After leaving Parker, Baker began to work in Los Angeles with baritonist
Gerry Mulligan
. Baker's involvement with this “pianoless
” quartet, alongside Mulligan,
Chico Hamilton
on drums, and
Carson Smith
on bass, was, perhaps, his most successful musical venture. In 1952, the group began recording for the Pacific Jazz label, and with the enthusiastic promotion of disc jockey
Gene Norman
, the Mulligan-Baker collaborations—“Line for Lyons
” and “My Funny Valentine...