Together: Complete Studio Recordings

This is a compilation CD, containing seven previously released tracks. The total playing time is roughly 56 minutes. If you own the Chet Baker 1975 and 1977 albums entitled, "She Was To Good For Me "," You Can't Go Home Again" and " The Best Thing For You `, then you already possess five of the seven compositions.The remaining two tracks, " You'd be So Nice To Come Home To " and " Concierto De Aranjuez " are taken from guitarist Jim Hall's 1975 solo album titled " Concierto ".The primary advantage of this CD is collecting all the known joint studio recordings of jazz giants Chet Baker and Paul Desmond with assist from an all star team of supporting players. The recording dates range between April 1975 and Feb. 1977. This time period finds Chet Baker in his second creative peak. He'd recently returned to the music scene after a prolonged sabbatical due to an altercation which required major dental surgery and prevented him from practicing his art. He literally had to relearn breathing and lip technique to, again, master his instrument. These recordings demonstrate a renewed confidence in his creative abilities.Unfortunately for Paul Desmond, these recordings represent some of his final studio work prior to his untimely demise. How Deep Is The Ocean? "and "You Can't Go Home Again ", recorded in Feb. 1977 were finished one week prior to his death.Two tracks, "Tangerine ` and "Autumn leaves" originate from the July 1974 session produced by the legendary jazz icon, Creed Taylor. The material was arranged by the multi talented Don Sebesky. In fact, Don is responsible for all seven brilliant arrangements contained on this CD. The 1974 session also includes the contributions of Bob James, Ron Carter and Steve Gadd.Both these tracks contain strong leads from Baker and Desmond with some clever weaving as only these two artists could deliver. Bob James electric piano is an integral part of these recordings with Carter and Gadd providing the critical rhythm underpinnings.The April 1975 session consists of "You'd Be So Nice To Home To "and the 19 minute "Concierto De Arajuez ". This was a Jim Hall led gig for tracks destined for his solo album titled, "Concierto". The supporting players are the same with the exception of Roland Hanna contributing keyboards in the absence of Bob James. Listening to Hall, Desmond and Baker tackle these two works is simply inspirational. The added contributions of the legendary supporting players, Carter, Gadd and Hanna on these numbers are immeasurable.Special note should be given to their interpretation of "Concerto De Aranjuez". This is a exceptional piece created in 1939 by the blind Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo. It was inspired by the gardens at Palacio Real De Aranjuez. It's a concert in three movements and although the composer did not play guitar his work actually captures the essence of this instrument. There have been many jazz artists who've attempted to interpret this work in the last half of the twentieth century. Some of the better known and recommended are the Modern Jazz Quartet and Miles Davis with the assist of Gil Evans on his masterpiece, "Sketches Of Spain ".In my opinion, Jim Hall, with the able assist of Baker and Desmond, have created a 19 minute masterpiece of their own. Listen to Hall's guitar interpretation, the softer he plays it the stronger the piece becomes.The final three tunes, "You Can't Go Home Again ", How Deep is the Ocean / and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You / You've changed ". Originate from the Feb. 1977 recording date. Kenny Barron, Ron Carter and Tony Williams provide absolutely flawless support. Chet demonstrates nice vocal chops on "How Deep Is The Ocean", demonstrating his voice has made a full recovery from the major dental surgery. The chemistry between Baker and Desmond on these sessions is breath taking. Desmond's playing gives no hint of his weakened condition. What would prove to be his final recorded work just one week from his death stands right along side his canon of legendary solo performances."Together, The Complete Studio Recordings" is a major part of the Chet Baker and Paul Desmond recording legacy. This CD should be a treasured addition to the collections of any fan of these two artists.

This recording offers beautiful music performed by two jazz masters. Jazz fans will appreciate the result.

Chet Baker and Paul Desmond are both giants of understatement and this late-in-their-careers outing is pure beauty. A little-known gem that gleams brighter with each listening.

Chet Baker & Paul Desmond. Together: Complete Studio Recordings.On songs numbered 1.)"Tangerine", and 6.)"Autumn Leaves", Chet Baker and Paul Desmond take relaxed solo turns, backed by Ron Carter on Bass, Bob James on Electric Piano, and Steve Gadd on Drums. Songs numbered 2.)"You Can't Go Home Again", 3.)"How Deep Is The Ocean", and 5.)"I'm Getting Sentimental Over You/You've Changed", have Chet Baker on Trumpet (and vocals on song number three), Paul Desmond on Alto Saxophone, Kenny Barron on Electric Piano, Ron Carter on Bass, and Tony Williams on Drums. Songs numbered 4.)"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and 7.)"Concierto De Aranjuez", have Chet and Paul backed by Jim Hall on Guitar, Roland Hanna on Piano, Ron Carter on Bass, and Steve Gadd on Drums.All the songs are performed smoothly and confidently, with the performers blended into a seamless group. Recorded in 1974 and 1975 at Van Gelder Studios in NYC, and in 1977 at Sound Ideas Studios in NYC, this is a compilation album with songs taken from Chet Baker's albums: "She Was Too Good To Me", "You Can't Go Home Again", and "The Best Thing For You". Songs numbered 4.)"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and 7.)"Concierto De Aranjuez", were taken from Jim Hall's "Concierto" album. This is excellent, smooth jazz, all the way, with no filler music anywhere, and with no egos getting in the way looking for center stage recognition. The haunting songs "You Can't Go Home Again", and "Concierto De Aranjuez", will stay with you long after the album has ended. Five stars, all day long.

