THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The meeting of Ennio Morricone and Chet Baker in 1962 was a sublime encounter that couldn’t have come at a better time for both artists.
For years, many Baker fans weren’t even aware these four Italian sides existed, as the four RCA songs weren’t released outside of Italy until the early 2000s. For another, when most listeners reach for the singing Baker, they usually turn to his work with pianist Russ Freeman, although these four Italian tracks are easily in the same league.
In August, 1960, Baker was arrested in Lucca, Italy. He was convicted of drug smuggling and forgery and sentenced to a year, seven months, and 10 days in a Lucca prison. When he was released early in December 1961, RCA Italiana organized collaborative sessions with composer, arranger, and conductor Morricone. In 1962, they recorded these four compositions, which Baker had written while incarcerated.
Although rumoured to be originally written for a film score, only Che Ti Perdero finally made it on the soundtrack of Let’s Get Lost, released in 1988. These are beautiful and exotic works by Baker. If you’re a Baker fan, you’re a romantic. And if you’re a romantic, then what more could you ask for than for Baker at his seductive best singing ballads in Italian? Not to mention playing an open trumpet on top of Italian cinematic strings, conducted by the legendary Morricone.”
