James Morrison - A to Z of Jazz (2014)

Who better to take you on a guided tour of jazz music than Australia's James Morrison, one of the finest jazz players of our generation?

James is your host for this panoramic survey across two CDs, with each track introduced by the man himself. He takes you on a journey from Dixieland to Bop, from the Birth of the Blues to Birdland – and from Antonio Carlos Jobim to Joe Zawinul. The album features some of the greatest jazz standards by, among others, Hoagy Carmichael, Fats Waller, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Duke Ellington, as well as lesser-known gems from Spencer Williams, Ray Noble and Dizzy Gillespie.

Morrison, in typically virtuosic style, performs on soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, piano, trumpet and trombone. He's joined by the smooth vocals of Hetty Kate, Doug De Vries (guitar), David Jones (drums), Ben Robertson (double bass) and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under Benjamin Northey.

Recorded live in concert with all the thrill and dynamism that brings, this is a perfect introduction to jazz for the novice and a treat for the connoisseur.