jazz at ann arbor

After rising to fame as the bright new star of West Coast cool jazz, and winning a slew of polls, Chet Baker took his show on the road, touring all over the US, including a stopover in the college town of Ann Arbor, MI for their spring music festival in 1954. Recorded live, this quartet performance, featuring Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums was one of the first recordings of Baker fronting his own group, but already Baker was arguably at the top of his game. His smooth and seemingly effortless lines hang in the air like threads perfectly spun silk, as the rhythm section, led by a flawless Russ Freeman, works overtime. Thanks to impeccable live dates such as this one, Baker's devotees became increasingly numerous, and for a fleeting moment it seemed as if nothing could stop this rising star of jazz. 180 gram vinyl."