Biography
Chet Baker was a jazz trumpeter and vocalist, born in Oklahoma in 1929. He is considered an exponent of 'cool jazz', and is often associated with romantic ballads, although he also recorded some funky swinging records (for example Picture of Heath). Increasingly, drug addiction hampered his output and performances, especially in the 1960s.
In 1966, Baker was severely beaten (allegedly while attempting to buy drugs) after a gig in San Francisco, sustaining severe cuts on the lips and broken front teeth, which ruined his embouchure. Accounts of the incident vary, largely because of Baker's lack of reliable testimony on the matter. It has also been suggested that the story is a fabrication altogether, and that Baker's teeth had just rotted due to heavy substance abuse—two missing teeth can clearly be seen in a 1964 performance in Belgium, Chet Baker: Live in 64 and 79. From that time he had to learn to play with dentures.
Between 1966 and 1974, Baker mostly played flugelhorn and recorded music that could mostly be classified as early smooth jazz or mood music.
He died in 1988 in Amsterdam.
Honors
* In 1987, inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
* 1989: elected to Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame by that magazine's Critics Poll
* In 2005 Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry and the Oklahoma House of Representatives proclaimed July 2, 2005 as “Chet Baker Day”.
* A group of Musicians from Northern Norway performed 'Chet Baker Tribute' at the Jazz Utsav in Bandra, Mumbai.
* Wordpress 2.8 version, released on June 10, 2009 has been called "Baker" in honor of the trumpeter.
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