Search - Chet Baker :: Round Midnight

Great bonus CD!

BangorBill | Bangor, ME United States | 04/06/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The real hit of this 3-CD set is the bonus album, "A Tribute to Chet Baker," by a group led by soprano saxman Dave Liebman and produced and arranged by pianist Phil Markowitz, one of Chet Baker's fine pianists (for example, on the album "Broken Wing"). The group does an outstanding job in a style reminiscent of Baker, with modern sound, and there are two fine vocals by Davia Sacks. If you love Baker's music and you can get past the fact that Dave Liebman is not as famous as Chet Baker, then you will love this bonus album. I don't know why it hasn't been released separately under Liebman's name; he has other CDs. Of the two Baker albums, "I Remember You," from a 1984 Buffalo, NY live performance, is very good instrumentally, with satisfactory sound quality. Lorne Lofsky does some good guitar solos and background, which puts this album in a category with Baker's other late-career albums that features guitarist sidemen. Baker was not in his best singing voice on his two vocals. The "Milestone" album, from a 1966 Pueblo, Colorado performance, includes Phil Urso on tenor. The performances range from fair to good, though it is sometimes hard to tell because the sound quality is poor. In any case, the album is worth the price for the two better CDs.
By the way, Amazon shows the wrong box cover here; the correct one is a B/W photo of Baker singing into a microphone. The five tracks listed above are from the "Remember" album. Tracks on the "Milestone" album include: Airegin, 'Round Midnight; On Green Dolphin Street; Mister B; Forgetful; Milestones; Luscious Loo. The "Tribute" album: Up Chet's Alley; Beautiful Black Eyes; Looking for the Light (vocal); Margarine; The Famous Jacques; Nightbird; You Can't Go Home Again (vocal); This One's For Chet; Sippin' at Bells."