Strictly Jazz: The Music of Chet Baker

The Strictly Jazz Series, a joint presentation by Crosstown Arts and Strictly Jazz Entertainment, celebrates classic jazz music through contemporary interpretations by acclaimed musicians.

Trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker is one of the most well-known and revered of all jazz musicians. His smooth sound and interpretation of jazz and popular standards made him a true original in the art form. Join the Jeremy Shrader Quartet as we celebrate the music and the musician, performing many hits from Chet Baker’s recorded catalog of American music. The concert also features long-time collaborators and Memphis jazz legends Jim Spake, Alvie Givhan, Bob Buckley, and Earl Lowe.

To say that Jeremy Shrader loves good music would be an understatement. His passion shines through in the notes he plays on trumpet, his singing of classic songs, and the many bands he leads, including the New Memphis Hepcats, the Hot Memphis Five, and the Jeremy Shrader Octet. Throughout his musical career in Memphis, he has remained busy, performing in countless settings, with jazz as his main love.

Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, Jeremy was exposed to Southern gospel music early on. His parents were musicians—his father a drummer—and they sang standards like Chattanooga Choo Choo and Sentimental Journey around the house. He started piano at nine or ten, learned guitar along the way, and picked up trumpet in middle school to join the band. In high school, he became immersed in swing and big band music, playing in the jazz band and exploring other jazz styles.

At the University of Memphis, he earned a degree in Jazz Composition while playing in multiple ensembles. As a sophomore, he founded the New Memphis Hepcats, which continues to thrive today. Jeremy also freelances across genres, co-founded Electric Room Records, and teaches privately—continuing to shape Memphis’s jazz scene with his passion and talent.