(Chet Baker Sings) It Could Happen to You is an album by jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker. It follows a formula similar to two other Baker albums, Chet Baker Sings (1954) and Chet Baker Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman & Strings (recorded in 1955, released in 1964[2]) in which he sings traditional pop standards in a jazzy fashion. Unlike the aforementioned records, on It Could Happen to You, on a few tracks, Baker plays no trumpet whatsoever, opting to scat in place of an instrumental solo.[3]
| It Could Happen to You | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 3, 1958[1] | |||
| Recorded | August 1958 Reeves Sound Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 52:39 (2010 reissue) | |||
| Label | Riverside RLP 12-278 | |||
| Producer | Bill Grauer | |||
| Chet Baker chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 2010, it was remastered and reissued on CD by Original Jazz Classics with two previously unissued takes.
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [4] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10[5] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [6] |
The Allmusic review by Lindsay Planer awarded the album 4 stars and states:
One immediate distinction between these vocal sides and those recorded earlier in the decade for Pacific Jazz is the lissome quality of Baker's playing and, most notably, his increased capacity as a vocalist. The brilliant song selection certainly doesn't hurt either. This is an essential title in Chet Baker's 30-plus year canon
— Planer, Lindsay Allmusic review
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Do It the Hard Way" | Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart | 3:00 |
| 2. | "I'm Old Fashioned" | Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer | 5:03 |
| 3. | "You're Driving Me Crazy" | Walter Donaldson | 2:53 |
| 4. | "It Could Happen to You" | Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke | 2:49 |
| 5. | "My Heart Stood Still" | Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart | 3:26 |
| 6. | "The More I See You" | Harry Warren, Mack Gordon | 3:03 |
| 7. | "Everything Happens to Me" | Matt Dennis, Tom Adair | 5:02 |
| 8. | "Dancing on the Ceiling" | Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart | 3:08 |
| 9. | "How Long Has This Been Going On?" | George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin | 4:10 |
| 10. | "Old Devil Moon" | Burton Lane, E.Y. Harburg | 2:59 |
1987 CD reissue bonus tracks
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "While My Lady Sleeps" | Bronisław Kaper, Gus Kahn | 4:21 |
| 12. | "You Make Me Feel So Young" | Josef Myrow, Mack Gordon | 3:38 |
2010 CD reissue
edit- "Do It the Hard Way" – 3:03
- "I'm Old Fashioned" – 5:06
- "You're Driving Me Crazy" – 2:56
- "It Could Happen to You" – 2:53
- "My Heart Stood Still" – 3:28
- "The More I See You" – 3:06
- "Everything Happens to Me" – 5:05
- "Dancing on the Ceiling" – 3:09
- "How Long Has This Been Going On?" – 4:10
- "Old Devil Moon" – 2:58
- "While My Lady Sleeps" [Take 10] – 4:22
- "You Make Me Feel So Young" [Take 5] – 3:41
- "The More I See You" [Take 8] – 2:51
- "Everything Happens to Me" [Take 2] – 4:51
Personnel
edit- Chet Baker – vocals, trumpet
- Kenny Drew – piano
- George Morrow (#1–2, 5, 7–8, 14), Sam Jones (#3–4, 6, 9–13) – bass
- Philly Joe Jones (#1–2, 5–8, 10–14), Dannie Richmond (#3–4, 9) – drums
References
edit- ^ Billboard Nov 3, 1958
- ^ "Chet Baker Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings Review". allmusic. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ "It Could Happen to You Information". iTunes. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ^ "It Could Happen to You Information". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ^ "Chet Baker: The Legendary Riverside Albums". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.