b. James Lloyd Morrison, 11 November 1962, Sydney, Australia. Morrison was born into a musical family and at the age of seven started to play the cornet at school and in church. Within a year he was also playing other instruments, including trombone, tuba and saxophone. In 1971, with his brother John, he formed a band that played at local shopping centres. Morrison progressed to performing in various bands and in 1975 entered the New South Wales Conservatorium. A meeting with Don Burrows proved to be a decisive moment in Morrison’s fledgling career. Burrows encouraged him to join his quartet, which was about to tour Australia and Asia. At the age of 17 Morrison made his debut American performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. In 1982 he became Lecturer Of Jazz Studies at the NSW Conservatorium. The following year, with Burrows, Morrison made his featured recording debut on At The Winery. This displayed Morrison’s technical virtuosity and personal flamboyance as a trumpet and trombone player.
Another project, the Morrison Brothers Big Band, featured James and John with some of Sydney’s most talented young musicians; they recorded an album and were featured in an ABC television special. With a flair for publicity, Morrison became a national television celebrity, performing instrumental theatrics, playing a dozen instruments, mountain climbing while playing his trumpet, car racing and playing trombone while flying an aircraft. Serious musical events included a 1986 Royal Command Performance and a five-month association with veteran trumpet player, Red Rodney. A well-received album with pianist Adam Makowicz, Swiss Encounter: At The Montreux Jazz Festival, enhanced Morrison’s ever increasing international profile. In 1989 he played the trombone in the all-star international Philip Morris Superband. The following year Morrison’s prodigious talents and fame inspired a feature film entitled The Wizard Of Oz. He also began touring with the veteran bass player Ray Brown and his trio. The outfit recorded Snappy Doo and the title tune became a successful single.
In 1992 Morrison expanded his musical activities by performing in Brisbane with opera singer Joan Carden and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. There was also an encore performance at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden. The following year he recorded a Christmas album in the Berlin Opera House with the 70-piece RIAS Radio Orchestra and the Ray Brown Trio. In Australia, Morrison enjoyed the position of a national celebrity as a regular on television and radio; he also became an ubiquitous performer on the jazz and cabaret circuit with groups ranging from trios to big bands, always with an ever increasing arsenal of musical instruments. In October 1996 he travelled to Davenport, Iowa, USA, to perform a new work by Lalo Schifrin dedicated to Bix Beiderbecke. Playing Beiderbecke’s own cornet, Morrison performed A Rhapsody For Bix, with the Quad Symphony Orchestra. Within a week of returning to Australia, he was recording a live album at Brisbane’s Bass Note Restaurant.
After 10 years with Warner Music, in 1998 Morrison and his brother John set up their own Morrison Records label. The company has issued new recordings by Morrison as well as albums by a number of young artists. Morrison is Australia’s most popular and talented Australian jazz musician. He is virtuoso on trumpet and trombone, an excellent euphonium and tuba player and competent on piano and alto saxophone.
