Chet Baker - Chet Baker and His Quintet with Bobby Jasper: Chet Baker in Paris, Vol. 3 [180G/ French Import]

• Limited edition 180-gram vinyl
• Pressed at Optimal in Germany

In answer to an offer from Nicole Barclay, Chet Baker arrived in Paris early in September 1955. On the 22nd — or maybe the 23rd — he signed a contract to make seven records... (The figure was later erased and replaced by 'three', which turned out to be correct). Released after the trumpeter's return to the USA, this last volume was construed as rather a poor relation opposite the others in the trilogy, all the more so because, hurriedly drafted, the sleeve-notes did little to render unto Caesar the things which were Caesar's. Unlike the earlier opuses, this one was in no way a concept-album: It contented itself with a simple overview of Chet's Parisian associations, depending on where his fancies took him in the course of his stay.

Chet entered the Studio Pathé-Magellan on October 25th with only Jimmy Bond and his contrabass left from his original accompanying trio. In the ensuing octet session Chet’s melodic gifts were magnified by (remarkable) scores penned by Pierre Michelot – Chet, Dinah – and Christian Chevalier (Vline). The three pieces were mini-concertos, and sounded magnificent. On November 28, Chet went back into the same studio, this time with Raymond Fol on piano, Benoît Quersin on bass and Jean-Louis Viale on drums. They recorded two improvisations: the first was based on a 1932 standard from Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, "Alone Together", while the second began with "Exitus", a composition written by one of Baker’s friends, Phil Urso. The performances are among the most beautiful that Chet produced during this period, along with "Chekeeta" — or Chik-Etah — and "How about You?"

PERSONNEL:

Chet Baker - (trumpet)
Benny Vasseur - (trombone)
Bobby Jaspar, Jean-Louis Chautemps - (tenor saxophone)
Rene Urtreger, Francy Boland - (piano)
Jimmy Bond, Benoit Quersin - (Eddie De Haas, bass)
Nils-Bertil Dahlander, Charles Saudrais - (drums)

Recording: between October 25, 1955 and March 15, 1956 at Pathé Magellan Studio, Paris

TRACKS:

A1. How About You?
A2. Once In A While
A3. Chik-Eta
A4. Alone Together
A5. Chet

B1. Dinah
B2. Tasty Pudding
B3. Anticipated Blues
B4. Vline
B5. Exitus