Plays the Best of Lerner & Loewe in Bloomington, MN

This is one of the last
Chet Baker
(trumpet) long players recorded in the States prior to the artist relocating to Europe in the early '60s. Likewise, the eight-tune collection was the final effort issued during his brief association with the
Riverside Records
imprint. The project was undoubtedly spurred on by the overwhelming success of the
Shelly Manne
-led combo that interpreted titles taken from the score to
My Fair Lady
(1956). In addition to becoming an instant classic,
Manne
's LP was also among of the best-selling
jazz
platters of all time. While
Baker
and crew may have gained their inspiration from
, these readings are comparatively understated. That said, the timelessness of the melodies, coupled with the assembled backing aggregate, make
Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner and Loewe
(1959) a memorable concept album. Although
Alan Jay Lerner
and
Frederick Loewe
had produced a number of well-received and luminous entries, half of the material on this disc is derived from
(1956).
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"
is given a languid
torch song
treatment that spirals around
's cool inconspicuous leads, featuring some equally sublime contributions from
Zoot Simms
(alto sax/tenor sax). This contrasts the resilient and free-spirited waltz on
"I Could Have Danced All Night,"
which benefits from
Herbie Mann
's (flute) breezy
counterpoint
and solo.
Bill Evans
(piano) also lays down some tasty licks over top of the solid rhythm of
Earl May
(bass) and
Clifford Jarvis
(drums).
"On the Street Where You Live"
is a highlight, as the personnel take the time to stretch out and thoroughly examine with some key
between
's honey-toned horn and
Pepper Adams
' (baritone sax) husky and ample involvement. Of the non-
sides,
"The Heather on the Hill"
and a superior
"Almost Like Being in Love"
hail from
Brigadoon
(1947), while the scintillating and smoldering
"Thank Heaven for Little Girls"
comes from
Gigi
(1958). Not to be missed is
"I Talk to the Trees,"
with an unhurried and evenly measured tempo that is coupled to
's austere, yet rich and purposeful lines. In 2004,
was remastered utilizing 20-bit analog-to-digital signal conversion for optimum audio. ~ Lindsay Planer