The wild ride of Chet Baker, the most romanticized icon in jazz, is thrillingly recounted in this first major biography ever.From his emergence in ...
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Aug 21, 2010
Mark
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Feb 18, 2009
Alex
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Well-written, and insightful on the racial aspect of Baker's early success and the jazz-community resentment that came with it, but it's been a while since I read a biography that made me dislike the subject more. I read the last 200 or so pages-- in which Chet does drugs and does drugs and does drugs and does drugs and does drugs and dies, pausing only to fuck over every single person who's nice to him-- in about a day, just to put it behind me. The Italians appear to have been able to pu More...
Feb 12, 2012
Mike
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Deep in a dream...that really sums up what Chet Baker's music does for me. While I really enjoy Miles Davis, I think my money's on Chet. There was just something so true about his playing, something from deep down. Or maybe that's just me reading into things too much. Either way, Deep In a Dream is a wonderful biography, never flinching from the hard truths about its subject. This is not an idealized portrait in any way. We get to hear the angel sing, trying to drown out the demon riding on his
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Jan 17, 2012
Great bio, but naturally, very sad. It seems that the naturally gifted may not value the gift, and folly is sometimes the result. His recordings live on forever, thank goodness.
Sep 21, 2011
Frederic
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Though I neither like nor understand jazz and junkies bore me to tears,James Gavin has written a wonderful biography that illuminates some important aspects of Pop Culture in post-WWII America and Europe...
Jan 30, 2010
Geoff
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Baker's gentle, wavering, feminine voice and tone of trumpet are strangely appropriate expressions of his dark, despairing life.
Sep 14, 2011
Joe
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Wonderful biography of a monstrous man. I have never liked the subject of a biography less than I liked Chet Baker.
Aug 04, 2011
Dan
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Another troubled jazz-life story. Not as good as Straight Life but interesting enough. Of course the music is immortal.
Sep 22, 2010
Nathaniel
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This book covers everything about Chet and more. A great read, but be warned: it's very long. I learned a lot about the Jazz scene of the 50's 60's and 70's.
Jan 29, 2012
Alessandro
rated it:
se uno è disposto, nell'arco di 400 pagine, a leggerne 300 che parlano di eroina, il libro non è male.
se non altro non fantastica su ipotesi fantapolitiche e mitizzazioni. Il Chet Baker crudo così come dev'essere stato per davvero: un pezzo di merda che suonava da dio.
se non altro non fantastica su ipotesi fantapolitiche e mitizzazioni. Il Chet Baker crudo così come dev'essere stato per davvero: un pezzo di merda che suonava da dio.
Dec 12, 2007
John
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I classify this book in the 'train wreck' category. Every cliche about a jazz musician's life can be found when discussing Chet Baker - drug use, stealing from band memebers, jail time, etc.
Nov 02, 2008
Tragedy of an American icon. Chet Baker was one of the great understatements in American Jazz. Just listen to him play one time and you'll be hooked.
May 17, 2008
Sandra
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I met Chet in 1982 in NYC, had no idea the sad, hardened old man in my friend's loft was once the boy with the golden horn
Sep 02, 2007
Mike
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Please stay away from sharp objects and heavy machinery while reading this bio.
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