Chet Baker - Pacific Jazz Recordings

[king ubu]

Meaning:

"Sings & Plays", "Sextet", "Ensemble" and "Big Band".

I have the "Very Best of Chet Bakers Sings" album which as far as I know contains all that's on "Sings & Plays", I have "Grey December", which contains the "Ensemble" (I think?) tracks, and I have the old "Big Band" CD.

So I miss but the music from "Sextet", right?

This re-packing of previously available stuff is so annyoing, and this is one particularly annoying case, thank you Blue Note!

My question is: is it worth upgrading the releases I have by getting the new releases?

I have almost all of the old US CDs, also "& Crew", "Young Chet", "Baker/Freeman" (from 1956) and "Baker/Freeman" (West Coast Classics, from 1953/54), and the 2CD set with Getz taking Mulligan's place in the later's quartet... the dates with Art Pepper I have on the Art Pepper Mosaic - never checked if there are non-Pepper tracks added on the discs that aren't part of hte Mosaic 3LP set.

Anyway, is there a way to get the Sextet, Ensemble & Big Band material in a smart 2CD package, thanks to our Spanish friends or anyone else?

What is the route others took? Shall I just get the "Sextet" disc as long as it's still around, and stay with the old CDs I have otherwise? (By the way, I had a 10 inch LP of the "Sextet" once, but just borrowed from a friend's father... nice stuff, for sure!)

Oh, and it's possible I'm mixing up "Sextet" and "Ensemble"... with "Sextet" I mean the dates with Bud Shank, with "Ensemble" the Bokhanal-dates with Jack Montrose (almost typed JR...) - I think that's correct, but correct me if I'm wrong.

[Claude]

I bought all the remastered versions released a few years ago (I only had the 4CD sampler), but I do not find the mastering very good. Most of the time, I preferred McMaster's mastering for the box set. I didn't have the 1990's CDs to compare them to.

[king ubu]

So the cheapest solution (getting the "Sextet" disc only) would be the best...

[gnhrtg]

You got that right, ubu. Bud Shank is on the sextet album. And, again like you say, there is some good music on this disc (the 10" + 2 EP takes + 3 tracks with another sextet).

[king ubu]

You got that right, ubu. Bud Shank is on the sextet album. And, again like you say, there is some good music on this disc (the 10" + 2 EP takes + 3 tracks with another sextet).

And they were catering the LP fetishists again with these reissues... and what about the missing material from "The Very Best of Chet Baker Sings"? Was that the original "Chet Baker Sings" album which is entierly on "Very Best of Sings" and is still around in its old CD incarnation? Why wasn't there a new reissue of that material? And what about the West Coast Classics quartet material from 53/54? Why the hell didn't they just do something like two 2CD sets, compiling all the quartet and all the larger group stuff? And where is the strings date from "Grey December"? Has it gone lost from the new reissues? And the tracks with overdubbed saxes from "Young Chet" have gone lost, too?

Anyway, thanks for clearing that one issue, Gokhan, as I'm posting from work I wasn't able to double check anything...

[AndrewHill]

I bought the new remasters of Sextet, Ensemble and Big Band and passed on the Chet Baker Sings. I had the old "Grey December" cd and I believe I checked to make sure that all of the material on that cd was included on the new ones (save the one vocal track). The "strings" tracks I think appear on "Sextet" as tracks 9-12 now, but I could be wrong about that. The remastering is good, but not terrific, but it is an improvement over the "Grey December" disc. Plus, I do like the fact that they restored the covers, which are quite snazzy in my opinion.

[king ubu]

Thanks again... I guess I'll get "Sextet" and possibly "Ensemble", too, then...

The covers are indeed good, but I'd be just as happy to have them in a twofer with one of the covers somewhere in the booklet or on the back or inside the tray or wherever it would fit...

[Swinging Swede]

I have the "Very Best of Chet Bakers Sings" album which as far as I know contains all that's on "Sings & Plays"

and what about the missing material from "The Very Best of Chet Baker Sings"? Was that the original "Chet Baker Sings" album which is entierly on "Very Best of Sings" and is still around in its old CD incarnation? [...] And where is the strings date from "Grey December"? Has it gone lost from the new reissues?

