“From 1976
to 1989, I lived in a flat on Frith Street in Soho, above Ronnie Scott’s jazz
club. I went to sleep every night listening to jazz, which is alright if you
like jazz, and I did. Ronnie was from east London, like me, and there were a
lot of East End boys running the club. So I’d go down for a cup of tea or a
glass of wine, and have a rabbit – it was like being at home.
Chet Baker
came in one night in 1986, and I asked him if I could do a couple of shots
before he went on. I said: “I’ve got to tell you, when I was 13, I bought the
Chet Baker Quartet record with Winter Wonderland on it. Russ Freeman was the
pianist … ” And Chet said, “Yeah, he was, in 1953.” He just stopped and stared,
going back through his memory. And that’s when I took the picture. Then he went
downstairs and did his set. He played beautifully, considering he’d lost a lot
of his teeth in the gutter – the emotion and passion still came through.”
A late
career surge, aided by Elvis Costello and Bruce Weber’s 1989 documentary film
Let’s Get Lost, put the ill-fated Chet Baker back on the musical map for new
generations
BORN TO BE
BLUE: THE RISE AND FALL OF CHET BAKER
VALERIE
SIMADIS
JANUARY 16,
2018
Chet Baker
(1929-1988) once said, “I don’t know whether I’m a trumpet player who sings, or
a singer who plays the trumpet.”
Either way,
Baker’s unmistakably intimate playing style and smooth, seductive vocals
captivated listeners from the time he burst onto the jazz scene in 1953. He
quickly became the epitome of West Coast “cool jazz” and proved to be one of
the (if not THE) most popular jazz trumpeters of the 1950s. He also greatly
influenced bossa nova pioneers like João Gilberto who strived to emulate
Baker’s low, whispery vocal delivery. In addition to playing with his own
quartet, Baker shared the stage with legendary jazz greats Charlie “Bird”
Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, and Stan Getz, to name a few. With his
Brylcreemed hair and childlike features, Baker was cast in small acting roles
in America and Italy. Indeed, the film All The Fine Young Cannibals, starring
Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, was deemed a (somewhat) biographical
interpretation of Baker’s life.
Unfortunately,
during the late 1950s, Baker became addicted to heroin, which greatly affected
his career, as he was frequently being jailed or deported back to the United
States. His drug-infused lifestyle prevented him from committing to recording
contracts and often led him to make ill-advised business transactions with
recording studios and managers. Despite his immense talent, he lived the next
thirty years as a functioning junkie, fearlessly facing each obstacle that set
back his career. Baker is often described as ‘an American dream being dragged
through the mud’, and in a sense, this is true. For many, he was a man who
embodied the 1950’s and sang tender love songs. But, as Baker himself once
said, “Having to live up to the fantasies of others is a big drag.”
“My old
addiction changed the wiring in my brain. So that when it turns the switches,
then I am not the same.” – Chet Baker “Unsung Swan Song”
Chet Baker
was born Chesney “Chet” Baker Jr. on December 23, 1929 in Yale, Oklahoma.
Baker’s parents were musically inclined, and in later years were supportive of
his career as a musician. His father, Chesney Henry Baker Sr., was a
professional guitarist who was forced to obtain a ‘regular’ job during the
Great Depression, and his mother Vera was a gifted pianist who worked in a
perfumery. As a child, Baker sang in amateur competitions, and in the choir at
his local church. By the time he was eleven, the Bakers moved from Oklahoma to
Glendale, California, where he received formal musical training at Glendale
Junior High School. At the age of thirteen, Baker’s father bought him a
trombone, as he wanted to encourage his son to play a musical instrument. The
trombone proved to be too large an instrument for the adolescent Baker, and he
soon switched to the trumpet. According to his peers, he adapted to the new
instrument within a few weeks and seemed to play almost effortlessly. It was
clear that Chet Baker had found his calling in life.
