Track Listing

1. Thrill Is Gone
2. But Not For Me
3. Time After Time
4. I Get Along Without You Very Well
5. There Will Never Be Another You
6. Look For The Silver Linin'
7. My Funny Valentine
8. I Fall In Love To Easily
9. Daybreak
10. Just Friends
11. I Remember You
12. Let's Get Lost
13. Long Ago And Far Away
14. You Don't Know What Love Is
15. That Old Feeling
16. It's Always You
17. I've Never Been In Love Before
18. My Buddy
19. Like Someone In Love
20. My Ideal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9561 in Music
• Released on: 1990-01-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Once Chet Baker arrived in California from his native Oklahoma, his career exploded. After landing gigs with Charlie Parker and Gerry Mulligan, Baker soon found himself a solo star and bandleader. Not long after that, he also found himself whispering love songs into a microphone. Baker was not gifted with the most robust voice of the day. Indeed, listening to pure singers like Nat King Cole or Johnny Hartman can expose Baker's weaknesses, but what Baker did he did well. By choosing wistful, so-young, so-in-love tunes, Baker was able to pour his heart into the material, sketching soft, romantic moods and painting himself as the broken-hearted innocent. The effect can be devastating, as Baker's voice clings to the melody, threatening to disintegrate at any moment. Many of his best tunes--"I Fall in Love Too Easily", "But Not for Me", "Let's Get Lost"--are collected here, and, as such, there is no better place to begin an appreciation of Baker's unique singing. --S. Duda

CD Description
This 1989 release is a compilation of several dates Baker recorded with pianist and music director, Russ Freeman, in the early to mid '50s. Baker and Freeman were two of the pioneers of the post-war, West Coast "cool" sound. However, On SINGS FROM LET'S GET LOST, Baker's trumpet style is warm and intimate. Moreover, his boyish, Oklahoman accent adds a cozy,and, at times, whimsical freedom to the music.
Baker's mellifluous approach to jazz has made him one of the great ballad kings. His versions of "My Funny Valentine" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well", have been hailed as definitiverenditions. On these tunes, Baker croons with a drowsy melancholy, but never sounds lethargic or lazy. Instead, he's able to emotionally charge the lyrics, making them resonate deeply with listeners. A great storyteller, Baker's laments onLET'S GET LOST are timeless.

Customer Reviews

It'll make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck!
Chet Baker is one of the Jazz worlds most earnest and touching symbols, and this CD is a fantastic collection of his material. The recordings are digitally-beautified without being made glossy or 'produced' sounding. Particular trakcs to look out for are 'My Funny Valentine', 'Find the Silver Lining', 'Lets Get Lost' and The Thrill is Gone'. Chet's voice is smooth, calm, innocent, wise, supremely joyful and heart-breakingly sad all at the same time; One of my favourite voices of all time, and his trumpet playing is wonderfully complimentary to his voice, displaying the same smoothness and ease. This is music that does far more than just relax you - it will move you and touch you deeply. If you are new to Chet then this makes an ideal introduction. If like me you are a long-term fan this is a tip-top collection that is for the most part well selected - however the omission of 'Deep in A Dream' is regretable!

HOW COOL IS THIS
I needed to replace some old cassettes of Chet Baker and thought that i would start with a songs collection. This CD is great value and covers most of his vocal work when, i believe, he was at his peak around the mid. fifties before his demons destroyed him. Not gifted with the strongest voice, he used what he had to best effect with an angst laden, soft, almost whispering style. To some My Funny Valentine is his best , to others it is The Thrill Is Gone, but for me it has to be Hoagy Carmichael's I Get Along Without You Very Well. He makes this epitaph to lost love so engagingly melancholy without being maudlin and if anyone's voice was created for this standard then it must be his.
Most of the writers of the American song book are included: Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Sammy Cahn, Frank Loesser etc. etc. so you know that he works with the best of material and oh boy does he do it well.
This guy was cool before cool was invented. I bought this for his vocals, but don't forget that his main talent, was of course, as a jazz horn player and you get plenty of examples of his artistry on this album. What a sound! If God played trumpet, it would sound like Chet!

Enjoy
Great album from a great trumpeter and sweet singer. He always reminds me of Mel Torme. The songs which have been chosen for this cd could not be better. Well worth listening to and will leave you wanting more