The Gerry Mulligan Quartet on Pacific Jazz (PJLP-1)

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As cool as it gets.

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Just look at the cover, one of my absolute favorites. Chet Baker looks so young and untainted. The very first 10" that Pacific Jazz released. A classic line-up with Mulligan and Baker together with Bob Whitlock and Chico Hamilton. This album is truly a piece of jazz history. An important album, cause it represents the beginning of two great artists' careers. For me, especially Bakers as he is one of my all time favorites. This music is very special, it sounds like nothing else. Together, Mulligan and Baker created magic. They play off each other with such precision, ease and feeling. A cool version of jazz that sounds as fresh today as it did then. This album was recorded in 1952 and released in 1952 or 1953. It is therefore probably one of the earliest record I have.

It's cool, it's smooth, it's melancholy, it sets an old-timey vibe. It makes you wanna sit there at The Haig in L.A. at a small table with a drink and a cigarette and just relax to this splendid, ground-breaking quartet that is truly one of a kind. The first tune "Bernie's Tune" lays the foundation to a superb little ten-incher. It's smooth, moody and sweet. I can just touch upon the feeling and reason why I listen to jazz and love it so much. The sound is warm and very pleasant when the LP continues with the tune "Walkin' Shoes", and it just continues this way, tune after tune. Great, calming cool jazz with a distinct originality. My favorite song on the whole album is got to be the beautiful ballad "Lullaby Of The Leaves" where Chet plays the way only he can.

This is a wonderful album which is not that hard to get your hands on at a fair price. Many of the Pacific Jazz albums can be found at a reasonable price. Which is great news for once, but maybe these little 10" gems will rise in price as the years go by, so get them while you can.

The weather is turning autumnish here in Stockholm, and I'm looking forward to the fall with great excitement because I have some nice albums on the purchase list which will be dropping by in the coming months. One of them is already on it's way and should be here in the beginning of next week. It's a great album, very rare and in pristine shape. Hold your breath...

Cheers!

Chet Baker & Crew on Pacific Jazz 1224

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Chet and his Crew will take you on a cool, smooth ride.

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Here's a classic Chet Baker album on the Pacific Jazz label. It's a highly enjoyable album, with Chet in excellent form. He plays cool as usual. You put this on, and dream away to sunny California in the 1950's. Maybe relaxing on a boat like the one with the Crew on the front cover. I truly dig these early Chet albums. He's got a clearer more urgent sound than in his later days. I appreciate his whole career and output though, even his later stuff on small European labels when he was down and out.

I dig Phil Urso on tenor sax. He's got a really nice sound. I had totally forgotten that Bobby Timmons (piano) was on this. I love his playing. He's on some other very nice albums that I have. This album's got a nice feel to it which is great to experience again since it's been quite a long time since I listened to it last.  There are a lot of nice tunes. Overall, I think I prefer Side 2. I think this album is quite rare. I haven't seen a bunch of copies each year from what I can remember. You should definitely check it out if you're unfamiliar with it. For any Chet fan it's essential. Have you got any opinion on this album? Please, share.

I actually got some sweet minutes of listening this weekend which was very nice. I listened to this Chet gem and also an exciting, newly purchased Blue Note rarity which I will post here on the site in due time. Next week it's Easter and I will have a few days off. Then I will try and get some more listening done. Have a wonderful day/night and stay tuned for more hot/cool jazz vinyl.

Chet Baker in New York on Riverside 281

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Chet in the big apple.

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Back from a great vacation to Mexico and Florida. Back to posting nice jazz vinyl rarities. I think I promised to post some stuff when I was away, but I never got around to it. But now I'm back. Sorry for the delay, but I guess I needed a total vacation away from everything.

