How to review a genius like Chet Baker? Sorry, I'm not in the position to do. I have no words for his outstanding work. He was incomparable, indeed.

This may be one of the finer Pacific Jazz archives in itself, to forget for a moment the velvet sledgehammer that was Chet Baker. Including some great arrangements and performances by almost all the luminaries of West Coast jazz (Russ Freeman, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper etc.), this collection stands as a more than adequate representation of the jazz of the moment. I can sit down and hear the width of a Los Angeles street, I can see the light in the air, in every cut on these eight sides. Jazz was indeed a community event.

As for individuals, however, Chet Baker shines as a craftsman of melody on these sides. Have a listen to some of your other recordings of the melodies tested here and you'll hear Baker structuring his approach to his improvised melodies. Some sections, some entire solos, are laid down exactly the same as in successive versions. This shouldn't surprise anyone, as jazz has often been constructed line by line in this way, but it is a joy to hear such a competent craftsman at work.

My favorite tracks are on the first disc, which features many live takes. These are by far some of the freshest recordings Baker, Mulligan et. al, made of their material. Truly fresh, uninhibited, and to some degree, untested material that brought fame to Baker ultimately, but which emerge of the discs, beautifully engineered and produced, as the raw experiments which led to the identity of these men, but also of this region, this style (if you will) and this medium.

This is a really great collection of West Coast cool. I actually enjoy this more than the standard commercial Chet Baker albums. Yes, it has some of that on the first disk, but more very lyrical and upbeat bop tunes, even big band on the last disk. If you like this style, or are even close, I recommend this. It will grow on you.