Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Chet Baker | |
|---|---|
Baker in 1983 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Chesney Henry Baker Jr. |
| Born | December 23, 1929 Yale, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | May 13, 1988 (aged 58) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Genres | Cool jazz, bebop, West Coast jazz |
| Occupations | Musician, singer, composer |
| Instruments | Trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1949–1988 |
| Labels | Pacific Jazz, RCA, Epic |
| Spouse(s) |
Charlaine Souder
(m. 1950, divorced)Halema Alli
(m. 1956; div. 1964)Carol Ann Jackson (m. 1964) |
| Partner(s) |
|
Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals: Chet Baker Sings (1954) and It Could Happen to You (1958). Jazz historian Dave Gelly described the promise of Baker's early career as "James Dean, Sinatra, and Bix, rolled into one". His well-publicized drug habit also drove his notoriety and fame. Baker was in and out of jail frequently before enjoying a career resurgence in the late 1970s and 1980s.
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