In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album

Chronique

West Coast jazz trumpeter/singers Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon pair up on this laid-back and amiable, long-lost 1972 recording. Close friends, Baker and Sheldon came up together in Los Angeles in the early '50s, both hanging out and playing in local clubs. They had a similar style with a penchant for warm, Miles Davis-influenced melodicism. An icon, Baker was the break-out star with a romantic charisma marked by his soft way of singing. However, drug addiction and an erratic lifestyle curtailed much of his career, leading to an infamous 1966 incident that ruined his embouchure and left him needing dentures. In contrast, the more gregarious and extroverted Sheldon enjoyed a far-reaching career that extended into TV and film acting; he gained a foothold in popular culture, famously singing in the animated Schoolhouse Rock! educational shorts. It was in 1972, during Baker's early comeback, that Sheldon enticed him into a studio to record a few tunes. Running the session was guitarist Jack Marshall, who brought along pianist Dave Frishberg, bassist Joe Mondragon, and drummer Nick Ceroli. With Baker always in the right speaker and Sheldon always in the left, they dueted on a handful of their favorite tunes, taking turns playing the melodies, singing, and soloing. Tragically, Marshall suffered a heart attack soon after and the tapes went unreleased for decades. Produced and compiled by Frank Marshall (Jack's son), the sessions illuminate the similarities and differences between the two trumpeters. With his smiling voice and bop-inflected trumpet style, Sheldon is the wry comic relief to Baker's dark, velvety cool. Together, they offer intimate takes on standards, including "Just Friends," "But Not for Me," and "I'm Old Fashioned." There are also unexpected surprises, like their spry reading of Sheldon's original "Too Blue," where they match each other's breathy trumpet sound. An artifact of West Coast jazz history, In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album showcases the warm camaraderie and musical second nature Baker and Sheldon enjoyed.

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