You’re confusing the hell out of me, king ubu! The compilation The Best Of Chet Baker Sings includes all material from Chet Baker Sings, and all from Chet Baker Sings And Plays except the strings session which instead ended up on the Grey December CD. Since both Sings and Sings And Plays now have been reissued on CD with original cover art and track order, all relevant material can be found on those CDs. In other words, the strings session is back where it originally was, on Sings And Plays. Hope that clears it up.

The The Route CD includes three non-Pepper tracks. One is a Baker feature, one is a Kamuca feature, and one is a trio performance featuring pianist Pete Jolly. You get the entire session on that CD.

Then, as long as we are talking about the 1952-57 Pacific Jazz/World Pacific recordings, there are of course also Theme Music From ”The James Dean Story”, Embraceable You, and the three 1953-54 live CDs, the earliest of which includes the original Jazz At Ann Arbor album, but also another session.

Yes, this was a way for Blue Note to sell the same material again, but at the same time I must say that I much prefer the new incarnations: original albums with bonus material at the end when available. I guess I'm one of those who simply prefer the original album feeling.

Edited December 4, 2007 by Swinging Swede

[king ubu]

I have the "Very Best of Chet Bakers Sings" album which as far as I know contains all that's on "Sings & Plays"

and what about the missing material from "The Very Best of Chet Baker Sings"? Was that the original "Chet Baker Sings" album which is entierly on "Very Best of Sings" and is still around in its old CD incarnation? [...] And where is the strings date from "Grey December"? Has it gone lost from the new reissues?

You’re confusing the hell out of me, king ubu! The compilation The Best Of Chet Baker Sings includes all material from Chet Baker Sings, and all from Chet Baker Sings And Plays except the strings session which instead ended up on the Grey December CD. Since both Sings and Sings And Plays now have been reissued on CD with original cover art and track order, all relevant material can be found on those CDs. In other words, the strings session is back where it originally was, on Sings And Plays. Hope that clears it up.

The The Route CD includes three non-Pepper tracks. One is a Baker feature, one is a Kamuca feature, and one is a trio performance featuring pianist Pete Jolly. You get the entire session on that CD.

Then, as long as we are talking about the 1952-57 Pacific Jazz/World Pacific recordings, there are of course also Theme Music From ”The James Dean Story”, Embraceable You, and the three 1953-54 live CDs, the earliest of which includes the original Jazz At Ann Arbor album, but also another session.

Yes, this was a way for Blue Note to sell the same material again, but at the same time I must say that I much prefer the new incarnations: original albums with bonus material at the end when available. I guess I'm one of those who simply prefer the original album feeling.

Thanks for these additional comments! They clear up some more of my questions... it's just too confusing...

Just one thing "Chet Baker Sings" is still the old CD only, older than "The Best of Chet Baker Sings", no? As far as I know, that one hasn't been re-done in the recent series!

Here's the cover of the one I'm talking of, just to avoid further confusion:

The "James Dean" and "Embraceable You" discs I have, as well as the three live discs. I just left them out of discussion as there's nothing chaotic about them... same for the 1956 Baker/Freeman quartet re-encounter. That one also has only seen one US CD release, hasn't it?

[BruceH]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

[JohnS]

Slightly off thread but do you have the 3 cds of live material on PJ? A nice addition to a collection.

[king ubu]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

And then accordingly the other album should be called "Chet Baker Sings... Badly & Plays... But Marginally Better"?

Slightly off thread but do you have the 3 cds of live material on PJ? A nice addition to a collection.

Yes, I have most of Baker's early stuff... I wouldn't bother about these reissue questions otherwise... the live discs are indeed among the finest!

[AndrewHill]

Slightly off thread but do you have the 3 cds of live material on PJ? A nice addition to a collection.

[Swinging Swede]

Just one thing "Chet Baker Sings" is still the old CD only, older than "The Best of Chet Baker Sings", no?

