FRIDAY 2 MARCH, 2018 – PARIS CAT JAZZ CLUB, MELBOURNE
One for the jazz lovers!
Critically acclaimed vocalist and improviser Tom Barton and award winning pianist Nathan Liow are joined by multi-award winning trumpeter Tom Jovanovic from Berklee College, National Jazz Awards finalist 2015 Adam Spiegl (bass) and Justin Olsson (drums) to re-imagine the sounds and stories of the iconic singer and trumpeter Chet Baker.
Chet Baker’s understated yet unmistakable sound on trumpet and voice made him a popular cultural icon of the 50s, perhaps best illustrated in his timeless rendition of the jazz standard, ‘My Funny Valentine’. His artistry and musical sensitivity sits in stark contrast against his turbulent life; his mellow undertones on both vocals and trumpet playing disguise the great highs and lows that punctuated his life and career. Tom Barton effortlessly unpacks and explores Baker’s music to narrate the story of his life and his legacy in the world of jazz.
Tom Barton’s debut album Aspirations was released in July 2014 to critical acclaim. A 4.5-star review in The Weekend Australian heralded the album as, “a breakthrough in leading-edge jazz vocals … the arrival of a unique new talent”. Tom’s performance highlights include The Melbourne International Jazz Festival, The Sydney Opera House and ABC Radio National’s The Music Show. He has since released a Japanese-recorded album Connections in collaboration with guitarist/composer Diego Villalta, to critical acclaim with All About Jazz describing the release as, “brave, sensitive and not infrequently brilliant music”.
Barton will be joined onstage by Berklee alumnus Tom Jovanovic, and award-winning pianist Nathan Liow, National Jazz Awards finalist 2015 Adam Spiegl (bass) and Justin Olsson (drums) to reimagine the legendary life and music of Chet Baker.