Amos Lee has unveiled My Ideal (A Tribute To Chet Baker Sings) today, a 16-song collection that simultaneously pays tribute to Lee's musical hero, reflects on the Billboard chart-topper's deep jazz roots, shines a light on his Philadelphia music community, and toasts an exciting year of returning to the road and releasing new music. Chet Baker Sings is a record that Amos has always loved, but now holds even deeper meaning as a source of light in the darkest days of the pandemic - where his daily routine included waking up, meditating and playing the 1954 jazz epic front-to-back. During what he describes as a "revelatory period" of diving deep into the nuances of the record, "seeing what it felt like to walk around in Chet Baker's shoes," Lee knew the next step was to take his deep reverence and curiosity into the recording studio. Accompanied by a captivating trio of jazz players from his hometown of Philadelphia - David Streim (piano/trumpet), Madison Rast (bass) and Anwar Marshall (drums) - Lee powerfully brings My Ideal to life.
Listen to 'My Ideal (A Tribute To Chet Baker Sings)' here: https://amoslee.fanlink.to/MyIdeal
Watch a brand-new visual for Lee's take on "Look For The Silver Lining" here: https://youtu.be/QRC_iGVyMi0
A limited number of vinyl copies are slated for a December 9 release and available to pre-order now through DualtoneStore.com and retailers nationwide.
The new album finds Lee bringing his own celebrated vocal work to the music of Chet Baker, taking inspiration from the originals without attempting to reproduce or duplicate his hero. Studying the breath work and pitch control behind Baker's legendary output proved to be an exercise that Lee says "changed everything," adding: "the deeper I got inside the music, the more I fell in love with everything about it.” On My Ideal, listeners are reminded of a voice naturally suited for the jazz genre, and of Lee's earliest work on Blue Note Records. But My Ideal does not dwell in the past, neither Lee's nor Baker's, containing many of the same beloved elements that made 2022 such a banner year for Amos. Among those highs are shows at legendary venues like Red Rocks, The Ryman and The Kennedy Center, television performances from The Late Late Show to Good Morning America and the release of his critically-lauded new album of originals Dreamland.
MY IDEAL TRACKLIST
That Old Feeling
It's Always You
Like Someone In Love
My Ideal
I've Never Been In Love Before
My Buddy
But Not For Me
Time After Time
I Get Along Without You Very Well
My Funny Valentine (For Oskar and Eli)
There Will Never Be Another You
The Thrill Is Gone
I Fall In Love Too Easily
Look For The Silver Lining
Everything Happens To Me
I'm Old Fashioned