New Land

Recorded in New York City within the space of one week in the Summer of 1965; Boppin’, Smokin’, Groovin’, Comin’ On, Cool Burnin’ are at long last being made available on vinyl for the first time in over 50-years. Representing a critical moment in his career, Chet Baker hooked up with a superlative band for these recordings: George Coleman; Kirk Lightsey; Herman Wright and Roy Brooks play throughout on these thrilling sets, which were originally issued by Prestige Recordings.

New Land has gained full access to the original analog mono tapes, and Kevin Gray remastered to give them fresh sonic detail.    Chet Baker's 1965 Prestige recordings mark a transitional period - his return to the U.S. after time in Europe and a brush with the legal system. These sessions show him leaning into a grittier, more expressive tone, yet still laced with his signature lyrical beauty.

Cut at the height of Prestige Records’ hard bop renaissance, this session pairs Baker with saxophone titan George Coleman - fresh from his tour with Miles Davis. The result is a raw, swinging quintet sound that’s immediate, soulful, and unvarnished.

These aren’t just “late-era” Chet recordings - they’re a document of reinvention. For collectors, this fills a crucial gap between his iconic 1950s cool jazz era and his darker 1970s European sessions. The interplay with Coleman is especially rare and electric.   “These sessions let one know he could break through his "cool" image by playing heated bop when he wanted to. It also finds him debuting on flugel horn and the softer tone fits his introverted sound well"

Chet Baker - Flugelhorn George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone Kirk Lightsey - Piano Herman Wright - Bass Roy Brooks – Drums