Monday, February 22, 2010

Cool Jazz

The inimitable Chet Baker showed up on The Impossible Cool this morning and I realized he was completely left off of Esquire's "The 75 Best Dressed Men of All Time" list.  Instead of languishing in this blatant oversight it seems more appropriate to honor him instead.  Not many people have ever been as cool as Chet and the guy's style was much like the music he played - cool, suave and smooth.  His untimely death, though not as unexpected or soon, and style make him kinda like the James Dean of jazz if you're looking for a fairly elementary comparison.  Regardless, Chet was the physical manifestation of the music he so expertly and effortlessly played.


-L.A.S

10 comments:

  1. Pretty interesting juxtaposition between his bad boy drug addict character and his incredibly soft and smooth voice/trumpet playing. Love his music.

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  2. It's to bad the guy was so strung out. It definitely showed.

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  3. there's a plaque on the outer wall of the Prins Hendrik hotel about 800m from my home that marks the spot where Baker died after falling from his hotel bedroom window. When the room was examined they found heroin, cocaine and marajuana. it makes me sad each time i pass it...

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  4. Chet,one of the best.

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  5. Do you have a photo credit for the one with him resting against a woman in a black dress? It's just gorgeous, I'd like to know if I can get a print somewhere.

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    Replies
    1. That photo is by William Claxton

      http://everyday-i-show.livejournal.com/189434.html

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