Chet's Lament

[Billy]

Hi All,

I couldn't get anyone to help me on this so I've decided to call this done.

This is my little tribute to the jazz trumpeter and singer Chet Baker.

CHET'S LAMENT

Music - Billy Playle

Chet was a great trumpeter but some critics disregarded him. He was later shunned by some of the very musicians he looked up to including Miles Davis. He had Hollywood looks and although he had a bad boy reputation his playing style was quite soft. He could take a melody and fly due to his excellent improvising skills. This was quite remakable given the fact that he never studied music like his contemporaries and if you were to put a chord sheet in front of him he wouldn't be able to make sense of it.
It has to be said he was a drug addict for most of his life and so I guess it was inevitable that he would meet a tragic end. Chet died in Amsterdam (Netherlands) after falling from a hotel window in 1988.
If you want a good read then please read the book 'Deep in a Dream' by James Gavin.

CHET BAKER
1929 - 1988

Thank you for listening.

Billy.

[Eugene Lyricist]

Billy,

Awesome tune. love the trumpet sound. Shame no one jumped in on this but you did a great job. Sometimes you just have to do that if you have the talent to make something like this. Most might not know who Chet is or was. Thank you for sharing something like this. I studied trumpet for three years and still can't play. My teacher would play some of Chet's tunes for use every week. Specially me since I couldn't get the hang of anything. lol..

Eugene

[Billy]

Thanks Eugene. You studied trumpet? man...you should have kept going.

[Eugene Lyricist]

Yes have studied music performance for many instruments but just don't have the fingers to do things. LOL.. I broke my hand and its never been the same. After my sophomore year of college. I decided being a musician wasn't for me. so I hung up anything to do with music. I picked back up writing lyrics about 2 years ago. I leave the talent for music for the talented players.

[jeff]

Cool Stuff Billy

[Donna]

This is a fine tribute, Billy. 

Donna

[srvfender]

Hey Aidan (not ready to call you Billy yet ),

This is very nice. You are one of the most versatile musicians I know. Nice indeed!

AJ

[TallPaul]

Billy, do you have a link to this song on the web somewhere? I (slightly) know a guy named John Ricci, sax player and teacher here in Jax. Here is his link:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=278907008

On his page, there is a link to Alex Nguyen, a trumpet player who used to live here in Jax. Here is the link to Alex's MySpace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=47549070

Anyway, I'm thinking I could talk to John and he could talk to Alex? I've met Alex, he's a nice guy. And it's a heck of a nice composition on your part.

Paul

[Stoney]

Hi Billy/Aidan

This is very nice indeed ...it's great to hear you doing something completely different ....real late night lights off stuff

cool Ian

[Studioplayer]

Very nice Billy. I wouldn't even know where to begin to write something like that. Sounds great. 

Dave