Chet Baker - Let's Get Lost FLAC

Stunning remaster. — Having bought many digital remasters (from DVD-Audio and SACD to Blu-Ray Audio, DSD downloads, SHM-SACDs and so many other formats I can't even remember), I am always reluctant to pay through the nose for a new-new-new re-re-re-remaster of some record, that most of the time I don't really need nor care about. But in this case, I was interested in the original record. I have had the original CD for more than 30 years (...sigh), I play it at least once or twice a year and I always liked the sound, even through there was a slight veil of darkness to it, which I attributed to the atmosphere (the movie is quite dark, so the soundtrack probably matches that mood quite well). In fact this is one of my favorite Chet Baker albums from that late period, along with the Steeplechase Tivoli garden series, and even though recording technology has evolved greatly in the past 30 years, there hadn't been a re-edition or a remaster since the original came out in 1989.

One has to remember that when the movie came out, Chet Baker had literally become a ghost, floating from cheap hotel to small concert in Europe or wherever some agent could find a date for him. The movie had (predictably enough) no success and became impossible to watch in a decent theater in Europe (with the possible exception of Italy, where Chet Baker had something of a cult following). The soundtrack, published on Novus, had a small niche success of its own, but it never attracted audiophile labels or mainstream jazz labels to re-release it. The movie (Let's Get Lost) has been resurrected and remastered for the blu-ray format, and Sony decided to release a remastered version in its K2 HD-CD format.

For anyone interested in this record, the K2 remaster is clearly worth the extra-buck(s). It retains the darkness and the sadness of the overall session (this record is probably one of Chet Baker's darkest record from that very gloomy period), but the sonic presentation is much clearer, and (on most tracks) there is a very notable gain in definition... so much so, that even Chet Baker's voice seems even rougher, more plaintive, sometimes on the brink of collapsing or falling off-key, than on the original CD. In this remaster, the defaults of Chet's voice are also more evident — and at times he sounds even more vulnerable and beaten down than before. This version makes the studio sound more apparent, and the extra-definition is especially obvious on the piano and guitar parts, on the bass line during some key tracks, and of course on the voice. But most importantly despite the sonic treatment the record retains its original musical soul, it's still a record that swings — in its own slow, stumbling, nostalgic way. Some tracks really shine in this more transparent presentation (e.g. Zingaro, a real treat for late night listening, perhaps the highlight of this record). — And what about the trumpet? Well, of course it sounds gorgeous, much better than on the previous CD edition, but not so much in terms of definition, it is as if the trumpet had changed color, it sounds... golden. I had never noticed some finer aspects of Chet's playing on this record, which have now become more apparent, but in a natural, realistic way, in the flow of music.

I do not have the original LP, so I can't compare it with that version, but I would not be surprised if this K2 remaster had better definition and musicality. I don't think I"ll bother with the LP anyway, as this remaster hits the spot for me. I would certainly be interested in a high quality audiophile reissue if there is one someday, but for now this K2 version is fine. I will however most probably check out the remastered Blu-Ray of the movie to compare the sonics with this version.