AMG Review of Once Upon a Summertime

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Artists House, a classy if short-lived label, released this attractive Chet Baker LP, a quintet date with tenor-saxophonist Gregory Herbert, pianist Harold Danko, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Mel Lewis. The challenging material ("The Song Is You" is the only one of the five songs that is a standard) inspires the musicians to play creative solos. It is particularly interesting to hear Baker interpret the Wayne Shorter tune "ESP." This set has been reissued on CD in the OJC series.