Artist page · 04/07/2026
About
50 vinyls spanning 1950s to 1970s, with key pressings from Verve, Pacific Jazz, and Jazzland labels.
Chesney Henry Baker Jr. developed his craft starting in the late 1940s, influenced by bebop pioneers and West Coast jazz innovators. Baker combined delicate trumpet playing with understated vocal performances, creating a signature sound that balances melancholic lyricism with bebop sophistication.
He recorded prolifically from the early 1950s to the late 1970s, producing numerous studio albums including collaborations with Gerry Mulligan and Bill Evans. His discography spans label releases such as Pacific Jazz, Verve, and Riverside Records. Pressings of his albums appear in various formats, with originals highly sought by collectors.
Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
A&M Records · 1977
Carosello · 1977
CTI Records · 1975
CTI Records · 1975
CTI Records · 1975
CTI Records · 1974
Verve Records · 1970
Beverly Hills · 1969
Prestige · 1967
Prestige · 1967
Prestige · 1967
World Pacific Records · 1966
World Pacific Records · 1966
Prestige · 1966
Prestige · 1966
World Pacific Records · 1966
World Pacific Records · 1966
World Pacific Records · 1966
World Pacific Records · 1966
Limelight · 1965
Limelight · 1965
Colpix Records · 1964
RCA Victor · 1962
Celson · 1960
Music · 1960
Riverside Records · 1959
Riverside Records · 1959
Verve Records · 1958
World Pacific Records · 1958
Riverside Records · 1958
Riverside Records · 1958
Pacific Jazz · 1957
World Pacific Records · 1957
Pacific Jazz · 1956
Barclay · 1956
Pacific Jazz · 1955
Pacific Jazz · 1955
Pacific Jazz · 1955
Barclay · 1955
Columbia · 1954Playlist
The tracks that sum up Chet Baker's career.
The essentials
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
A cool jazz hallmark with 10 tracks featuring standards like 'I Should Care' and the title track ‘Angel Eyes’, recorded in 1960 and released on Celson label.
A 1957 album blending bop and cool jazz, released on World Pacific Records with a classic 10 track lineup including 'A Foggy Day' and 'Phil's Blues'.
A 1970 fusion album on Verve Records mixing jazz, soft rock, and easy listening with 10 tracks including covers of popular songs like 'Sugar, Sugar' and 'The Letter'.
Go further
Artists who share part of Chet Baker's musical DNA.
Collectors
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
The “Why this rarity” column comes from our upstream sourcing work: for each album, we explain what makes this pressing sought after by collectors (limited run, specific matrix, withdrawn edition…).
Face B
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
"His virtuosity is more magical than technical, demanding deep musical service from his collaborators."— Riccardo del Fra
Chet Baker began his career in the late 1940s, after military service including a stint in the 2980 Army Band stationed in Berlin where exposure to bebop influenced his style deeply.
In 1952, Baker formed a groundbreaking pianoless quartet with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan which performed weekly at The Haig club in Hollywood, gaining rapid popularity for their unique sound.
The album 'Angel Eyes', recorded and released in 1960, includes standards like 'Good-Bye' and 'Autumn in New York', showcasing Baker’s cool jazz trumpet and vocal style.
The original US pressing of 'Angel Eyes' on Jazzland from 1960 offers a sought-after stereo version, with collectors interested in its 3.5:1 want/have sales ratio and several copies still available.
FAQ
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
Chet Baker was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist known for cool and West Coast jazz styles, blending lyricism with bebop influences.
Essential start points include 'Angel Eyes' (1960), 'Big Band' (1957), and 'Blood, Chet And Tears' (1970) for their signature sound and vinyl availability.
His albums were frequently released on Pacific Jazz, Verve, Riverside, and Jazzland among others.
Pressings of 'Angel Eyes' on Jazzland (US stereo, 1960) and 'Blood, Chet And Tears' on Verve (1970) are notable for collectors.
Baker popularized a delicate, lyrical trumpet approach emphasizing ballad interpretation and mood, differing from more technical bebop players.
His struggles with heroin addiction and legal troubles, including arrests and imprisonments in Europe, disrupted his music career through the 1960s.
Despite hardships, Baker recorded extensively in the 1970s with a mature, sometimes more fragile tone captured on numerous European and American label vinyl pressings.
Collectors can find pressings from different countries including the US, Italy, Germany, and more with original and reissue versions on platforms specializing in jazz vinyl.
Transparency
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
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