A quite pleasing Chet album here where he is flanked by some great sidemen, namely Johnny Griffin on tenor, Al Haig on piano, Paul Chambers on double bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The album comes with some relaxed and smooth soundin' trumpet playing as you'd expect of a Chet album. This really is a must if you're a Chet fan, like I am. I love Chet and he was one of my first loves when I started listening to jazz for real. I named my baby boy Chesney after him as well. There is a extremely nice mix of tunes here. All you want really, slow to medium, medium to up-tempo. Favorites at this moment are perhaps "Hotel 49" and "Solar". The ballad "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is a sweet tune as well. There are quite a few early Chet albums I haven't got, especially on Pacific Jazz. I'm going to try and get a few of those soon. From Chet's golden era.

I don't have that many Riverside albums to date, but I have my eye on a few that would make nice additions to the collection. There's a lot on the label that's really worth having. I tend to build my collection slowly but surely. I'm trying to get a lot of high-end stuff as soon as possible, cause the way prices are going they are only going to get more expensive in the coming years I believe. So that means some hefty price tags which in turn means not so many albums per year. I have a couple of really nice albums which I'm going to finalize deals for in the coming days.

Stay tuned everyone for more selections from the collection, and thanks for hanging in there while I was away. Cheers!

Chet - ballads by Chet Baker on Riverside 299

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A relaxing, moody and romantic Chet album.

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Very relaxing LP by Chet Baker. Chet is one of my first loves in jazz. This record is one of his best. It consists of nice ballads played beautifully by the following personnel: Baker (trumpet), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Herbie Mann (flute), Bill Evans (piano), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Paul Chambers (double bass), Connie Kay and Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Chet's lyrical, smooth, romantic approach to the trumpet is flourishing here. He's a ballad master, and really captures a nice feeling on all the tunes. I love his style of playing, all the way through his entire career. He plays with feeling. Pepper Adams on the baritone sax is truly great on this LP. I absolutely love his playing as well. I have far too little material by him in the collection. His playing is robust, yet lyrical. His tone is warm and takes a lot of space. I have some other records which he's on, but I need to explore him further for sure. He's really enjoyable and makes the baritone a really pleasant instrument to listen to.

The other cats are top notch as well, of course, with such names as Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones and Kenny Burrell, how could you go wrong? Even the concept of jazz flute, which I haven't been the greatest fan of, Herbie Mann makes me a believer of. At least on this album.

If you're looking to collect a few Baker albums and want to pin point some of the very best material, this album is a very nice start. It's Baker at his best, playing lyrical, with a lot of feeling and it puts you in a very relaxing mood, perfect for a late, lazy Sunday afternoon.

Stay tuned for more nice jazz...

"Playboys" by The Chet Baker & Art Pepper Sextet PJ-1234

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"Playboys" indeed...

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Two of my absolute favorite jazz artists of all time together here on this wonderful album from 1956. Chet Baker, the artist I have the most records of, but I still need to get me some of the early ones on Pacific Jazz, for example. Chet is my first love when it comes to jazz trumpet. I love his style, both the early, more cleaner, brilliant sound as well as the later, drug-hazed, false teeth sound. Art Pepper, my favorite alto saxophonist after Bird also graces this recording. He and Chet has to be on my top 5 all time jazz artists list. I'm trying to collect all the early Pepper material also, and I have some of the good stuff in my collection now, but I'm still missing a couple of albums.

This LP is fantastic, with lots of nice tunes. Favorite pick on this is, without a doubt "Minor-Yours". A superb original composition by Art Pepper. Great, swinging cool jazz that makes you wanna move around a bit. This copy I have is in very nice, clean condition. With a NM-, or thereabouts, jacket and a M- record. This is among Chet Baker's and Art Pepper's greatest work I think.

I love west coast/cool jazz and the labels of the era that released that music, such as Pacific Jazz/World Pacific Records, Jazz:West and so on. If you don't have this particular album, I suggest you look it up, and that you try and find a decent original copy. Great stuff.

More nice records coming up, stay tuned. Feel free to comment and offer your own opinion on this LP or any other post on the site, cheers!