Musician. Born Chesney Henry Baker in Yale, Oklahoma, he was an inspirational jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player and singer. He began his career after serving in the US 6th Army Band, playing in San Francisco jazz clubs and joined Vido Musso's band in 1951. For the next three decades, he established a large following, based in part on his matinee idol qualities and emotionally remote performances. During his career, he performed and recorded with such notable jazz greats as Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, Russ Freeman, Stan Getz, Bud Shank, Ron Carter and Art Pepper. His personal compositions included "Chetty's Lullaby", "Early Morning Mood", "Two a Day", "So Che Ti Perdero", "Blue Gilles", "Dessert" and "Anticipated Blues". He died from an accidental fall from second-story room at the Prins Hendrik Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Musician. Born Chesney Henry Baker in Yale, Oklahoma, he was an inspirational jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player and singer. He began his career after serving in the US 6th Army Band, playing in San Francisco jazz clubs and joined Vido Musso's band in 1951. For the next three decades, he established a large following, based in part on his matinee idol qualities and emotionally remote performances. During his career, he performed and recorded with such notable jazz greats as Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, Russ Freeman, Stan Getz, Bud Shank, Ron Carter and Art Pepper. His personal compositions included "Chetty's Lullaby", "Early Morning Mood", "Two a Day", "So Che Ti Perdero", "Blue Gilles", "Dessert" and "Anticipated Blues". He died from an accidental fall from second-story room at the Prins Hendrik Hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith