Overview

“The most well-rounded, clear-eyed portrait of the trumpeter ever put to paper. . . . The definitive bio of Baker.” —Christopher Porter, JazzTimes

This first major biography of the most romanticized icon in jazz thrillingly recounts his wild ride. From his emergence in the 1950s--when an uncannily beautiful young man from Oklahoma appeared on the West Coast to become, seemingly overnight, the prince of "cool" jazz--until his violent, drug-related death in Amsterdam in 1988, Chet Baker lived a life that has become an American myth. Here, drawing on hundreds of interviews and previously untapped sources, James Gavin gives a hair-raising account of the trumpeter's dark journey.

Reviews

“A landmark in entertainment biography.” —Tony Gieske, Hollywood Reporter

“Definitive … a haunting prose poem that’s every bit as affecting as one of Baker’s solos.” —Entertainment Weekly – “A” rating

“Superb … unerring … a stark, troubling portrait of both the artist and his times.” —Publisher’s Weekly

“Splendid, fascinatingly thorough … a book that remains a page-turner long after it’s obvious what’s coming next.” —K. Leander Williams, Time Out New York

“So thorough, gripping and well-written that once the pages start to turn, you’re hooked … a journalistic gem.” —Jason Koransky, Down Beat

“Savagely honest … impeccably researched, elegantly written.” —Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle

“Harrowing … chilling.” —Richard Sudhalter, Baltimore Sun

“Cringingly fine … a really scary story.” —Kirkus Reviews