A primary exponent of the West Coast sound during the 1950s, Chet Baker matched this achievement with a secondary career as a singer, achieving considerable fame and success. However, it was as a jazz trumpeter that he first made his name, winning his first Downbeat poll in 1948 and then making the key recordings that launched the West Coast movement, with the Lighthouse Allstars and then Gerry Mulligan. This 4CD set includes tracks that illustrate the meteoric rise to fame that Baker experienced from 1952 through to 1954 - from when the Mulligan quartet was in full flight to his first vocal and orchestrated recordings. This is one of the first Properbox sets to be issued in new slimline packaging - half the thickness of the original sets but with all the same information and produced to the same exceptional quality.

The Early Years - Baker, Chet  

Disc 1

1. Out Of Nowhere 16:16
2. The Squirrel 14:42
3. They Didn't Believe Me 6:14
4. My Old Flame 5:22
5. There Will Never Be Another You 6:59
6. Line For Lyons 2:31
7. My Funny Valentine 2:54
8. Walkin' Shoes 3:10
9. Cherry 2:55
10. Motel 2:34
11. Festive Minor 4:09
12. Tea For Two 3:20
13. The Way You Look Tonight 6:22

Disc 2

1. Isn't It Romantic? 3:28
2. The Lamp Is Low 2:31
3. This Time The Dream's On Me 2:44
4. Maid In Mexico 2:53
5. Imagination 3:00
6. Russ Job 2:54
7. Long Ago And Far Away 2:13
8. Carson City Stage 2:36
9. Easy To Love 2:59
10. Batter Up 2:52
11. Loaded 7:53
12. I'll Remember April 11:54
13. Winter Wonderland 4:23
14. Pirouette 7:55
15. Witch Doctor 9:16
16. No Ties 2:58
17. All The Things You Are 2:53

Disc 3

1. Band Aid 2:44
2. Bea's Flat 2:59
3. Moon Love 3:16
4. Happy Little Sunbeam 2:41
5. I Fall In Love Too Easily 2:03
6. Winter Wonderland 3:18
7. The Thrill Is Gone 2:49
8. Head Line 3:05
9. Bockanal 2:56
10. Ergo 3:07
11. A Dandy Line 2:47
12. Pro Defunctus 3:23
13. Little Old Lady 2:47
14. Moonlight Becomes You 2:53
15. Goodbye 3:44
16. I Married An Angel 3:35
17. Love Walked In 2:57
18. A Little Duet (For Zoot And Chet) 2:34
19. You Better Go Now 3:05
20. Why Shouldn't I ? 3:35
21. Trickleydidlier 2:38
22. I'm Through With Love 2:38
23. You Don't Know What Love Is 3:29
24. What A Difference A Day Made 2:39
25. Love 2:32
26. I Love You 2:47

Disc 4

1. The Wind 4:00
2. But Not For Me 3:02
3. Time After Time 2:44
4. I Get Along Without You Very Well 2:57
5. There Will Never Be Another You 2:57
6. Look For The Silver Lining 2:38
7. My Funny Valentine 2:17
8. I Fall In Love Too Easily 3:17
9. Line For Lyons 7:00
10. Loverman 5:56
11. My Funny Valentine 5:11
12. Maid In Mexico 5:02
13. Stella By Starlight 4:16
14. Dot's Groovy 4:31
15. Tommyhawk 3:38
16. The Half Dozens 4:10
17. Little Man You've Had A Busy Day 4:41
18. Stella By Starlight 3:52
19. I'm Glad There's You 3:12

DISCOGRAPHY - DISC ONE - MY FUNNY VALENTINE





Chet Baker, tp; Sonny Criss, as; Wardell Gray, Dave Pell, ts; Jerry Mandell, p; Harry Babasin, cello; Bob Whittock, b; Lawrence Marable, d.

The Trade Winds, Inglewood, Los Angeles, March 24, 1952



OUT OF NOWHERE



Chet Baker, tp; Charlie Parker, Sonny Criss, as; Donn Trenner, p; Harry Babasin, b; Lawrence Marable, d.

The Trade Winds, Inglewood, Los Angeles, June 16, 1952



THE SQUIRREL

THEY DIDNâ??T BELIEVE ME



Chet Baker, tp; Sonny Criss, as (-1); Jack Montrose, ts (-1); Al Haig, p; Dave Bryant, b; Larry Bunker, d.

The Trade Winds, Inglewood, Los Angeles, August 4, 1952



MY OLD FLAME

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU (-1)



Chet Baker, tp; Gerry Mulligan, bs; Carson Smith, b; Chico Hamilton, d.

Los Angeles, September 2, 1952



9258 LINE FOR LYONS

9266 MY FUNNY VALENTINE



Same personnel as above, but Bob Whitlock, b, replaces Carson Smith.

Los Angeles, October 15, 1952



221 WALKINâ?? SHOES



Chet Baker, tp; Gerry Mulligan, bs; Carson Smith, b; Larry Bunker, d.

Los Angeles, February 24, 1953



239 CHERRY

242 MOTEL



Same personnel as above

Los Angeles, March 27, 1953



FESTIVE MINOR



Same personnel as above

Los Angeles, April 29, 30, 1953



TEA FOR TWO



Chet Baker, tp; Stan Getz, ts; Carson Smith, b; Larry Bunker, d.

The Haig, Los Angeles, June 16, 1953



THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT





DISCOGRAPHY - DISC TWO - IMAGINATION





Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Bob Whitlock, b; Bobby White, d.

Los Angeles, July 24/27, 1953



PJ 224 ISNâ??T IT ROMANTIC?

PJ 225 THE LAMP IS LOW

PJ 226 THIS TIME THE DREAMâ??S ON ME

PJ 227 MAID IN MEXICO



Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Carson Smith, b; Larry Bunker, d.

