JAZZMEN EXTRAORDINAIRE – By Des Kelly

Monday, the 1st of August,2016, just another Monday, heralding the last month of Winter in our Land Nothing “special” about it EXCEPT that sharp at 8 pm., I switched my television onto Channel 2, in Melbourne to watch “Australian Story”, another favourite “show”of mine, that I can strongly recommend to my “eLanka” readers. Naturally, I do not intend “takng-over” from “the box” & “filling-in” what viewers have quite possibly,already seen, but this particular episode intrigued me, in that, it featured two Aussie musicians DON BURROWS & JAMES MORRISON, who, in my own humble opinion, would “class” as two of the very best, not only in Australia, but in the entire “Music Planet,” as it is, at the moment.

Don Burrows, for a start, was a “music-lover” FROM the start. A multi-instrumentalist, he not only lived for music, music, in his sensitive hands, lived for him. I remember him performing his magical sequences with other Aussie musicians on television many years ago. He would come on, a silver flute in hand, play a few bars, turn around, smile at the band-boys around him, pick up a saxaphone and carry on, never missing a “beat”, place the “sax” gently down and pick up his other “baby” a clarinet, add in some unbelievably intricate “clarinet-riffs” which would easily rival the expertise of any clarinet player in the World. This guy had everything. He was young, extremely handsome and would no doubt, have had females swooning all over the place, as he played “jazz classics” to “jazz- perfection”. It seems a shame though, that, like a lot of other musicians and entertainers (myself included), “family life” was’nt all it was meant to be. Don married twice, unsuccessfully, but then met another younger “music-marvel” in James Morrison at a “gig” in Sydney, where they both lived. Immediately, Don knew that this young trumpet player was no ordinary “horn-blower”. James became “the musical son” that Don began to mentor shortly after they met. They began a partnership-in-music that was to last. The music they excelled in was “Traditional Jazz”. I cannot remember one occasion where I was ever disappointed, if either Don or James “did their thing” individually, or as a duo. They could take ANY number, play it, and make me want to see & hear it over and over again. Pure magic.!

James Morrison did marry, has three young sons who, like their esteemed father, love music and also perform with him. He also has the full backing of his lovely wife and, after being tutored by his surrogate father, Don, during his younger years, HERE was another Aussie musician who could very easily be compared with anyone else, anywhere. I believe that James Morrison can pick up ANY instrument, Brass or Reed, silver or gold, tenor or alto, ANY “”big-band” instrument and draw out the very best from them. He also can play stringed instruments, guitar, bass, then hop over to a piano-stool and make that piano TALK!.

Not satisfied with all that, percussion instruments presented no problem to him either, his timing in music was 101% , he could come in, halfway through a song, without missing a single beat, stand in front of his “band” & “conduct” an orchestra. He wrote musical “scores” by the dozen and then performed them for one reason only, and this was because he enjoyed every second of what he was doing. Again, my friends, you will have a long long way to travel before you see musicians of the calibre of these two gentlemen.

Finally, Don Burrows, M.B.E., A.O. & deservedly so, 88 years of age, now, had to “slow down” after suffering a serious “stroke” & now has “dementia” which NEARLY put an end to his musical career. However, he is in good hands both medically and socially. MUSIC seems to be the ONLY thing that can “snap” him out of his dementia, albeit temporarily and his “former pupil” has now become his “tutor”, where the entire “Morrison” family have taken him into their hearts and home to treat him as a grandfather, with all the real love they feel for him and this was clear as crystal to me as I watched this T.V. Programme.
It was a beautiful story, & if you have been unable to see it dear readers, make an effort to get it from Channel two, a.s.a.p. You will not regret it.

“IF GOOD MUSIC IS THE FOOD OF LIFE, PLAY ON.”
desmond kelly