Chet Baker died in 1988 but his legend has stubbornly refused to diminish and today he is one of the most consistently reissued jazz artists with interest in his early glory years as high as that in the ravaged, damaged artist who would continue to record until the end of his life. In a rare, hitherto unpublished, interview Roy Carr talked to Chet in the mid-1980s not long before his death and in a frank conversation teases out areas of Chet’s life the trumpeter rarely talked about.

By the mid-1980s, Chet Baker was running Chuck Berry a close second in the way he was dissipating his talent in favour of a hard nose take-the-money-and-run career move. Though I had encountered Chet as early as 1955, when he first toured Europe, thankfully, any ongoing association rarely got beyond exchanging brief pleasantries. It was no secret that Chet was a loner and that the daily pursuit of local drug dealers governed his existence. In no way was I remotely interested in exploring that side of his lifestyle.

However, while drugs had almost physically destroyed him to the point where his skull appeared to have stretched his skin to a fine membrane, I did not feel that artistically Chet Baker was a spent force.

The Old Guard may have growled, but in doing so Miles had greatly expanded his audience worldwide. Realising the upside of such a new direction, we both suggested songs. Chet felt that Sade’s ‘Smooth Operator’ was an obvious choice. “That song ideally suits my vocal range – I won’t have to stretch that much.”

This is an extract from Jazzwise Issue #138 – to read the full article click here to subscribe and receive a FREE copy of the latest Portico Quartet CD 'Isla'.