Los Angeles, July 29/30, 1953



PJ 256 IMAGINATION

PJ 258 RUSS JOB

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY

CARSON CITY STAGE

EASY TO LOVE

BATTER UP



Chet Baker and The Lighthouse All Stars : Chet Baker, Rolf Ericson, tp; Bud Shank, as, bs; Jimmy Giuffre, ts; Russ Freeman, p; Howard Rumsey, b; Max Roach, d.

The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, Cal., September 13, 1953



LOADED

Iâ??LL REMEMBER APRIL



Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Howard Rumsey, b; Max Roach, d.

The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, Cal., September 13, 1953



WINTER WONDERLAND



Chet Baker and The Lighthouse All Stars : Chet Baker, Rolf Ericson, tp; Bud Shank, as, bs; Bob Cooper, ts; Claude Williamson, p; Howard Rumsey, b; Shelly Manne, d.

The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, Cal., September 13, 1953



PIROUETTE

WITCH DOCTOR



Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Carson Smith, b, Larry Bunker, d.

Los Angeles, October 3, 1953



NO TIES

ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE





DISCOGRAPHY - DISC THREE - BEAâ??S FLAT





Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Carson Smith, b; Larry Bunker, d.

Los Angeles, October 3, 1953



BAND AID

BEAâ??S FLAT

MOON LOVE

HAPPY LITTLE SUNBEAM



Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; voc (-1); Russ Freeman, p; Joe Mondragon, b; Shelly Manne, d.

Los Angeles, October 27, 1953



PJ 306 I FALL IN LOVE TOO EASILY (-1)

PJ 307 WINTER WONDERLAND

PJ 310 THE THRILL IS GONE (-1)



Chet Baker Ensemble : Chet Baker, tp; Herb Geller, as, ts; Jack Montrose, ts, arr; Bob Gordon, bs; Russ Freeman, p; Joe Mondragon, b; Shelly

Manne, d.

Los Angeles, December 14, 1953



PJ 333 HEAD LINE

PJ 334 BOCKANAL

PJ 335 ERGO

PJ 336 A DANDY LINE



Same personnel as above

Los Angeles, December 22, 1953



PJ 337 PRO DEFUNCTUS

PJ 338 LITTLE OLD LADY

PJ 339 MOONLIGHT BECOMES YOU

PJ 340 GOODBYE



Chet Baker and Strings : Chet Baker, tp; Zoot Sims, tp; Russ Freeman, p; Joe Mondragon, b; Shelly Manne, d; Eudice Shapiro, Paul Robyn, Victor Gottlieb, George Kast, Paul Shure, Jacques Gasselin, Samuel Cytron, Lou Kievman, Felix Slatkin, strings

Los Angeles, December 30, 1953



RHCD 10708 I MARRIED AN ANGEL (Arr. Marty Paich)

RHCD 10709 LOVE WALKED IN (Arr. Marty Paich)

RHCD 10710 A LITTLE DUET (For Zoot & Chet) (Arr. Jack Montrose)

RHCO 10711 YOU BETTER GO NOW (Arr. Jack Montrose)



Same personnel as above

Los Angeles, December 31, 1953



RHCO 10731 WHY SHOULDNâ??T I (Arr. Shorty Rogers)

RHCO 10732 TRICKLEYDIDLER (Arr. Shorty Rogers)

RHCO 10733 Iâ??M THROUGH WITH LOVE (Arr. Shorty Rogers)

RHCO 10734 YOU DONâ??T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (Arr. Johnny Mandel)



Chet Baker and Strings

Same personnel as above, but Bud Shank, as, fl, replaces Zoot Sims

Los Angeles, February 20, 1954



RHCO 10779 WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MADE (Arr. Shorty Rogers)

RHCO 10781 LOVE (Arr. Johnny Mandel)

RHCO 10782 I LOVE YOU (Arr. Johnny Mandel)





DISCOGRAPHY - DISC FOUR - CHET SINGS





Chet Baker and Strings : Same personnel and date as â??I love youâ?

Los Angeles, February 20, 1954



RHCO 10780 THE WIND (Arr. Johnny Mandel)



Chet Baker, tp, voc; Russ Freeman, p; Carson Smith, b; Bob Neel, d.

Los Angeles, February 15, 1954



PJ 358 BUT NOT FOR ME

PJ 359 TIME AFTER TIME

PJ 360 I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL

PJ 361 THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU

PJ 362 LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING

PJ 363 MY FUNNY VALENTINE

PJ 364 I FALL IN LOVE TOO EASILY



Chet Baker Quartet : Chet Baker, tp; Russ Freeman, p, Carson Smith, b; Bob Neel, d.

Live, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 9, 1954



LINE FOR LYONS

LOVERMAN

MY FUNNY VALENTINE

MAID IN MEXICO

STELLA BY STARLIGHT



Chet Baker Sextet : Chet Baker, tp; Bob Brookmeyer, ts; Bud Shank, bs; Russ Freeman, p; Carson Smith, b; Shelly Manne, d; Johnny Mandel, Jack Montrose, Bill Holman, arr.

Los Angeles, September 9, 1954



1652 DOTâ??S GROOVY (Arr. Jack Montrose)

1653 TOMMYHAWK (Arr. Johnny Mandel)

1654 THE HALF DOZENS (Arr. Bill Holman)



Same personnel as above

Los Angeles, September 15, 1954



1664 LITTLE MAN YOUâ??VE HAD A BUSY DAY (Arr. Jack Montrose)

1665 STELLA BY STARLIGHT (Arr. Jack Montrose)

1666 Iâ??M GLAD THEREâ??S YOU (Arr. Bill Holman)