MOUNT Gambier’s successful James Morrison Academy Jazz Orchestra will perform for one night tomorrow only at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide.
Accompanied by South Australia’s favourite jazz virtuoso and high-profile Mount Gambier resident James Morrison, the orchestra will perform as part of its 2017 national tour.
The 20-piece big band will present an assortment of well-known jazz standards as well as a raft of new work by up and coming and established Australian jazz artists.
The orchestra is the premier performing ensemble of the internationally acclaimed academy, based in the Blue Lake city.
Mr Morrison directs and performs with the orchestra, ably assisted by Grammy Award-winning senior teaching fellow Jeff Clayton.
The orchestra is noted for exceptional individual musicianship and tight ensemble performances featuring standards made famous by international jazz greats, original compositions and the wealth of new work written by current and former academy students.
Founded in 2015, the orchestra tours Australia each year visiting major venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Outreach is a large part of the tour schedule and the group enjoys workshopping and performing with primary and secondary schools.
In addition, the orchestra has an active gigging schedule of corporate, community and university events.
Notable highlights include performing alongside Grammy Award winner Wycliffe Gordon, Grammy nominees The One O’Clock Lab Band, Aria Award winner Kate Ceberano, Australian Jazz
Award nominee Olivia Chindamo and acclaimed Australian vocalists Sarah McKenzie and Anthony Callea.
Earlier this year, the orchestra toured the United States, which included a show at Dizzy’s Jazz Club in New York, The Green Mill in Chicago and the Australian embassy in Washington.
This year the academy’s honours ensemble performed with students from New York City’s prestigious Julliard School of Music at the Festival Theatre as part of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day celebrations, as well as Generations in Jazz and Morrison’s Jazz Club.
