Chet Baker

Bio

Chet Baker was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose cool, understated style helped define West Coast jazz in the 1950s. Rising to prominence with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, he became known for his lyrical trumpet playing and intimate singing on ballads such as "My Funny Valentine." His career was marked by both critical acclaim and personal struggles with addiction, yet he remained an influential figure in jazz until his death in 1988.