I Was...

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BBC Radio 4 FM

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Factual: Life Stories

Series analysing great artists from the perspective of someone who knew them

Andrew McGibbon presents a series of interviews analysing great artists from the perspective of someone who knew them.

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I Was...: Series 2: Chet Baker's Last Tour Manager

Chet Baker's Last Tour Manager

Series 2

BBC Radio 4 - I Was..., Series 2, Chet Baker's Last Tour Manager

Jim Coleman managed Chet Baker’s touring schedules for the last four years of his life.

Jim Coleman managed legendary jazz drummer Chet Baker’s tours for the last years of his life. With Andrew McGibbon. From 2015.

Chet Baker, the jazz trumpeter and singer came to prominence after he joined the Gerry Mulligan quartet in 1952 at the heart of the world’s first piano-less jazz quartet and the originator of cool jazz. 

Using their instruments, (Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax and Chet Baker on trumpet, sometimes singing) and playing engaging, contrapuntal improvisations they made a startling breakthrough in cool jazz. Chet Baker, the singing, trumpet playing star was hatched.
 
When the elements of sex, jazz and cool combined they created the equivalent of an intellectual nuclear fusion. No one encapsulates that explosion better than the arrival on the jazz scene of Chet Baker.
 
Jim Coleman, owner of a hi fi store on New York's 2nd Avenue managed Chet’s touring schedules for the last four years of his life. Chet was unable to play in certain American clubs as a result of his being criminalised by heroin addiction. He had been busted in Europe too.
 
Jim tells the story of how they met briefly across three time periods: once when Jim was thirteen and studying trumpet in Rome, when his sister Joan married Chet's bass player and when Jim opened his hi fi store. In the eighties Jim offered to manage Chet's difficult touring schedule. A moving and fascinating account of the final years of Chet Baker as they intertwined with the owner of a hi fi shop, as Chet tried to tour the US and Europe whilst in the fatal grip of heroin addiction.
 
Written and presented by Andrew McGibbon
 
Producers:  Nick Romero and Andrew McGibbon
 
A Curtains For Radio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2015

I Was...: Series 2

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Andrew McGibbon presents a series of interviews analysing great artists.

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I Was...

Series 2

Chet Baker's Last Tour Manager

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