Chet Baker

On May 13, 1988, Chet was found dead on the street below his hotel room in Amsterdam. It was suspected that he died of a fall from the window of his second-floor hotel room.

The police found heroin and cocaine in his room.

Chesney Henry Baker Jr. was born on December 23, 1929, in Yale, Oklahoma, to Chesney and Vera Baker. His father was a professional guitar player, and mother was a pianist.

Due to the ‘Great Depression,’ his father had to quit music and take a conventional job to feed his family. However, that didn’t stop Chet from developing interest in music from an early age.

He sang for the first time in a Church choir. He fell in love with the trumpet after his father taught him about brass instruments. Playing musical instruments and making music came naturally to him.

Chest attended ‘Glendale Junior High School’ for a while, but dropped out at the age of 16 to join the United States Army. He attended ‘El Camino College’ in Los Angeles to study theory and harmony but dropped again in his second year to enlist in the Army in San Francisco.

He started playing Jazz music in various clubs in San Francisco. In 1951, he finally decided to pursue music as a profession.

During the beginning of his career, Chet collaborated with saxophonist Stan Getz from Vido Musso’s band. In 1952, he got an opportunity to play with the great jazz artist, Charlie Parker, at the ‘West Coast’ engagements.

On May 19, 1952, Chet made his debut at the ‘Tiffany Club’ in Los Angeles. Thereafter, his career started blooming.

In 1952, he joined ‘Gerry Mulligan Quartet,’ a group that played baritone sax, trumpet, bass, and drums. His hit song ‘My Funny Valentine’ was the result of this association. Unfortunately, the group disbanded a year later as the group’s leader was arrested on a drug charge in June, 1953.

Baker wasted no time in forming ‘The Chet Baker Quartlet’ with composer and pianist Russ Freeman and other mates. They released many albums together, and were quite a success.

In 1956, he released his successful album ‘Chet Baker Sings.’ Around this time, Baker beat jazz greats, such as Miles Davis and Clifford Brown to become the most popular trumpeter in the country.

In 1955, his love for acting combined with good looks got him an opportunity to make film debut in the film ‘Hell’s Horizon.’ He also lent his vocals to his extraordinary ability to play trumpet, and the result was astounding!

He became a ‘West Coast Sensation’ with people naturally drawing toward his good looks and talent. Clearly, his delicate vocals, set with his jazz music worked like magic.