A Taste Of Tequila | Hats Off
Double Shot | In The Mood
The Mariachi Brass! Featuring Chet Baker
In the mid-sixties, jazz had taken a back seat to rock and roll. Many jazz performers, desperate for work recorded "pop" albums, cashing in on whatever fad was hot in the music world. Chet's "Mariachi Brass" LP's mimicked on the then-hot Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass sound. Just like Alpert's LP's, they even came complete with cover art featuring cheesy photos of beautiful models. Chet plays flugelhorn (as he did for most of his recordings around '64-66), but the album reverse photos show pictures of him playing trumpet. Carol Baker mentioned in this interview that Chet hated these recordings, but he had to support his family. Oddly, they sold well, and the royalties came in. It is unfortunate that he and his family didn't get royalties from many of his great recordings. All four sound about the same: heavy-handed arrangements featuring trumpet lines playing the melody in unison. These tunes become even more unbearable when you have songs that have no Latin flavor at all (Danke Schoen?!) and force them into these ridiculous arrangements. This is never so apparent than in the massacre of Glenn Miller tunes on In The Mood.

These LP's were issued on Dick Bock's "World Pacific" label, an offshoot of the Pacific Jazz.. These recordings have never been issued on CD.

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Chet Baker - Flugelhorn
Unknown personnel
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A Taste Of Tequila
World Pacific WP-1839 and WPS-21839
Recorded December, 1965, Los Angeles
 1. Flowers on the Wall - 2:19 
 2. Tequila - 2:06
 3. Mexico - 2:14 
 4. Cuando Calienta el Sol - 2:44 
 5. Hot Toddy - 2:12 
 6. Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa - 2:10 
 7. Speedy Gonzales - 2:36 
 8. Come a Little Bit Closer - 2:52 
 9. El Paso - 3:10 
10. La Bamba - 2:15 

Hats Off
World Pacific WP-1842 and WPS-21842
Recorded April, 1966, Los Angeles
 1. Happiness Is - 1:57
 2. Sure Gonna Miss Her - 2:29
 3. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) - 2:40
 4. The Phoenix Love Theme (Senza Fine) - 2:43
 5. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' - 2:54
 6. On The Street Where You Live - 2:04
 7. Armen's Theme - 2:32
 8. Spanish Harlem - 2:23
 9. Chiquita© Banana - 1:55
10. When The Day Is All Done (Foyo) - 2:15
11. You Baby - 2:38
12. It's Too Late - 2:38

Double Shot
World Pacific WP-1852 or WPS-21852
Recorded June 1966, Los Angeles
 1. Dancing In The Street - 2:18
 2. Ring Of Fire - 2:10
 3. Yesterdays Gone - 2:29
 4. Danke Schoen - 2:12
 5. The Blue Dove - 2:17
 6. Red Rubber Ball - 2:22
 7. When You're Smiling  - 1:50
 8. Enamorado - 1:59
 9. Agua Caliente - 2:30
10. Wheels - 2:05
11. But Not Today  - 2:37
12. Green Grass - 2:10

In The Mood
World Pacific WP-1859 and WPS-21859
Recorded in late 1966, Los Angeles
 1. Sunrise Serenade - 2:15
 2. At Last  - 2:35
 3. Chattanooga Choo Choo - 2:42
 4. Serenade In Blue - 2:27
 5. In The Mood  - 2:45
 6. (I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo  - 2:30
 7. Little Brown Jug  - 1:49
 8. Tuxedo Junction  - 2:28
 9. A String Of Pearls - 2:45
10. Moonlight Serenade  - 2:36
11. Pennsylvania 6-5000  - 1:55
12. The Dating Game  - 2:10

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