessions on individual discs. I had reservations about this before ordering due to the short time limits on some of the discs. It actually works out nicely, though...

Highly recommended to fans of Chet.

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I think I'll stick with my Barclay 'Chet Baker In Paris' 2LP set from the 70s - unless somebody tells me I'm missing a whole load of essential extras !

Sidewinder, if you feel you cannot resist the urge to get the box set and want to part with your Barclay 2LP set I'd be glad to take this off your hands. ;)

I am sure I'lll be content with the material on that vinyl (you can't be a completist all the time), and as mentioned on another thread, back then I bought those sessions on some kind of a bizarre issue - Vol. 2 and 3 as INDIVIDUAL LP's on Blue Star/Barclay (Spanish pressing). It wasn't until much later I discovered the French pressing had Vol. 1 and 2 on a 2LP set, but as the Spanish pressing (same jackets, just liner notes in Spanish) will probably be inexistent anywhere outside Spain (I bought mine while on holiday there) I'll likely have to settle for the 2 LP set in order to get my hands on Vol. 1.

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  • 1 year later...

The box arrived yesterday, and of course I had to pay some custom fees/VAT and all... but gee, it looks great! From the "classically designed" boxes, it might indeed be the most beautiful one I've seen (contenders, though not "classically designed", would be the Ayler box, the Charley Patton box, the Ray Charles box). Maybe the Ellington Centennial would be similarly fine if you could open its book without being afraid it falls apart (mine hasn't so far).

I have a quick look at the booklet, and it's great, with lots of fine photos - was that the sister or wife of [one of the] Rovère and was Chet romantically involved with her?

There's also an attempt to re-create the diary of Chet's months in Europe, and it's all in French and English, very nice!

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I have a quick look at the booklet, and it's great, with lots of fine photos - was that the sister or wife of [one of the] Rovère and was Chet romantically involved with her?

That was Liliane Rovère.

Chet and Liliane (photo by William Claxton):

ChetBaker-7985.jpg

Liliane was the reason Chet Baker came to Paris in 1955. Her US visa had expired and she had to return to France. To be with her, he arranged for an European tour.

Liliane later married bass player Gilbert (Bibi) Rovère and kept the name.

She has appeared in numeroux films under that name. She also was Dexter Gordon's copanion for a time (and made an appearance in Bertrand Tavernier's 'Round Midnight'.

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