James Morrison (jazz musician)
An Australian musical virtuoso who can command over a dozen instruments, bringing explosive energy and technical brilliance to jazz worldwide.
Born 1962 (age 64)·Australian jazz musician·Birthday: November 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
James Morrison is a force of nature in the jazz world, a musician whose talent seems to defy the limits of a single lifetime. Hailing from rural Australia, he was a prodigy, playing professionally by his early teens. While the trumpet is his primary voice, his ability to pick up and master virtually any instrument—from trombone and tuba to saxophone and double bass—is the stuff of legend. His performances are characterized by a contagious joy and staggering technical proficiency, whether he's leading his own big band, collaborating with jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie, or performing at iconic venues from the Hollywood Bowl to the Royal Albert Hall. Beyond performing, he is a dedicated educator, founding a music academy and composing accessible charts to inspire the next generation of players.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
James was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Performed at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in a segment viewed by billions.
- Founded the James Morrison Academy of Music, a degree-granting institution in Mount Gambier, South Australia.
- Has performed with jazz legends including Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, and Wynton Marsalis.
- Was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the performing arts as a jazz musician, and to music education.
Did You Know?
He first performed professionally on the TV show 'The Don Lane Show' at the age of 13.
He once played a jazz duet on the trombone with former US President Bill Clinton, who is a saxophonist.
He holds a world record for playing the most instruments (10) in a single concert performance.
He designed his own line of trumpets and trombones for the instrument manufacturer Weril.
“Jazz is not a style, it's a process of creating. It's the way you approach the music.”