This recording catches several giants of cool jazz in their seasoned primes. The time is the early 1970s. The genre of cool jazz is losing ground to the few holding out practitioners of the genre. Cool jazz never recovers to the level freshness heard here. The contrapuntal lyricism and soft tonalities typical of cool jazz chamber music is here. The implied and never explicit emotional drive remains fresh. Bob James, Paul Desmond, Ron Carter, Chet Baker, and Steve Gadd work smartly with one another. "Autumn Leaves" is the best of this set. There is something intriguing about how Steve Gadd's drums kick this old standard as though to say, "classic tune be damned, this needs to be kicked like a rented mule". And it moves. But this contrasts with the lyrical bop of Desmond, Bob James and Baker who seem to acknowledge that but also want to delineate the subtle beauty of this stalwart vehicle. As always, Ron Carter's lines are constructed with wonderful intelligence and timing. And as with all improvisatory art, you need to hear it to see how it works. As of this writing, the last mentioned item is available for free sampling in low-fi on a popular video website (yeah that one). I suggest you give it a listen and then buy the CD if you dig it the way I do. Rudy Van Gelder's recording work is superb. There is a clear soundstage that makes sense left to right, you can "see" where the instruments are on the performance stage. Problems with the overlapping frequencies canceling one another do not occur on this recording, a tribute to Van Gelder's skill. An example of this is Chet Baker's flugelhorn shadow of Paul Desmond on the last choruses of "Autumn Leaves". You can still hear his musings. So if you like cool jazz and want a well-made recording to your cool jazz collection, then this is a good one.

Chet Baker & Paul Desmond Together****I have purchased several Chet albums over the years and whilst his singing voice is not strong it is quite unique and definitely suited to the music that he plays and therefore nice to listen to. This album has scant vocals on it and is more for jazz connoisseurs, which I am certainly not, though I don’t mind listening to and appreciating this genre. I enjoyed Chet’s own albums a little more as he sings and plays the more popular jazz songs that we are all more familiar with.I thought this collection was extremely pleasant on the ear, none more so than Concierto De Aranjuez, which is a wonderful track, so recognizable too, if a little overly long. It’s lovely background music for sure. The band are some of the best known musicians of that time, so it’s no surprise it comes across as so professionally done and bursting with character. Yes – a really nice listen but the real buffs would obviously appreciate it ( the musicianship) more than I ever could.

I normally listen to Chet Baker when working, relaxing music that doesn't require your attention. When I saw Baker/Desmond Together I ordered this immediately, the CD arrived the next day. There are a number of very nice tracks on this disc, the first track entitled "you can't go home again" appears to be based on the opening bars of Rachmaninov's 2nd, typical mellow Baker trumpet with the usual thoughtful Desmond contribution. This sets the tone for the disc. Other nice renditions are "Getting Sentimental over You", beautiful chorus from Baker followed by "Tangerine". I once read that Chet Baker didn't read music and played entirely by ear, if this is so he was indeed a genius. I've read other reviews of this disc that are less than complimentary about Baker's vocal on "How Deep is the Ocean", I have to agree, he croaks out the lyrics and will disappoint those who buy his music for his wistful singing. There is also a recording of Rodriguez' "Concerto de Aranjuez" arranged by Jim Hall, the longest track on the disc, I wondered what Baker could possibly have to offer on this piece of music. Baker's short solos on this track are another sign that Baker had a certain genius.Paul Desmond's slow and technically perfect alto make this disc worth buying for this alone, in fact I liked it so much that I also bought his "Feeling Blue" at the same time after listening to some sample tracks.Worth buying if you like this type of jazz but I would also recommend either of these albums as background music for dinner parties.

There seems to be mixed reviews about this Cd, but I think it's great. Some have argued that Baker and Desmond artistically were "over the hill", and it's indeed sad that Paul Desmond passed away shortly after the recordings, but I can't hear any indication of his illness on his performance (maybe the reason is that I haven't heard that many Desmond recordings, apart from those with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and the recordings, where he teams up with Gerry Mulligan, but still....).The backing is superb, and especially the tracks of "You can't go home again" and "Concierto De Aranjuez" are wonderful, so I can only recommend this Cd.

I first heard both Chet and Paul in the mid fifties, they were incredibly lyrical players. This album brings back so many memories of my long-gone and mostly misspent youth. Knowing that a couple of the tracks were the last thing Paul Desmond ever recorded gives the whole disc an added poignancy. Listen alone, or together with another total devotee of the wistful.

Liked the music, very relaxing