In 1946, at
the age of sixteen, Baker dropped out of high school and his parents signed him
up for the Army. While stationed in Berlin, Germany, he played in the 298th
U.S. Army Band. Two years later, he was discharged and he enrolled at El Camino
College in Los Angeles where he studied music theory. After two years of
college, Baker re-enlisted in the Army and became a member of the Sixth Army
Band at the Presidio (which then served as an army post) in San Francisco.
During this time, he was greatly influenced by the music of jazz trumpeter
Miles Davis, and he began to perform at local nightclubs in San Francisco. It
wasn’t long before he was discharged from the Army, allowing him to live his
dream of becoming a professional jazz musician.
“When he
(Chet) went to El Camino College, he played in the band, but his bandmaster
said that he would never make it as a musician because he kept putting in
things. You know, he’d put in little riffs…and the first time that Chet played
a concert he got a telegram from him saying ‘Congratulations! I never thought
you’d make it’.” – Vera Baker (Chet Baker’s mother)
In 1952,
Baker received a telegram from Dick Bock (then head of World Pacific Records)
that Charlie “Bird” Parker was holding an audition for a trumpet player at the
Tiffany Club in Los Angeles. Although Baker was still new on the scene, he had
some experience performing with saxophonist Vic Musso and the now legendary
Stan Getz, and he was determined to land the gig as Bird’s trumpeter. When he
arrived to the audition, it is well documented that Bird requested that Baker
approach the stage and asked him to perform a handful of tunes. Baker was
halfway through his performance when Bird informed the audience that the
audition was over. He was hired on the spot. It was then that Baker received
his big break, accompanying Parker on gigs around the West Coast and Canada.
That same year, Baker joined baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan in the
piano-less ‘Mulligan Quartet’, which became an immediate success. Within a few
months, the band (on the newly formed ‘Pacific Jazz Records’ label), released
Gerry Mulligan Quartet, an album featuring Baker’s famous rendition of “My
Funny Valentine”. Unfortunately, before the year was out, Mulligan was
imprisoned on a drug charge and the Mulligan Quartet was no more.
“My
phrasing as a singer has been influenced by a lot of my playing. If I hadn’t
been a trumpet player, I don’t know if I would have arrived at singing that
way. I probably wouldn’t have. I don’t know whether I’m a trumpet player who
sings, or a singer who plays the trumpet. I love to do both.” – Chet Baker
The
following year, Baker formed his own quartet with pianist and composer Russ
Freeman, bassists Bob Whitlock, Carson Smith, Joe Mondragon, and Jimmy Bond and
drummers Shelly Manne, Larry Bunker, and Bob Neel. Together they played live
shows and received positive reviews in the local jazz magazines. In 1954, Baker
began to contribute smooth delicate vocals to his songs, and released the album
Chet Baker Sings on the Pacific Jazz label. While the album was hailed by a
number of fans and critics, for many it neglected the trad jazz style of his
previous performances, and disappointed fans who were partial to old school
jazzers like Baker’s idol, Gene Krupa. Nonetheless, Baker would continue to
sing for the remainder of his career.
With his
movie star looks and rebellious nature, Baker was often compared to James Dean.
In 1955, he made his acting debut as a jockey in Hell’s Horizon, a war film
featuring actor John Ireland and Bill Williams. Upon the film’s completion, he
was offered a studio contract, which he declined because he was planning a tour
of Europe. During his time there, Baker recorded the album Chet Baker in
Europe.
In 1957,
having released his latest album Chet Baker & Crew, Baker toured the States
with the Birdland All-Stars before embarking on a tour of Europe with his own
group. By 1960, he began to tire of his nomadic lifestyle, and settled in
Italy. During his stay in Italy, Baker would occupy room 15 at the Hotel
Universo where he would often sit on the windowsill and play his trumpet. To
this day, his hotel room is highly sought out by his fans. It was here that he
would appear in the film Uriatori Alla Sbarra (or Howlers of the Dock), a
comedy in which he is credited as ‘l’americano’. Baker was embraced by his
Italian fans who dubbed him ‘l’angelo’ (the angel) and tromba d’oro (the golden
trumpet).
