James Morrison is Australia’s favourite jazz performer, a remarkably talented musician genuinely adept at any instrument you can name.

His wellspring of ability is so deep and wide he’s been able to lead simultaneous careers, here and internationally. It was a great honour to talk with James about his incredible career, talent and the fabulous Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF).

When I think of James Morrison, I think of a jazz musician and trumpeter at the forefront of the Australian music industry, but I have since learnt that you are probably as well known if not better known internationally than in Australia, is this correct?

I guess so; I spend a lot of time in Europe as well as working back here. I also do quite a bit of work with symphony orchestras and live acts so I am always pretty busy. I am touring about nine months of the year.

I have also discovered that you are not just a trumpet and brass instrument musician, you play a multitude of instruments; what instruments
don’t you play?

As far as big band instruments go, the only instrument I don’t play is the drums.

What is it about jazz that grabbed you; do you remember when and where you were when you first heard it played?

I was about seven years old when I first heard a jazz band, I just loved the sound of it and the feel of the music, there was something cool about jazz, even as a seven-year-old. It’s hard to define what it is about jazz that grabs you, it’s just a feeling you get.

You have played in the most highly regarded jazz venues on the planet and with so many of the legends of jazz and music in general, is there anyone you would wish to play with either living or passed?

I have been really lucky to be able to play with most of the legends of my record collection. It would have been great to play with Louis Armstrong, the father of jazz and Duke Ellington but I really can’t complain, I’ve played with Dizzy Gillespie and also great musicians outside jazz such as Ray Charles, BB King and Wynton Marsalis. It’s been great.

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival is a highlight for Melbourne, how is the festival viewed internationally considering the calibre of performers coming to Melbourne?

In years gone by, you had to go to Europe or the US to find great performers and festivals, that’s just how it was, but times have changed and now people expect, and are looking for more.

Audiences want to see combinations of musicians playing together and the MIJF offers a great opportunity for people to see great names in the business from the US and Europe but also, the great local talent.
The Big Jam sounds like a fantastic way to start the MIJF, what is the idea behind it?

The Big Jam is a great way to give everyone – whether they are into jazz or not – a chance to be involved in the fun of this outdoor opening concert, and to invite the broader Melbourne community that might not usually go to a jazz club to come along and discover the music, they might just fall in love with it too.

What’s next? What haven’t you mastered yet that you plan to do?

I always feel that I am just at the beginning of all the things ahead of me. One thing leads onto another, I feel I’m only just warming up!