Chet Baker: At The Forum Theatre (Complete Recordings) auf 2 CDs

Featuring: Chet Baker (tp), Phil Urso (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Littman (d), Bill Loughbrough (chromatic tympani)

This is not just another Chet Baker album. These two CDs contain, for the first time in one set, all the recordings he made with his quintet—the “crew”—under Dick Bock’s direction at the Los Angeles Forum Theatre in July 1956. On these sessions Chet plays throughout with even greater warmth, virility and maturity of conception than on previous recordings, but with the lyricism that was his forte intact. Urso’s earthy, strongly swinging tenor, out of the “brothers” school, also raises the ante. In the rhythm section Bobby Timmons, who adds a powerful solo voice on piano, is buoyantly funky, while Jimmy Bond and Peter Littman complete a grooving, effectively driving unit behind the soloists. (freshsoundrecords. com)