As the summer of 1955 began to dissolve into pre-autumn, Chet Baker made plans to head off to Europe to perform with a new rhythm section: Dick Twardzik (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Peter Littman (d).

Caterina Valente, a French-Italian singing star who spoke six languages and sang in 11, releasing hit records throughout Europe and performing on television with Dean Martin and Perry Como, died Sept.

Born in Paris to Italian parents and raised in Germany, she had her own show on television in the 1950s and was later a small-screen mainstay in the U.S. By Adam Nossiter Caterina Valente, a polyglot ...