Customer Rating: 
Summary: Long Live Chet !
Comment: My first encounter with Chet Baker was when I listened to Volume 5 of the 'ROUND MIDNIGHT' series, which is now, sadly out of print;
Here was the first 'white', proper, Bebop player that I had heard.Being a jazz afficianado, I presumed with opinionated predujice, that he was a black player, because we all know that bebop is not the domain of white boys. How wrong I was.
His performance on CHET BAKER IN TOKYO(LIVE) does not disappoint -he has been accused of being too melodic & not technical enough. Listen to his interpretation of MILES DAVIS' 'Four' on disc 2 of this recording. He is both technical & melodic. To play melodic requires a considerable degree of expertise, technical, no ??
His track on side 2 : BROKEN WING also reinforces the man as a premium trumpet player.
In whole, the album is well balanced with well chosen sideman, especially the "conductor" bass player HEIN VAN DER GEYN who sets the pace on the album.
Sadly CHET BAKER has left us early, he will be missed but remembered with recordings like this.
CHET BAKER IN TOKYO is a worthy addition to any collection.
Keep listening to it - it grows on you
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Very Nice
Comment: One of his very last recordings, this proves that Chet Baker's talent endured through the lost teeth, drug addiction, etc. etc. His playing is very solid throughout and his quartet-mates are quality players. The 2-disc set is just a tad pricey, but worth it if you're a Baker fan and are looking for something good from his latter years.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Chet Baker in Tokyo--A Musicial Enigma
Comment: Although Miles Davis' masterpiece "Kind of Blue" might be the most listened to jazz album of all time --and it deserves to be-- jazz fans should take note that "Chet Baker in Tokyo" more than holds its own as far as musical quality and inventiveness are concerned. To add to the intrigue, Miles, Bill, Coltrane, Adderley, et.al., were at their musical peaks when "Blue" was recorded. Chet, on the other hand, because of his unpredictability brought about by his much chronicled addiction, was considered by many critics to be a couple of decades past his peak . Yet, on that magical night in Tokyo, with dentures firmly in place, the jazz icon displayed incredible technique, ideas and control on such challenging tunes as "Seven Steps to Heaven," and "Four." With the masterful support of a rhythm ensemble reminicent of the best of trios that painted a special satisfying texture to the Stan Getz and Miles Davis groups, Baker played the most exciting rendition of "My Funny Valentine that I've ever heard from Chet or anyone else. Perhaps, most suprising, for a musician not known for his range and technical dexterity, Baker's flurry of perfect notes formed a magnificent weave of spellbinding phrases. Solos by the swinging and lyrical Harold Danko on piano paced by the highly inventive bassist, Hein Van Der Geyn, and a Tony Williams like performance by drummer, John Engels, made the moments when Chet wasn't performing so pleasing and captivating to this listener that, at times, I nearly forgot that Chet was the headliner.
If the ballad, "For All We Know" fails to tug at the listener's heart strings, then he/she knows little of the passion that gives jazz its soul. Not only was his trumpet playing exciting and elegant, Chet's haunting vocal rendition of "Almost Blue" overshadowed his classic 1950's performance of "Everything Happens to Me."
From time to time, I wonder if those Japanese jazz fans understood how fortunate they were to watch and listen to a revitalized Chet Baker at his very best on that magical evening in Tokyo.
Harvey P. Getz
Okinawa, Japan
Customer Rating:
Summary: The best Chet Baker album
Comment: this is the best Chet Baker album I've ever had, especially in Arborway, Chet and Harold Danko did a great job! Chet was so relaxing, I can tell, he enjoyed the whole performance a lot. Comparing with his last recording in Berlin, this one is much more energetic and full of happiness...
Customer Rating:
Summary: ACP / Germany
Comment: ...one of the best Chet Baker recordings I've ever lissened to...
...GREAT STUFF!!!!....
|