It's actually quite a bit newer. The Best Of came out in 1989, and Chet Baker Sings in 1998. Thus I suppose the latter has better remastering.

same for the 1956 Baker/Freeman quartet re-encounter. That one also has only seen one US CD release, hasn't it?

Yes.

[king ubu]

Just one thing "Chet Baker Sings" is still the old CD only, older than "The Best of Chet Baker Sings", no?

It's actually quite a bit newer. The Best Of came out in 1989, and Chet Baker Sings in 1998. Thus I suppose the latter has better remastering.

Hm, was there an older CD of that, too? Not that it matters much, but I thought I'd seen older CDs or CDs from roughly the same time of "Chet Baker Sings"... anyway, it seems I took the wrong way there, but it's BN's in this case (as in others... reissuing the same stuff over and over again, while much of their catalogue is still hard to find or goes OOP again too soon) rather stupid reissue policy that lead me there...

[steveswr]

There is a good listing of Chet Baker Japanese reissues on Ebay at the moment including the 20 track edition of "Chet Baker Sings" which has a $15 reserve...seems reasonable for a sealed copy. I have the 14 track version but there is something about those Japanese minis that is hard to resist!!

The link is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...me=STRK:MESE:IT

Regards

Steve

[connoisseur series500]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

I really like this cd. His voice is sincere and affecting in my opinion.

[Jeff]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

I really like this cd. His voice is sincere and affecting in my opinion.

This particular Japanese mini CD (blue and grey cover) of Chet Baker Sings uses simulated <eq> stereo. I have it along with another Japanese mini CD of Chet Baker Sings with a red and yellow cover which does not use processing.

I believe there are copies of both versions available on Amazon.

The most interesting release of Chet Baker Sings is called The Best of Chet Baker Sings on Blue Note (Pacific Jazz). The liner notes put the whole 'Sings' collection in proper perspective. In the liner notes, mention is made of reprocessing and two 'test records' of Chet singing. One version was unearthed on the Mosaic set of Baker and Freeman.

[king ubu]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

I really like this cd. His voice is sincere and affecting in my opinion.

...

The most interesting release of Chet Baker Sings is called The Best of Chet Baker Sings on Blue Note (Pacific Jazz). The liner notes put the whole 'Sings' collection in proper perspective. In the liner notes, mention is made of reprocessing and two 'test records' of Chet singing. One version was unearthed on the Mosaic set of Baker and Freeman.

That test pressing is #1 of "Best of Chet Baker Sings" (The Thrill Is Gone) and #23 of the West Coast Classics "Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman" ("I Fall in Love Too Easily"), the later being the tune unearthed on the Mosaic.

[Jazzmoose]

Should be called: "Chet Baker Sings...Badly"

I really like this cd. His voice is sincere and affecting in my opinion.

I know it affects me badly, but that's another story...

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

I really like this cd. His voice is sincere and affecting in my opinion.

I saw 'Let's Get Lost!' for the first time yesterday in a DC theater...and it really hit me!

[king ubu]

Ok, continuing the confusion - what about Playboys? There's a new digipack by one the Spanish thieves labels I think, with some claims about being the first release to get some details right and stuff... that's also part of the Art Pepper Mosaic box, but for daily convenience, a CD of it should be handy (I have the LP version of the Pepper set) - so again: what's the best way to get that one?

Glossy digipack from Jazztrack:

1. For Minors Only

2. Minor Yours

3. Resonant Emotions

4. Tynan Time

5. Picture of Heath

6. For Miles and Miles

7. C.T.A.

and less glossy Fresh Sound digipack (with those claims for perfection...):

1. Tynan Time (Art Pepper) 6:19

2. Little Girl (Henry Hyde) 4:16

3. Minor Yours (Art Pepper) 7:12

4. Sonny Boy (Jolson-DeSylva-Henderson-Brown) 3:56

5. The Route (Baker-Pepper-Kamuca) 5:04

6. For Minors Only (Jimmy Heath) 5:41

7. Minors Yours (Art Pepper) 6:41

8. Resonant Emotion (Jimmy Heath) 5:41

9. Tynan Time (Art Pepper) 5:31

10. Oicture Of Heath (Jimmy Heath) 6:43

11. For Miles And Miles (Jimmy Heath) 6:24

12. C.T.A (Jimmy Heath) 5:11

The bonus tracks are from "The Route", right?

