Chet Baker - Groovin' With The Chet Baker Quintet (2026) [Hi-Res]

Recorded over three sessions in August 1965 at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Englewood Cliffs studio, Groovin' with the Chet Baker Quintet captures the trumpeter-turned-flugelhornist at a creative peak, having traded his earlier "young talent" persona for that of a "mature soloist" with a deeper, more resonant sound. This 1966 Prestige release features a stellar lineup—George Coleman on tenor saxophone, pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Herman Wright, and drummer Roy Brooks—delivering a mix of originals and standards with a fluency described as "boppish with a majestic sound, elegant and sweet". The album is part of a celebrated series of mid-60s Baker recordings whose titles (like Smokin' and Comin' On) knowingly nod to Miles Davis' legendary work with a similar concept, though critics argue the music here stands entirely on its own as "some of the best jazz from Chet absolutely".