Chet Baker Sextet & Quartet Import LP (Yellow Vinyl)

The second LP made with Chet Baker and his sextet and quartet, originally released in March 1960. For several months, Chet Baker chose Italy as a country of residence after having traveled far and wide. He found a way to restore himself to health and to leave several documents of his genius and its artistic possibilities.

Chet's trumpet is now legendary. Baker is one of the most important and decisive figures of modern jazz, and over the years he had not lost his polish and color. This LP amply demonstrates this and indeed presents a rather modified Chet Baker. Chet's sonority had become less thin, more concise, more precise, more violent - several songs on this record prove that. In short, the Italian musicians supported him with precision, spontaneity and a lot of warmth, and ended up dragging Chet Baker into more heartfelt expressions.

Chet Baker was in fact surrounded by two Italian musicians - the alto sax Glauco Masetti and the tenor sax Gianni Basso - who in their long career as jazz enthusiasts and musicians had always given their best. The rhythm section was entrusted to Renato Sellani on piano, Franco Cerri on double bass, and Italian-American Gene Victory on drums.

Giulio Libano is the author of the arrangements of all the recordings for the sextet, and has the great merit of having prepared simple and linear arrangements that have left ample room for soloists to improvise.

Look For The Silver Lining - Chet Baker begins with a long solo that consists of the exposition of the theme, of two well-varied choruses marked by a series of stops, followed in order by the solos of Masetti, Basso, and Sellani. Chet Baker closes by resuming the exposition of the theme on long notes.

Lady Bird - After a collective start in unison, Chet Baker begins the series of solos with a rather bright and violent sound, making extensive use of high notes. The solos of Basso, Masetti and Sellani follow. A four bar chase in turn precedes the final collective.

My Old Flame - The recording, performed by the quartet, is taken on a very slow tempo. It basically consists of three solos in this order: Chet Baker, Sellani, Chet Baker. The swing imposed by Franco Cerri is particularly highlighted.

Line For Lions - The famous standard of Mulligan is taken on a fast tempo: a long solo by Chet Baker, then Basso, Masetti, Sellani, Cerri, the usual chase of four bars in turn and finally the final unison.

Tune Up - Runs almost on the standard routine of the other themes performed by the sextet: unison, Chet, Masetti, Basso, Sellani, chase of four bars in turn, final unison.

Cheryl Blues - Parker's recording takes on particular evidence in an arrangement construction very similar to that of the be-bop recordings of the Gillespie Parker times. Also in this case: unison, Chet, Basso, Masetti, Sellani, final unison.

Indian Summer - Taken on a slow tempo by the quartet, the recording has its own particular and well centered atmosphere. Chet Baker performs there in one of his most valid and thoughtful solos. The recording, like the previous one of the quartet, is formed by: Chet Baker, Sellani, Chet Baker.

Pent-Up House - On the not elaborate motto, but nevertheless effective, a recording by Sonny Rollins, Giulio Libano has set up an arrangement that starts from a dry and decisive unison, followed in order by Chet, Basso, Masetti, Sellani. A short chase of four bars in turn, ending at the cut, 24 bars in all, then the last eight bars in unison.

The tracks were recorded on September 25-26, 1959, and October 6, 1959 at the Guertler Bros studio.