Description
AVAILABLE FOR IN-STORE COLLECTION ONLY
Release Date Friday 12th September 2025
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.
Five original studio albums, recorded in New York City across one week in August 1965: Boppin’, Smokin’, Groovin’, Comin’ On, Cool Burnin’ are 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 has remastered and cut (AAA), giving them fresh sonic detail. At the centre of this package is a book featuring an incredibly detailed essay by GRAMMY® award nominee James Gavin which intertwines the true story behind these recordings with interviews from those who were involved. Illustrated with rare photographs and ephemera, this is the deepest dive into these recordings to date.
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.
After years of drifting through Europe and seemingly unending personal turmoil, Chet returned to the U.S. and cut these sessions. Stripped of the youthful innocence that defined his early West Coast days, Baker plays with a darker, more introspective edge - his horn still sings, but now it sighs too.
Joined by a tight NYC rhythm section, these recordings bridge cool jazz’s elegance with the raw immediacy of East Coast hard bop. This is Baker at his most human - fragile, lyrical, unfiltered.
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.
"These recordings might not be as famous as Chet’s Pacific Jazz sides, but they’re every bit as vital - raw, searching, and deeply human."
Jazzwise Magazine
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for looking at our listing, below are a few points to consider before making a purchase:
- All records we sell are Brand New - pre-orders will normally come sealed but if you are purchasing in stock items, please note the copy may have been unsealed for display in the shop. Please email straight after purchase to enquire if this is of importance to you.
- Orders won't ship until all items are released, so keep this in mind when purchasing multiple pre-orders or a mix of in stock and pre-order items.
- The 'Product' page will show the most up to date info we have with regards to the item and its release date, but this information is subject to change so check in with us if you have any questions.
- We unfortunately don't offer tax/vat outside of the UK via the website so please keep in mind that when the items arrives in your country you may be liable to pay a further charge before delivery. (all UK orders the price you see is the price you will pay). Please also note that we are unable to adjust the declared value on items sold internationally.
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.