Album review: Wolfgang Lackerschmid/Chet Baker - Quintet Sessions 1979.

Chet Baker (trumpet/vocal); Wolfgang Lackerschmid (vibes); Larry Coryell (guitar); Buster Williams (bass); Tony Williams (drums).

At this stage in his career Baker was probably known for all the wrong reasons rather than for his lyrical trumpet playing of some years previous. In 1979, when this album was recorded, that lyricism was still there albeit more sparse in its format. It's as if every note was carefully thought out a few bars ahead. This is minimalism at its extreme and, let me add, none the worse for that. This is what jazz is all about. Play as few or as many notes as you like as long as they're the right notes for the moment.

Given Baker's checkered lifestyle which has been well covered enough to avoid repetition it's surprising he plays as well as he does.

Coryell, and Williams Buster and Tony, at this point in time were rated among the top players on their respective instruments and, in jazz terms probably light years ahead of Baker stylistically with Lackerschmid somewhere in between.

The German is an excellent vibes player little known outside of Europe and who probably wouldn't have been operating at this level had he not also set up the recording.

All but Chet contributed an original composition plus Jimmy Van Heusen's Here's That Rainy Day. This latter track is like the Baker of old and as fine a ballad reading as by any trumpet player past and present. There's only one vocal on the album and the smart money would have been on this being the one.

Nope! Chet's only vocal is on Lackerschmid' s Balzwaltz, a waltz as the title implies with Chet singing a wordless line.

Both of the Williams deserve a special mention. Buster's bass playing, is as superb as it's essential and Tony, after playing with Miles, McLaughlin and many fusion players was at the top of the contemporary percussion tree but this didn't show in his sympathetic work behind Chet although maybe he helped add an extra spark to his playing. Likewise Coryell, he did the business without an array of pedals and what have you whilst, had Lackerschmid been an American he'd have been a DownBeat contender.

Lance

Wolfgang Lackerschmid/Chet Baker - Quintet Sessions 1979 is a follow up to Wolfgang Lackerschmid/Chet Baker - Ballads For Two released earlier this year featuring Wolfgang and Chet in a duo setting and reviewed on BSH here.

Both albums are available on Dot Time Records.