Doors 7pm
Show 8pm
The Ellington Jazz Club is proud to present an exclusive Perth residency.
Over two very special nights, the world’s greatest multi-instrumentalist, James Morrison AM, joins forces with Romanian virtuoso pianist, Marian Petrescu. Displaying dazzling technique and showmanship and supported by James’ hard swinging trio, this is a rare opportunity to witness two titans of jazz, up close and personal in the intimate setting of The Ellington Jazz Club.
James Morrison AM
Renowned globally as one of the finest jazz musicians of his generation, James Morrison plays trumpet, trombone, piano, saxophone and double bass. At the age of six he started on piano, at seven he took up brass, at nine he formed his first band and at thirteen he was playing professionally in nightclubs. His international career developed just as quickly, making his USA debut at the Monterey Jazz Festival at age sixteen. Following this were the world’s major jazz festivals, including Montreux, North Sea, Nice and the Hollywood Bowl, playing with many of the legends of jazz – Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Ray Brown and Wynton Marsalis to name a few.
James also frequents the world’s most famous jazz clubs – Birdland, The Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, the New Morning in Paris, the Tokyo Blue Note and Ronnie Scott’s in London.
James has been appointed a member of The Order of Australia, has won countless awards and has been inducted into the Australian Jazz Hall of Fame. He has received several honorary Doctorates and was an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia, leading his own music Academy.
He has recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra, INXS and the European Brass Ensemble, performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms, written the opening fanfare for the Olympic Games, played for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and for US Presidents Bush and Clinton. He has played classical trumpet at the Kremlin, broken a Guinness record conducting the World’s Largest Orchestra, was TV presenter on Top Gear Australia and in 2016 was a guest of President Obama at the White House.
No matter how familiar you may be with James Morrison, you haven’t heard him play until you’ve heard him with this group. It is a testament to their energy and sheer brilliance that James says his favourite way to play is with his quartet.
“Patrick is one of the most exciting drummers on the scene today – inventive, virtuosic, and always so musical. Harry is a powerhouse on the bass, reminiscent of the Ray Brown approach, swing at all costs – his energy underpins everything the band does. William not only plays beautiful classic jazz guitar, but also writes much of the original material performed by the group and this compositional aspect is always present in his playing”. James Morrison AM
With his trio covering guitar, bass and drums, James plays anything from trombone, flugel horn and saxophones to piano, and of course the trumpet.
Marian Petrescu
Grammy Award winning Marian Petrescu was born in Bucharest to a large family of musicians. He began to play piano at four and studied in the Classical and Jazz Conservatory of Sweden, followed by the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki. With his background of solid classical training, prodigious technique and dynamic interpretation, he became passionately interested in jazz, and the adventurous world of improvisation.
Making his debut at the Pori Jazz festival at just 15, his career has been characterised by international success; at the age of 19, he won the 2nd Prize in the Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition and 1st prize in the Bucharest International Jazz Competition at the age of 22. Festivals include Montreux, Paris, The Hague, Copenhagen, Pori, Finland, April Jazz, Espoo, Finland, Baltic Jazz, Finland and many more.
He has played with Arturo Sandoval, Toots Thielemans, Al Jarreau, Didier Lockwood, Jon Larsen, Richie Beirach, Tony Williams, Ulf Wakenius, Ray Charles band, Lars Danielsson, Riccardo Del Fra, Ron McClure, Hot Club de Norvege, to name just a few.
Marian is repeatedly compared to the great Oscar Peterson and in James Morrison’s words, he is “quite possibly the most amazing jazz pianist on the planet”.
Today Marian has his own music school, which provides both classical and jazz training, and he teaches at the conservatory. His style is eclectic, and he enjoys all styles of jazz, from ragtime to modern.
“His touch is distinct and clear as glass…the Horowitz of Jazz Piano” Martial Solar (Paris)
“You never know when you’re going to meet up with someone as incredible as Marian Petrescu” Joe la Barbera (U.S.A.)
Prepare to be blown away as the James Morrison Quintet featuring Marian Petrescu perform together at The Ellington Jazz Club for the first time in the club’s fifteen year history.
This performance runs for 75 minutes without an interval.
