Steve Wyzard VERY LATE CTI

Many people are stunned to discover that CTI Records was still releasing albums in the 1980s, of which Studio Trieste is probably the best example. Recorded in March and April of 1982, all the usual suspects (Creed Taylor, Rudy van Gelder, Don Sebesky, Pete Turner) are here, but without Ron Carter on the bass. And while the album is credited to 3 big names with past CTI experience, let it be known here that this is really a "CTI All Stars" album in all but name.

In fact neither Chet Baker nor Hubert Laws appear on the first track, "Malaguena" (9:44), which was originally popularized by Stan Kenton. Opening with percussionist Sammy Figueroa and Hall's stately guitar, this is a soul funk workout for keyboardist Jorge Dalto, electric bassist Gary King, and most especially, the amazing drumming of Steve Gadd. Both Baker's trumpet and Laws's flute open John Lewis's "Django" (10:02), in case anyone was wondering when they would appear. Another CTI staple was a classical piece arranged for jazz band, which here is provided by Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" (8:42). This is a showpiece for Laws, who opens and closes the piece, while Baker takes a rare flugelhorn solo. The rhythm section now includes Kenny Barron on keyboards and George Mraz on acoustic bass. The final track, Miles Davis's "All Blues" (9:43) is given a very different, almost Spanish, arrangement. Steve Gadd's drums feature prominently, and both Baker and Laws get to play the famous melody line. While Hall's fluid guitar work receives the most solo space throughout the album, he never dominates as this is truly a "CTI group" performance where the production and arrangements are everything.

It should be mentioned here that of the 3 names on the cover, Chet Baker, while given first billing (alphabetical?), plays the least. This is also one of the rare albums he appears on with NO VOCALS. If you're a fan of these players and the classic "time stands still" CTI sound, you should find much on Studio Trieste to enjoy. With most of the boxes checked, this is a worthy addition to the CTI library in spite of its late recording date.

js Does a cheezy album title mean that the music on said album will be cheezy too, in the case of Chet Baker’s, “Blood, Chet and Tears”, it certainly does. In case you don’t get the reference, the album’s title is based on the band name, Blood Sweat & Tears, only they snuck Chet’s name in there, ha ha ha, get it, yeah it’s a real downer. Anyway, with a title like that I assumed the whole album would be BS&T covers, and there are several of their songs on here, but they also felt the need to put some real corny classics on here like “Sugar Sugar:” by the pretend band, The Archies. Chet plays trumpet on all the songs and also sings on two of them. His backup band contains some top jazz and session musicians like Joe Pass, Tommy Tedesco and Hal Blaine, but nobody can save this album from being a rather bland outing. The arrangements are nothing special and most of Chet’s playing sounds like he is barely interested.

Of the bad entries, one of the worst is Chet’s vocal version of the Beatles’ “Something”. The original is a pop masterpiece but Baker seems very uncomfortable with the word flow and his usually distinctive vocal style never gets a chance with the overall plodding presentation. None of the BS&T songs do well, which is odd because there was a lot of jazz and big band arranging in that group, but the tunes don’t seem to inspire Chet too much. There are a few good ones on this album, “Evil Ways’ hit’s a groove and Baker almost sounds like Herb Alpert for a while. Chet’s lazy behind the beat phrasing on the trumpet is used to good effect on “Sugar”, making this one a good cut for one of those kitsch exotica CD compilations. The very best track by far though is Baker’s vocal version of “Come Saturday Morning”. It’s a well written song and Baker’s vocals floating over the string section is just sublime. Sometimes these kind of pop cover outings can be a lot of fun, such as Don Ellis’ “Connection”, but there just seems to be a lack of inspiration and energy on most of this Baker opus.

Sean Trane The least we can say is that the late 60’s and early 70’s were not Chet’s best years. Not far from being the low point of his career (I believe his drugs problem was peaking), that period also represent a major trough in his already lengthy discography, only releasing the present album in a period of at least 5 years. So his only album of that era is relatively unrepresentative, but it’s in the CTI mould (the label it was released on), with the usual chained-to-the-studio suspects as actors, like B James, Laws, Penque, etc. but also some major stars like Desmond, Carter, JDJ, Gadd, Friedman, and a few others.