Be it the
hectic touring schedule or personal conflicts, it was around this time that he
would become addicted to heroin, and that’s when things began to fall apart.
Although Baker had been imprisoned for brief periods of time, he was eventually
jailed on narcotics-related charges during his stay in Italy. The trumpeter
would remain in jail for a year and a half before his release.
In 1962,
Baker celebrated his release from jail by recording the album Chet is Back!.
The album featured the tunes “Pent-Up House” and “Well, You Needn’t,” which
critics referred to as “Bop-oriented.” It has also been noted that Baker began
playing the flugelhorn on various recordings throughout this decade. As the
1960’s progressed, Baker’s heroin habit worsened, and he was repeatedly thrown
in jail. After being tossed from country to country, he was eventually deported
back to the United States.
“I’m
running out of everything now. Out of veins, out of money.” – William S.
Burroughs
By the
mid-1960s, Baker’s drug addiction was spiraling out of control. In July 1966,
he suffered a severe beating in San Francisco after an attempt to buy heroin
off a local dealer. In the documentary film Let’s Get Lost, directed by Bruce
Weber, Baker stated that he was at a hotel in Sausalito when a man began
following him as he was ascending the stairs. Fearing the man would rob him, he
put his hand in his pocket as if he had a gun, and the man eventually left. The
following day, five young black men were waiting for him outside. Desperate to
leave the scene and to escape a beating, he jumped into a nearby car, but was
thrown out by the vehicle’s occupants. Baker had no choice but to fight the
men, who knocked him out, leaving him with a bloody mouth and several broken
teeth. Contrary to popular belief, Baker did not lose all of his teeth during
his encounter with the hustlers. His teeth were already in poor shape due to
years of drug use. Unfortunately, due to the poor state of his teeth, his
embouchure had been ruined, and he had no choice but to be fitted for dentures.
The ensuing
years proved hard for Baker, who was unable to play the trumpet. In a 1980
interview (featured in the film Let’s Get Lost), he recounts that he was
completely broke, taking odd jobs and pumping gas from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., which
he described as the hardest job. After several years of working at local stores
and gas stations (where surprisingly, he was never recognized), Baker came to
the realization that he must return to his music. It took him six months to try
and find a way to play with dentures, which was no simple feat, as he had to
develop a new embouchure. After three years, Baker regained his skills. In
1973, his pal, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, helped arrange a few comeback shows
for him. His first show since the incident in Sausalito was played at the ‘Half
Note Club’ in New York City, and the following year, Baker played a reunion
show with Gerry Mulligan at Carnegie Hall. While years of hard living had
altered his voice, critics praised his performances, describing them as the
best of his career.
Throughout
the seventies, Baker remained an addict, though he would take methadone in
order to control his addiction, and manage his life. In 1975, he returned to
Europe where he would give the majority of his performances, traveling to the
United States for the occasional show. Baker, despite his heroin addiction, was
embraced by his European audiences, who viewed him as a fragile and delicate
soul, rather than a junkie. Unfortunately, a large number of his European
recordings were released without his permission, and he never received
royalties.
Concerning
his personal life, Baker was notorious for abusing and conning women. According
to various sources in James Gavin’s book, Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of
Chet Baker, Baker’s feelings toward women had always been “violently ambivalent”.
He was dependent on them, yet at the same time, mistreated them. Needless to
say, the heroin only contributed to his mood swings and violent outbursts.
Oddly enough, despite his abusive behavior, women would continue to flock to
him. It was apparent that they had fallen for an illusion, in hopes that
someday he would become the angelic trumpeter who sang songs of love and
romance. According to jazz singer Ruth Young, “None of these songs had any
meaning for him, truly. He could have been singing Charmin commercials. He was
coming from a musical place, and the words were mere notes to him.”
