Chet Baker's elevation to icon status has been as a result of the recordings that the young fella cut for Pacific Jazz. And of those, his vocal cuts seem to remain the most popular. These tracks have long been repackaged well beyond the point of exhaustion. Years ago, someone at RCA France was adamant, the actual music wasn't paramount any longer when it came to marketing, healthy sales were achieved on how enticing the cover photo was. When I reviewed this material last July, I pointed out that Chet's unadorned plaintive vulnerable little-boy-lost delivery was not unlike his vibrato-free approach to his trumpet. Though not nearly as technically adept as, say, Mel Tormé or as versatile as Sinatra, even to this day Chet's haunting understated approach and excellent song choice continues to draw the listener in making him that more accessible. And then there's Russ Freeman's immaculate piano to savour.