Recorded live at the famous Lighthouse club in Hermosa Beach, California this LP finds
Baker playing well, if not very consistently, and features a shifting group behind him that includes, on various tracks, saxophonists
Bud Shank,
Bob Cooper, and
Jimmy Giuffre; pianists
Russ Freeman, and the underrated
Claude Williamson. "The Lighthouse All-Stars" included
Howard Rumsey on bass and drummers
Max Roach and
Shelly Manne. The sound quality is fair and the playing occasionally gets a little bit sloppy --
Baker's solo work on "Pirouette" is especially dodgy -- but there are some moments of real inspiration, including the band' s boppish uptempo reading of "Winter Wonderland" and
Manne's inventive percussion on the Latin-flavored
Cooper composition "Witch Doctor." There are better introductions to the Lighthouse sound, but this album is sure to please
Chet Baker fans. ~ Rick Anderson