Waking up one morning last week to the song "Moonlight in Vermont" on the radio--a slow and low counterpoint of two jazz horns--I felt I had to find out who did that song. The station's website told me it was by Chet Baker, but I could not find the song on any listed amazon CD until I saw this album in the store on Tuesday. I bought it immediately just to have that song, and if you do the same, you won't be disappointed.

Turns out it's a 1953 cut from a Gerry Mulligan Quartet record. Other cuts here from 1958 and 1965 are equally rare, cool, and mellow. If you've heard "Chet Baker Sings" you'll know what to expect from the 3 vocal cuts interspersed throughout, but none are duplicates of the songs from that "Let's Get Lost" collection. The instrumental jazz is West Coast cool by definition, with Chet on his usual vibrato-less trumpet (and on fluglehorn (!) for 2 songs) with contributions on other tracks by Bill Evans and Pepper Adams. If you're in a romantic mood, or just like mellow music, this collection is Chet Baker and friends "playing for lovers" at their best.

Got a bunch of slow stuff that didn't sell very well the first time out? Repackage it as "Songs For Lovers" and try again.

If you tend to fall asleep after doing it, this is the album for you.