James Morrison, long established as a legend of jazz, introduces the new generation of Australia’s finest musicians. Performing with his handpicked Academy Jazz Orchestra, Morrison presents both the thrill of a live set and the intimacy of a studio session – all released for the first time on this album. Morrison is a jewel in Australia’s musical crown, and his astonishing virtuosity and musicianship has been witnessed globally through performances at the world’s great concert halls and jazz venues (he also recently played at the White House through the invitation of Barack Obama). In addition to his performing schedule, Morrison is a committed music educator, and his Academy of Music in Mount Gambier is regarded as a world-beating jazz school. The musicians in his Academy Jazz Orchestra were all completing their Bachelor of Music at the time of recording, and had worked closely with Morrison. They are, in his words, ‘amongst the finest young musicians in the country’. The live set was recorded at Hamer Hall, Melbourne, at a packed concert in June 2016; the studio tracks were put down later in the same year. Reflecting on the recordings, Morrison comments: ‘With the exception of Gordon Rytmeister on drums (on the live gig), the band is a collection of students from the James Morrison Academy of Music. Of particular note are the writers in the band, Scott van Gemert, William Morrison and Jake Barden, who penned some of the wonderful arrangements and compositions. There are many soloists featured throughout the disc with stunning and individual sounds. You can hear that the jazz tradition has been well and truly embraced by a new generation of players.’