My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker

Tragic life but wonderful music. His voice when he sang would MAKE me stop and listen.
Best music with Charlie Parker. Thanks for posting.

With his voice or his trumpet... you put it very nicely.

He had to relearn how to play the trumpet.

It was where he died. He apparently fell out of the window.

Spent a lot of time in that suite. Eating & Smoking. Mostly smoking.

Was his connection to the hotel a coincidence to your staying there?

The 1st hotel we checked into had a card on the table saying that there was No Pot Smoking allowed in the room, otherwise there would be a $300 fine. So we checked out, and had to scramble to find a new place to stay.

When we got to the room, it said Chet Baker Suite. It was then that we looked on the internet for some research as to why this room in Amsterdam had his name on it, and we found the history.

We each bought a couple of his CD's. Very talented, and may not have ever heard of him had it not been for that experience.

I traveled to Europe in '91. All was well at Orly until I offhandedly mentioned Amsterdam as a possible stop on my itinerary...

A greasy little customs officer became highly agitated, and questioned me suspiciously as he began breaking my almonds in half.

The shouting of a friend who had come to meet me was all that prevented my getting the rubber glove cavity search.

I never did go there. Glad you did.

A beautiful little jewel of a song.