Strollin'

Personnel: Chet Baker (vocals, trumpet); Phillip Catherine (guitar); Jean-Louis Rasinfosse (bass).
Recorded at the 7th Jazz Festival, Muenster, West Germany in June 1985.
On this 1985 concert recording, charismatic trumpet player/vocalist Chet Baker performs with guitarist Philip Catherine and bassist Jean Louis Rassinfosse. Baker performs such trademark tunes as Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" and Gershwin's "But Not For Me," but the settings are unique. On the former, Baker employs a distinctly funky approach. It's rare to hear Baker soloing over what amounts to a one-chord jam. Rassinfosse develops an ostinato purposely devoid of harmonic progression. Seizing the moment, Catherine and Baker develop their respective solos with great confidence and poise.
At times, Catherine's sound is more akin to rock than it is to jazz. He goes so far as to use slight distortion on "Sad Walk" and "Love for Sale." Rassinfosse performs on what sounds like an electric, upright bass sans a wooden body. This musical approach is incongruent with the other Baker settings. A pioneer of the so-called West Coast cool sound, Baker seems to be in stylistic opposition to music that hints at "rock" in any way. Despite such disparities, this trio demonstrates great musical empathy and confluence.