1-5 : Chet Baker (tp), Art Pepper (as), Rchie kamuca (ts), Pete Joly (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Stan Levey (d). Arrangements by Art Pepper (1,3), and Jonny Mandel (2,4). Los Angeles, Forum Theatre, July 26 & 28, 1956. # 6-12 : Chet Baker (tp), Art Pepper (as), Phil Urso (ts), Carl Perkins (p), Curtis Counce (b), Lawrence Marable (d). Arrengements by Art Pepper (7,9), and Jimmy Heath (6,8,10,11,12). Los Angeles, Radio Recorders, November 20 & 21, 1956. NOTE: APART FROM THIS CD BEING THE ONLY COMPREHENSIVEELY UNIFIED RELEASE OF THE CELEBRATED CHET BAKER - ART PEPPER « PAYBOYS » COLLABORATIONS, IT IS PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY THAT, FOR FIRST TIME, THE FULL HISTORY OF THESE RECORDING, INCLUING THE CORRECT DATES ON WHICH THEY WERE MADE, IS REVEALED IN THE INSIDE LINER NOTES FOR THIS ALBUM. In the summer of 1956, the Los Angeles jazz scene was in for a treat with the comebacks of two of its local heroes, Chet Baker & Art Pepper, who had been long absent for very different reasons. The good impression Chet made on his European tour had brought him a lot of artistic recognition. His trumpet playing was more authoritative and Baker himsself appeared much more mature, no longer the « young man with a horn » but a musician now full of newmusical ideas. Art Pepper's comeback, after a long, drug-related incarceration, created a tremendous stir of excitement among jazz fans and musicians alike. Very soon, everyone agrred that «Pepper actually sounded better since his return ». Chet and Art were at their creative best back then, and these two sessions are the only recorded examples of both jazzmen playing together in the front line of a small group. These sides are a high point in their extensive discographie, and we have prodicer Dick Bock to thank for them.

(quoted from Amazon, but looks like Fresh Sound's own blurb)

and finally, what about The Route?

I have the old Blue Note/EMI/Pacific CD, there's a new one, using the usual cover - tracklist:

1. Halema

2. To Mickey's Memory

3. Slightly Above Moderate

4. Revelation

5. Something For Liza

6. Lucius Lu

7. Worrying The Life Out Of Me

8. Medium Rock

9. To Mickey's Memory (Alternate Take)

10. Jumpin' Off A Clef

11. Chippyin'

12. Pawnee Junction

13. Music To Dance By

14. Line For Lyons

Swinging Sweded said above:

The The Route CD includes three non-Pepper tracks. One is a Baker feature, one is a Kamuca feature, and one is a trio performance featuring pianist Pete Jolly. You get the entire session on that CD.

And I have some more music from that date on the "Young Chet" compilation... and now to confuse things a bit more, there's also this release by our Spanish Friends - another Fresh Sound digipack:

This a double disc:

Disk: 1

1. Tabu

2. Halema

3. To Mickey's Memory

4. Down

5. I Can't Get Started

6. Revelation

7. Lucius Lou

8. Worryin' the Life out of Me

9. Something for Liza

10. Medium Rock

11. Pawnee Junction

Disk: 2

1. Extra Mild

2. Chippyin'

3. It's Only a Paper Moon

4. Music to Dance By

5. Autumn in New York

6. Night on Bop Mountain

7. Slightly Above Moderate

8. Jumpin' off a Clef

9. Line for Lyons

10. Mickey's Memory [Alternate Take]

Going from memory, methinks the old Route CD plus Young Chet contained all of that music. What happened with the additional music in the later "generation" of BN/PacJazz/Capitol/EMI CD reissues?

[king ubu]

And on what EMI disc are the missing Playboys track (missing from the first depicted disc above, that is, but present on the Freshsound "complete" disc)?

[king ubu]

up - anyone can help?

[Swinging Swede]

I'll look into it as soon as I have the time (unless someone else does). I'm just too darn busy right now!