CCMusic.com

James Morrison is the hottest Jazz musician from Australia to emerge onto the international scene. A superbly talented multi-instrumentalist, he has no peers on Jazz trumpet, trombone or euphonium and his U.S. début, at the Village Vanguard in New York, prompted veteran Jazz writer Leonard Feather to rate him as "a sure bet for Jazz superstardom." This film taps into Morrison's dynamic energy and boundless creativity and features him in concert in Australia, with his mentor Don Burrows; at the Montreux Jazz festival; and in a creative improvisation session with the Australian artist Ken Done. Done develops a canvas in response to Morrison's performance and Morrison, in turn, responds to the painter at work. Colleagues and Jazz peers, such as Dizzy Gillespie, discuss his unique blend of technique, confidence and charisma. In spite of so much international acclaim, Morrison remains firmly based in Australia and pays tribute to his family and the church as providing the underlying soul and gospel feel to his high energy Jazz. The highlight of the program is footage of Morrison rehearsing and performing with the World Superband, in New York.