Brendan Simpkins
MUSIC lovers will be in for a treat on Sunday when world-renowned Jazz musician James Morrison plays an exclusive concert at the Hewitson Theatre at STARplex.
Titled Music with the Master, the concert will feature Mr Morrison in what will be his first concert in front of an audience in months.
The trumpeter who has played with some of the best musicians on the planet – such as Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles and B.B King – had been forced to cancel all of his bookings this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, he has teamed up with long-time friend Bruce Raymond to put on the gig.
Mr Raymond, of Gawler, is well-known in local music circles having conducted the senior band at Trinity College for a number of years, as well as serving as conductor for the Tanunda Town Band amongst others. He was also awarded an Order of Australia Medal earlier this year.
The pair were inspired to put on the concert in order to spread positivity throughout the community.
“The concert is all about motivating people, it’s about live music and it’s about people playing in community groups,” Mr Raymond said.
“I have a passion for community music. School music and community music, if you haven’t got that you don’t have professional music.”
It came together in about six weeks with support coming in quick to make the idea a reality.
Both Mr Morrison and Mr Raymond have written pieces of music which will be performed on the night.
A total of 400 tickets have been made available for the concert with an estimated half of those snapped up at the time of writing.
Protocols will be in place to ensure that the concert is COVID safe.
Mr Raymond said that it was important for the community to have access to an event like this as a way to escape the stresses of COVID-19.
“Let them get out of the house and forget the fear, even if it’s only for a few hours,” he said.
It will be a family affair for Mr Morrison with his son William, a respected musician in his own right, joining him on stage.
Trinity’s senior concert band will feature on the night and be offered the opportunity to learn and play alongside Mr Morrison.
It will also be the debut outing of Mr Raymond’s Brilliant Brass ensemble, a new ensemble which features some of the best brass musicians in the state.
Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $10 for students and they can be purchased at (starplex.com.au/events).