Opening on the ultra-known Autumn Leaves cover, you’ll get right away the usual soft and friendly and warm CTI sonics. Other covers like Mobley’s Deep Freeze or Mercer’s Tangerine and the album-closing You Or No One are dealt in a very standard way. You’ll also get Chet’s crooning vocals on some drippy ballad tunes like the title track or What I’ll do, but also in a quicker tune like Song In My Heart. The Cd reissue offers a bonus crooner ballad, My Future Just Passed, which fits in rather nicely with the rest of the album.

While the album does clash with the usual CTI pre-soft-jazz standard, I wouldn’t call this a typical CTI album in terms of soundscapes. And if it is one of my preferred Chet works, it is mostly because of the more modern recording techniques, but it’s not like I will find it an essential piece of my collection.

js In the early 50s an active jazz scene developed around the Lighthouse bar in Hermosa Beach an hour south of Los Angelas. Every Sunday, lengthy sessions would take place from 2 PM till 2AM featuring the all-star house band with visiting stars sitting in. On Sunday September 13 1953 there were three sets played at the club. The first set featured only the all-star house band, the third set featured Miles Davis and became the album, “At Last! Miles Davis and the Lighthouse All-Stars”, while the middle set featured Chet Baker and became this album, “Witch Doctor”.

This is a fun set, more like a jam session really. If you are thinking laid back west coast jazz, not really, only one cut has that “cool” vibe, the rest is hot up-tempo bop with a slightly modern hard edge. Of the five cuts, three have the very east coast driven Max Roach on drums which explains those tunes' hard swinging approach. The last two cuts feature the more laid back approach of Shelly Manne on the traps. The rest of the all-star band features greats like Bud Shank, Jimmy Giuffre and many more. One top cut on here is “Winter Wonderland”, which is a fast angular bop reading of the classic tune by Baker and a small quartet with Max Roach echoing Chet’s rapid phrases with syncopated rattles on the snare, Roach’s interest in experimenting with modern approaches to drumming is evident. Another great one is album closer “Witch Doctor” written by saxophonist Bob Cooper which features one of those classic Cab Calloway/Ellington minor key jazz noire repeating riffs, its similar to the sort of material that Charles Mingus would be mining soon.

In late summer on the west coast the weather is about as perfect as it gets, the music on here reflects that open upbeat atmosphere. I wish I could have been at the Lighthouse on this afternoon, it sounds like everyone is having a blast, both the audience and the musicians. This probably isn't the most precise or sensitive playing you will hear from these guys, but it doesn't matter, this one is all about sharing a good time.

Matt Recorded over five different sessions from late 1953 to 56 with nine different musicians and Chet's trumpet is overdubbed and this actually was quite a new thing at the time in recording bringing splendid results to this collection of songs with all being standards in todays Jazz repertoire. The songwriters included are Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser with the list just going on but one thing for sure is if you were brought up in the fifties and sixties so many of these songs will be very familar with some delightful interpretations from Chet Baker with the his horn overdub just putting the icing on the cake. The trio with Chet's vocals and trumpet are the entire make up of every session with Russ Freeman playing piano on the lot with the majority of the bass and drums by Carson Smith and Bob Neel, Shelley Manne makes an appearance but on only one of the tunes. Chet does not climb heights he sings within a mid range but the feeling is there with a hint of cynicism in his technique bringing a delightful difference to these tunes but alas Chet although a great musician had one of those lifes that seem to afflict so many people with drugs being the problem and was actually found dead on the pavement outside his 2nd story hotel room while in Amsterdam back in 1988 with the self destruction and waste finally coming to its end for him

No slamming band just Chet's vocals with every word sung as clear as a bell bringing a sparkling clarity with "The Thrill Is Gone" being the album's start with the piano intro and Chet's vocal just floating through the tune with his cool trumpet tone just bringing that necessary melancholy component. Gershwin's "But Not For Me" follows with its more up tempo rythmn and Chet's trumpet is delightful with his vocals."Time After Time', "I Get Along With Out You Very Well", " That Old Feeling" are covered with "My Funny Valentine' by Rodgers and Hart being another great laid back interpretation from Chet with that we have all day feel to the delivery within his songs. "Lets Get Lost' is an absolute stand out with its slight up tempo swingin' approach with Russ Freeman giving his piano a workout with a swinger for a solo. Still lots more on this twenty track album and we have to mention the song "Like Someone In Love" with that hint of cynicism from Chet within and the absolutely cool vibe is the best description for this ballad.

Great album for when you just want to relax or like me have had a hard night and would like to hear some beautifully styled jazz in that cool West Coast tradition and keep that wretched headache at bay.