Do you want to talk about chops?!? I saw this guy with Lalo Schifrin’s quartet a number of years ago, and he played an entire song, chorus and mind blowing solo, on his trumpet, and he NEVER TOUCHED A VALVE!! Then, he did it on the trombone!!!!
Well, here, James Morrison ups the ante a bit. If you simply listen to it like any other album, you’d assume that Morrison’s got some great chops, goes through some hot numbers like “All of Me” or “Up a Lazy River,” and be impressed not only by his own blowing, but, hey, who’s the guy on the saxes? And the guitarist ain’t a slouch either. Then, you read the liner notes, and you realize that it’s just Morrison and LA drumming icon Jeff Hamilton going for the ultimate “it.” Hamilton, best known for co-leading a big band, has a field day driving around Morrison’s overdubs of bass, guitar, trumpet and trombone and going from intimate conversations to rollicking band performances. Morrison’s ‘bone tone on “Getting Sentimental Over You” is a joy, while he gets as sharp as a Lakota Knife on “Going Home.” The only thing that is frustrating about this disc is that there is just no way to see it live. Any holograms handy?
Morrison Records