(Yale, Okla.) His name is well-known in the world of jazz, but many may not realize the late, great jazz trumpeter and vocalist, Chet Baker was born in Yale, Oklahoma. The town of Yale will celebrate Chet Baker with an inaugural festival in his honor, Saturday, October 10, 2015. Festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. in Clyde Brown Liberty Park (Boston Street). Those attending are urged to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy music by jazz guitarist Pat Kelley and jazz saxophonist Michael Moore. Food trucks will also be on location.
A Little History:
Born to Chesney Henry Baker, Sr. and Vera Baker (nee’ Moser) on December 23, 1929, Chesney Henry “Chet” Baker, Jr. spent the first decade of his life on his grandfather’s farm near Yale. But like many Okies in the late 1930s, his parents made the move to California in search of employment.
Baker, who grew up in a musical household, first began playing the trumpet at 13 years old as part of the Glendale, CA junior high school band. After leaving school at age 16 to join the Army, he was stationed in Berlin as a part of the 298th Army Band. A couple of years later, Baker left the Army and returned to California where he studied theory and harmony at El Camino College in Los Angeles for a time before dropping out and re-enlisting in the Army. He then became a member of the Sixth Army Band at the Presidio in San Francisco and began visiting jazz clubs in the area. It wasn’t long, however, before Baker sought a discharge from the Army to pursue a career as a professional musician.
After a few professional gigs with notables such as Vido Musso, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker, Baker joined the Gerry Mulligan Quartet in 1952 and became an instant sensation. Mulligan and Baker complemented each other’s playing and were said to be almost “telepathic” when anticipating what each other would play next. The group’s version of “My Funny Valentine,” featuring Baker, became a hit and a tune to which he would always be associated.
The Quartet’s success was short-lived due to Mulligan’s arrest and imprisonment on drug charges. Baker then formed the Chet Baker Quartet, which gained success, not only with their live shows, but with the release of a number of albums in the mid 1950s. Because of his unique style, good looks and singing talent, Baker soon became an icon of the West Coast “cool school” of jazz.
Unfortunately, Baker also developed a drug addiction that haunted him until his death, May 13, 1988, in Amsterdam.
Prior to his death, Baker was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987.
Other accolades awarded posthumously:
1991 inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame;
2005, former Oklahoma Governor, Brad Henry, proclaimed July 2nd as “Chet Baker Day” in Oklahoma;
2007, former Tulsa mayor, Kathy Taylor, proclaimed December 23rd as “Chet Baker Day” in Tulsa.
And on October 10, 2015, Yale invites everyone to come out and celebrate the life and music of their native son, Chet Baker.
For more information on Chet Baker and the Chet Baker Foundation go to www.chetbakerjazz.com
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