The performance here is both. Chet's playing and singing are beautiful, but as an earlier reviewer pointed out, this is Chet in his twilight. The gift of his music is counterbalanced by the obvious punishment his lifelong heroin addiction has inflicted on him. My favorite part is Elvis Costello's rendition of "The Very Thought of You", which is absolutely superb. Between songs he interviews Chet, whose answers are interesting, and very candid. And yes, the Van Morrison song kinda sucks. If you're a Chet fan though, this DVD is a must.
May 24, 2007I, too, have been waiting since early November for this DVD, and though Amazon keeps promising it'll soon arrive, it never does! So, you guys out there will just have to wait for my mind-boggling review till Amazon sends me my DVD or at long last admits it can't get one. And they're still promising delivery in 4 to 6 weeks (same as when I ordered mine 21 weeks ago), so don't bother even ordering your copy till you see my review!
April 6, 2007 |  | I'd like to review this, but |  |
I have been waiting for Amazon to fulfill this order since 7 November 2006. I continue to wait for it to be shipped. Alas!
January 9, 2007For anybody who is a devotee of Chet Baker's music, this disc will be worthwhile. One cautionary note, however; this is Chet during his last years, and the toll that his drug addiction and otherwise hard-living took is clearly evident. The interviews by a very sensitive and respectful Elvis Costello reveal a man of deep insight and intellect. Watching this DVD has made me all the more committed to trying to find more DVD's of Chet during his earlier years when his strength, subtlety and lungs were at their peak. Some reviewers took issue with the pieces sung by Van Morrison and Costello. I thought they were interesting and sincere homages to Chet.
July 7, 2005Chet Baker was always my favorite trumpet player I grew up instantly. I was like 13 or 14 at the time when I first checked out the first CD at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library entitled "The Best Thing For You". To me I'm a professional trumpet player myself who love playing as you know. This was one of his final appearances off this documentary two years before his death. Which plus says whether it was a accident or suicide or whatever, I don't know. But I read it and found out about it.
Chet Baker would always be a legend to grow back from his horn, to the notes, to the rhythm, and to the fans. He fits inside my trumpet influences like Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, Al Hirt, Rick Braun, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Chris Botti, Maynard Ferguson, Chuck Mangione, Arturo Sandoval and many others.
I have seen this documentary premiere on BET on Jazz 2 or 3 years ago and was talking about what Chet was doing in his life, how he got into drugs, how he lost a lot of teeth back in the late '60s, how he gave up his trumpet playing a not-so-how long hiatus is that, but soon return to sound better than the last time. I still got his book just to learn more from him.
'Cause he's a Spirit I would live on in my heart. May your soul, love, spirit, legend and your music be live on more than ever.
Rest in peace, Chet. Truly miss you.
November 22, 2004More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(14 reviews)
