by Scott Yanow
In 1959 while in Italy, Chet Baker was showcased playing trumpet and (on five of the ten songs) singing a set of ballads while backed by a large string section. Fans will want this set but, due to the mundane string arrangements and the lack of variety, more general collectors should acquire his earlier jazz-oriented dates first. [Chet Baker with Fifty Italian Strings was reissued in 2006 with a bonus track.]