In New York (Remastered) Chet Baker

• 1 Fair Weather 06:55
• 2 Polka Dots And Moonbeams 07:57
• 3 Hotel 49 09:53
• 4 Solar 05:49
• 5 Blue Thoughts 07:35
• 6 When Lights Are Low 06:50
• Total Runtime 44:59

Info for In New York (Remastered)

The final selection here was originally recorded at the same time as the other quartet numbers, but was specifically intended as an 'extra' to be included on a Riverside anthology of instrumental blues featuring several noted trumpet players (New Blue Horns). On this Compact Disc release, the Chet Baker version of “Soft Winds” is presented for the first time as part of its original context.

"At a time when the merits of West Coast cool jazz and East Coast hard bop were being hotly debated, the seemingly innocuous title of this album spoke volumes. Chet Baker, whose cool trumpet epitomized the subdued, romantic sound of West Coast jazz, was heading East to blow with the hot tenor sax of Johnny Griffin and the hard-swinging tandem of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. The results on this 1958 reissue are both instructive and enjoyable. The rhythm section pushes Baker to play with uncharacteristic vigor on Miles Davis's "Solar," whereas Baker's command on ballads such as "When Lights Are Low" influences Griffin to expose his more melancholy leanings. Mostly, though, this is a solid, midtempo blowing session, characteristic of the era, and, in retrospect, makes the West Coast/East Coast debate seem a bit overblown, if not altogether irrelevant." (Wally Shoup)

Quintet (Tracks 1, 3 & 5):

Chet Baker, trumpet
Johnny Griffin, tenor saxophone
Al Haig, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums

Quartet Tracks (2, 4, 6 & 7):

Chet Baker, trumpet
Al Haig, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums

Digitally remastered

Chet Baker Trumpeter and singer Chet Baker encountered jazz when playing with Army bands where he quickly developed his distinctive style. A short stint with Charlie Parker (1952) was followed by a long association with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. The pianoless quartet performed and recorded with great success - immediate fame came to Chet Baker and his cool, subdued style. His lyricism became typically associated with West Coast jazz and found many followers around the world. Baker led his own groups after leaving Mulligan for many years in both the US and Europe. His career became somewhat erratic in the sixties when he lived and worked mostly in Europe.

In the seventies he began his comeback and his very unique talent as a vocalist and instrumentalist soon put him back on the major concert stages. Excellent albums were done during the last ten years of his life which were maybe less perfect than his early West Coast work in the technical sense but showed a depth of feeling and intensity rarely heard. Luckily his last concert was recorded: it is one of the finest of his career (The Last Concert ENJ-6074 22). Chet Baker was very involved with the production of the concert, choose the music well in advance which was arranged for an ensemble consisting of a regular bigband, a symphony orchestra and a jazz quintet. He was very happy that he could finally record and perform under the best of circumstances. That night's version of My Funny Valentine,a song he had performed uncountable times before will stand out for all times as an absolute masterpiece of vocal jazz.

Dec. 23, 1929 (Yale, Oklahoma) - May 13, 1988 (Amsterdam).

This album contains no booklet.