Chet Baker

Chesney Henry Baker, Jr.

American jazz trumpeter, singer, composer, and artist.
Born: 23 December 1929 in Yale, Oklahoma, USA.
Died: 13 May 1988 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (aged 58).
Baker began his career in the early 1950s and played together with Charlie Parker and Gerry Mulligan. Unfortunately, his drug addiction hampered his career, including arrests for narcotics. From 1957 on, he had several comebacks with such musicians as Bobby Jaspar, René Thomas, and Gerry Mulligan with whom he had already recorded. In spite of having his teeth knocked out, Baker recovered and continued to record frequently, especially in live settings, for many different labels, including small groups and fronting large ensembles. From the 1980s until he died, he did a lot of his recordings in Europe.

In Groups: Archie Shepp - Chet Baker Quintet, Chet Baker - Hank Jones Quartet, Chet Baker - Stan Getz Quartet, Chet Baker / René Thomas Quintet, Chet Baker & Crew, Chet Baker & Strings, Chet Baker Big Band, Chet Baker Ensemble, Chet Baker Group, Chet Baker Octet, Chet Baker Orchestra, Chet Baker Quartet, Chet Baker Septet, Chet Baker Sextet, Chet Baker Trio, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Gerry Mulligan Tentette, Jack Sheldon And His Exciting All-Star Big-Band, Shorty Rogers And His Giants, The Chet Baker Quintet, The Chet Baker-Art Pepper Sextet