Listen to Chet Baker & Piero Umiliani's "Smog" soundtrack from 1962

Since it's Chet Baker's birthday today, here's his brilliant soundtrack collaboration with Piero Umiliani for Franco Rossi's "Smog."

Happy Birthday Philip Catherine!

Raising a glass to Belgian guitar great Philip Catherine with a few performances alongside Chet Baker, Larry Coryell & NHØP. 

Happy 90th Birthday Warren Chiasson!

Cheers to Nova Scotia-born vibes ace Warren Chiasson who played with Chet Baker, Eric Dolphy, Roberta Flack and B.B. King. 

Happy Birthday Chet Baker!

Chet Baker's early 60s Italian film sessions with Piero Umiliani – largely overlooked at the time – stand as some of his finest work.

Here's the scoop on Chet Baker's Italian Movies...

For the first time ever in their entirety, the beautifully packaged Italian Movies 3-CD set released by Jason Lee Lazell's UK-based Moochin' About label, brings together the complete recordings by legendary Italian composer Piero Umiliani featuring iconic West Coast trumpeter Chet Baker for the early 60s films Audace Colpo Dei Soliti Ignoti (Fiasco In Milan), I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal On Madonna St), Urlatorialla Sbarra, Intrigo A Los Angeles, and Smog (check out the brilliant main theme from Franco Rossi's 1962 film Smog below).  

This, the first release on the critically acclaimed Jazz On Film series dedicated to jazz icons, includes one of the rarest Umiliani soundtracks, 'Intrigo A Los Angeles'... a marvellous jazz score with the maestro himself at the piano. In 1964, C.A.M released an album with 15 mono cues (38 minutes in length) that is now one of the rarest albums in their catalogue, coveted by fans of the Firenze composer and jazz lovers alike. 

For this CD package, the original mono master session tapes were used on which some unreleased material was discovered, bringing the total running time up to 43:12 minutes – everything that was recorded for the movie. Audio restoration has improved the sound immensely making for a great listening experience. 

Umiliani was the first to bring jazz to the big screen in Italy and experimented by using legendary trumpeter Chet Baker... a collaboration and friendship that gave life to a fine collection of recordings and brought out the very best of Baker during his troubled life. Get a copy of Italian Movies via Bandcamp right here. 

Listen to the cues 'Tensione' (From "Audace Colpo Dei Soliti Ignoti"), 'Motorizzazione' (From "I Soliti Ignoti"), 'Arrivederci' (From "Urlatori Alla Sbarra") followed by the main theme from "Smog."

Happy Birthday Helen Merrill

Celebrating the birthday of jazz vocalist Helen Merrill with a couple of early 60s gems cut with Chet Baker and Piero Umiliani.

Elvis Costello talks about his encounters with Chet Baker

Here's a revealing Elvis Costello chat about finding a Chet Baker 10" at Village Music and later working with him. 

Listen to a Charlie Parker interview from 1954

Check out Charlie Parker's 5 min chat with Leigh Kamman for New York radio station WOV in 1954. 

Van Morrison chats about Woody Herman, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter and Chet Baker

Sir Van recalls the first blues record he ever heard and other big moments with the BBC's Clare Teal.