Chet Baker in Holland in 1979

Chet Baker at VARA Studio 2 on April 10, 1979 (courtesy of the Netherlands Institute of Sound and Image)

I have to confess that my collection of recordings of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker is not particularly extensive, but I have had an interest in archival albums of sessions in Europe for some time. Thus, when I learned that Jazz Detective was releasing a two-CD album entitled Blue Room: The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions in Holland, I figured I would give it a try. This was my first “European connection” with Baker since 2014, when I wrote about the Jazzhaus album Early Chet: Chet Baker in Germany 1955–1959 for Examiner.com.

Baker led two different quartets in his sessions with VARA. The first seven tracks on this new release have rhythm provided by Phil Markowitz on piano, Jean-Louis Rasinfosse on bass, and Charles Rice on drums. The tracks were recorded during a single session, which took place on April 10. The remaining tracks were recorded on November 9; and the rhythm section consisted of pianist Frans Elsen, bassist Victor Kaihatu, and drummer Eric Ineke. Several of the tracks present Baker’s vocal work alternating with his trumpet solos.

The accompanying booklet is twelve pages long, and most of it is devoted to texts that provide a context for listening to the eleven tracks. Indeed, the essay by Edwin Rutten offers perspectives on the recording of each of those tracks. This supplements a longer article by Jeroen de Valk entitled “Chet Baker in Holland, 1979.” There are also “memory essays” by Phil Markowitz, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Randy Brecker, Enrico Rava, and Enrico Pieranunzi. All of this content provides a rich context for listening to each of the tracks, an experience likely to be far more useful than checking out Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of Baker in the 2015 film Born to Be Blue!