If not fallen from an Amsterdam hotel window on May 13, 1988, probably chased by a drug dealer, he celebrated his 65th birthday in 2005. To commemorate this joyous event, the Dutch jazz singer Fay Claassen has recorded the double CD Sings Two Portraits Of Chet Baker. On the first CD she performs thirteen beautiful compositions by Baker. Unfortunately the performances suffer from soulless scat vocals
… that lean more on technique than on feeling. Cd 2 contains a lot more emotion, but that does not match the beautiful voice of the master himself. (AD)more
