Freedman Does Nilsson

An almost empty stage with a grand piano under a wash of light. If you are expecting the lead singer of Australian band 'The Whitlams' to walk out; think again! Tim Freedman adorns the stage wearing a flat newsboy's cap and shaggy beard; looking uncomfortable, he eyes the crowd, sits down and adjusts his microphone and so begins our journey with Harry Nilsson, usually credited as 'Nilsson'.

Freedman has reinvented himself in his tribute to the life and music of singer/songwriter 'Nilsson', an at times reclusive man who wrote some of the 70s well known melodies. Freedman kicks off with 'Everybody's Talkin', recognisable as the theme from the Oscar winning film 'Midnight Cowboy'. His vocal is flawless and suits the laid back style of Nilsson. Although Nilsson was responsible for producing many albums through the 60s and 70s, he despised performing live and did not do so for most of his career. Freedman begins with an open dialogue about Nilsson's upbringing and failed marriages, his American accent is authentic and you start to feel privileged to be spending the evening with a man who was as well known for his raucous behaviour as he was for his music.

From autobiographical tracks like '1941' to the famously covered tracks of 'One' and 'Without You', Freedman breathes new life into old tunes and I suspect gathers a new legion of fans for the late 'Nilsson'.

Throughout the performance their were a couple of awkward pauses with Freedman eyeing a sheet of paper on top of the piano, it was unclear if he was in character or losing his way; however all was forgiven quickly once he resumed singing.

It was a history lesson for those unfamiliar with Harry Nilsson's work and a chance to catch Australia's very own piano man doing what he does best.

Kerry Cooper