Prince of Cool
For a man with little formal musical training, who rarely composed his own music and had a limited range as both singer and trumpeter, Chet Baker was certainly able to carve out a rather nifty little career in jazz. Indeed, these "limitations" became assets in Baker's work, breeding a guilelessness, clarity, and immediacy that only enhanced his music's appeal. The three-discPrince of Cool: The Pacific Jazz Years 1952-1957replaces the more comprehensivefour-disc boxCapitol released in 1994, and, as the title hints, it appears aimed at more casual fans who might be attracted to the Baker image and legend. No matter: the 52 tracks here (only one a Baker original) find Baker in his youthful prime and serve as a wonderful introduction to his style and sound. Disc one, "Chet Sings," offers 20 beguiling vocal tracks; "Chet Plays," the second CD, balances Baker the bop burner and the distant romantic; the "Chet & Friends" final disc finds him in the company of fellow West CoastersArt Pepper,Stan Getz,Gerry Mulligan, andRuss Freeman. Capable of both sublime subtlety and simmering intensity, Baker had an undeniably disarming quality that endeared him to listeners who relished his uncanny musical instincts, technique be damned.--Marc Greilsamer