James Morrison on the trumpet, image via MAPA.
Monash University’s Jazz Studies Course gives students ‘the opportunity to play and learn from the best local and international artists’ and there was no better demonstration of that than the opening night of the Monash Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA), Weekend of Jazz on Saturday night.
The mix of one of Australia’s most revered musicians, James Morrison, AM, and James Mustafa, a previous Monash student produced a stimulating evening of highly professional musicianship.
The multi-talented Morrison, constantly on demand throughout the world, has mentored many young jazz enthusiasts and for Mustafa, now a composite musician and composer himself, the evening was an opportunity to showcase his respect for a man he had ‘admired since Year 7’. In a sensitive speech to Morrison, Mustafa explained how his three-part composition demonstrated the growth and inspiration he had experienced through Morrison’s example.
Morrison, ever ready with repartee, quipped that he felt playing the piece was going to be more complex than the explanation and, challenging – it was. For those who may have only heard Morrison playing classical jazz covers, what we observed was the full expertise of the man in his handling of several brass instruments in a rivetting piece of complicated abstract orchestration, and accompanied, at times, by talented trombonist, James Macaulay.
The interesting placement of this 19-piece orchestra, with brass and woodwind musicians to the left of the stage and drums, base guitar and piano on the right, gave the audience the chance to see Morrison in full flight in the centre. In the introductory movement, ‘Things to Come’: there were gentle, haunting sounds from Jack Pantazis on guitar and Paul Grabowsky (now Executive Director of the Academy of Performing Arts at Monash) on piano; blended beautifully.
The third movement, ‘A Long Way from Home,’ gave Julien Wilson, on tenor saxophone, a chance to mix with Morrison and bring the whole orchestra to a resounding climax.
For James Morrison, jazz is not just the playing of an instrument (he plays at least seven!), it is about ‘collaborating with the members of the band’ and what the audience witnessed was the epitome of that ethos. Whether they hear classic, recognisable tunes or a cacophony of unfamiliar sounds, as with any orchestra, it is the merging of each individual talent that can produce such a superb end result.
For jazz aspirants, the road to work is not always paved with the golden reflection of a beautiful trumpet or trombone. It can take years of training and dedication and nobody knows this more than Morrison having been brought up in a family of musicians. To that end, in 2015, he formed his own collaboration with the University of South Australia to establish his James Morrison Academy of Jazz in Mt Gambier, SA. And, to add to the evening’s entertainment, he brought a sextet of the students along to perform on tenor and alto saxophones, trombone, bass, drums and guitar with piano accompaniment.
Morrison, in 35 years of entertaining, has lost none of his immense skill and breath control, yet he is gracious in his respect for the other up and coming musicians, including his own young sons: Harry, giving the double bass a fantastic workout in ‘This is Real’ and William, who composed a beautiful, slow ballad, introduced by his ever versatile father, on the piano. Jake Barden, an honours student had complete command of the alto sax at all times.
It was a very special evening for both Academies and their students and for the appreciative audience to see such constructive encouragement in action for future jazz musicians.
There was only one thing missing and that was even one female musician!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
MAPA – Jazz Greats Weekend at Monash
James Morrison and the James Mustafa Jazz Orchestra
Venue: Robert Blackwood Hall, Clayton Campus
Saturday, 25 March, 2017
