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Freeway - The Chet Baker Journey was first performed in 2010 at a small jazz venue in Sydney's Kings Cross.  Following its success there, it has more recently been performed in Brisbane and was part of the 2011 Adelaide Caberet Festival.  Returning to Sydney, this time it plays at the Studio in the Sydney Opera House.

Known as a good-looking kid from Oklahoma in the 1950's, the show is a journey through Chet Baker's life and music, devised and written by journalist Bryce Hallett and Tim Draxl (pictured). 

"When we set about creating Freeway, Tim and I purposefully chose not to dwell unnecessarily on Chet Baker's demons.  Instead we wanted to reveal his power to enchant even when his life was at its craziest and spinning out of control.  The show partly aims to draw audiences back to the romance and yearning of the '50s but there's no escaping the fact that Chet Baker was the ultimate paradox," explained Bryce Hallett.

Onstage with Tim are some of Australia's best jazz players - Ray Alldridge as musical director and pianist, trumpeter Warwick Alder, drummer Dave Goodman and Dave Ellis on bass.

They will be performing some classic tracks, including 'My Funny Valentine', 'My Buddy', 'Let's Get Lost', 'These Foolish Things', 'You Don't Know What Love Is', 'Look For the Silver Lining', 'Born to Be Blue', 'That Old Feeling' and 'There Will Never Be Another You'.

At the Sydney Opera House on 20, 21 and 22 July.

This show is also being performed as part of the 2012 Melbourne Festival.

ABC Jazz is a media supporter for these shows.

Tags: 

• Stage

Event Type: 

• ABC Jazz Presents

More about: 

• Chet Baker
• Tim Draxl

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