“It seems
to me that most people are impressed with just three things: how fast you can
play, how high you can play, and how loud you can play. I find this a little
exasperating, but I’m a lot more experienced now, and realize that probably
less than 2 percent of the public can really hear. When I say ‘hear’ I mean
following a horn player through his ideas and be able to understand those ideas
in relation to change.” – Chet Baker
By the
1980s, Baker was revered by many rock musicians. In 1983, he would play the
trumpet on Elvis Costello’s song “Shipbuilding” for his 1983 album Punch the
Clock. Three years later, he would rejoin Costello and Van Morrison at the legendary
Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London where he would perform a number of his
classic songs, including “Just Friends”, “My Ideal” and “Shifting Down”. Baker
was well received by critics and fans, although it was evident that his health
was poor.
In 1986,
director Bruce Weber met Baker at a club in New York City and persuaded him to
do a photo shoot. The photo shoot was originally going to be a three-minute
film, but it eventually turned into a series of interviews that were
incorporated into the 1989 film Let’s Get Lost. The film is a biographical
account of Baker’s life, and features a series of interviews with Baker, his
family, and close friends. In addition to having a soundtrack consisting of
Baker’s early recordings, he also recorded several performances that are
included in the film, and the soundtrack album Chet Baker Sings and Plays from
the Film “Let’s Get Lost”. The
recordings feature an impressive lineup of Baker on trumpet, Frank Stazzeri on
piano, Nicola Stilo on guitar, John Leftwich on bass, and Ralph Penland on
drums. While Baker was a good sport during these interviews and photo sessions,
it was evident that he suffered from severe withdrawal toward the end of
filming. As the film comes to a close, Weber tells him how hard it is to see
him looking so ill, to which Baker replies “Well Bruce, you want me to level
with you and tell you the truth, but in doing that, it only creates pain on
your part. Having to live up to the fantasies of others is a big drag.”
“People
said I’d never make 35, then I’d never make 40, 45. Now I’m almost 50, so I’m
beginning to think they might be wrong.”
On May 13,
1988, after weeks of performing with the NDR Big Band and Hannover Radio
Orchestra, Baker was found dead on the street below his second-floor hotel room
in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The autopsy would reveal that heroin and cocaine
were found in his bloodstream, though the death was ruled an accident. This
conclusion did not sit well with Baker’s wife and a number of his friends who
assumed he had been a victim of foul play, but the Dutch police investigated no
further.
Despite
announcements made in newspapers around the world, only 35 people attended
Baker’s funeral. To most Americans, he was a former heartthrob turned junkie,
and they felt no sympathy towards the ill-fated jazz man. “It was sad. It was
not a celebration,” recalled Baker’s high school chum Bernie Fleischer “But
nobody expected him to last this long anyway.”
Following
his death, the film Let’s Get Lost was released on April 21, 1989, and would go
on to receive an Academy Award nomination for best documentary feature. In
1997, Baker’s unfinished autobiography was published under the title As Though
I Had Wings: The Lost Memoir. In recent years, the world continues to celebrate
Baker’s legacy. In 2015, the Chet Baker Jazz Festival was held in his hometown
of Yale, Oklahoma. The following year the Chet Baker biopic Born to Be Blue was
released, starring Ethan Hawke as Baker. As of 1987, Baker has been an inductee
in the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
“I came
home one day and there was a telegram from Dick Bock saying that there was an
audition for an engagement with Charlie Parker at the Tiffany Club at 3:00. So
I raced up there. It’s very dark inside and it’s very bright outside, so I
couldn’t see anything for about five minutes. As my eyes got accustomed to the
darkness, I looked around the room and every trumpet player in Los Angeles was
in there. Evidently someone had spoken to him about me, probably Dick Bock
again, and he asked over the microphone if I had arrived yet, and I said yes I
was in the room, and he invited me up to the stand. We played two tunes
together and he made an announcement over the microphone that the audition was
at an end.” – Chet Baker (From his 1986 interview with Elvis Costello)
