2–3 June 2017 Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall

CONCERT PROGRAM JAMES MORRISON PATTI AUSTIN Bursting onto the international stage With an illustrious career spanning at age 16, James debuted in the USA an incredible six decades, Grammy®- with a breathtaking concert at the winning performer, songwriter and Monterey Jazz Festival. Following this vocalist Patti Austin’s multi-faceted were appearances at Europe’s major career continues to flourish and grow. festivals including Montreux, Pori, Debuting at the at the Apollo Theatre North Sea, Nice and Bern – playing at the tender age of four, with the with many of the legends of jazz. encouragement of godparents Dinah Dizzy Gillespie, Cab Calloway, Woody Washington and Quincy Jones, Shaw, Red Rodney, George Benson, Austin grew up witnessing legendary Ray Charles, B.B. King, Ray Brown performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, and Wynton Marsalis to name a few. Sarah Vaughan and Judy Garland There were also gigs in the world’s who were instrumental in shaping her most famous jazz clubs – The Blue inimitable vocal style. Note, Village Vanguard and Dizzy’s in New York, the New Morning in Paris, With 17 solo albums to her name, The Tokyo Blue Note and Ronnie Austin’s career has seen her work with Scott’s in London. artists as diverse as Randy Brecker, Michael Jackson and George Benson. James Morrison’s career thus far During the 70’s she was the undisputed has been diverse and perhaps not ‘queen’ of the New York session scene; typical of most jazz musicians. He her voice was heard behind everyone recorded Jazz Meets the Symphony from Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, James with the London Symphony Orchestra Brown, to Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, conducted by Lalo Schifrin and Luther Vandross and Diana Ross. Her performed concerts at the Royal chart-topping 1982 duet with James Albert Hall and the Royal Opera Ingram, Baby, Come to Me went gold House, Covent Garden in addition and saw her become a household name. to Royal Command Performances on two occasions for Her Majesty Patti Austin returns to the Melbourne Queen Elizabeth II. James has also International Jazz Festival after been invited to perform specially two sold-out performances of For for US Presidents Bush, Clinton and Ella in 2012, a thrilling tribute to Obama. In 2000, James composed “America’s first lady of song”. Austin’s and performed the fanfare for the current project Ella: Now and Then Olympic Games Opening Ceremony finds the ever-genial songstress in Sydney. continuing to pay tribute to the late and legendary Fitzgerald. MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Established in 1906, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an arts leader and Australia’s oldest professional orchestra. Chief Conductor Sir Andrew Davis has been at the helm of MSO since 2013. Engaging more than 2.5 million BENJAMIN NORTHEY people each year, the MSO reaches a variety of audiences through live Australian conductor Benjamin performances, recordings, TV and Northey is the Chief Conductor of the radio broadcasts and live streaming. Christchurch Symphony Orchestra As a truly global orchestra, the MSO and the Associate Conductor of the collaborates with guest artists and arts Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. organisations from across the world. Its He has previously held the posts of international audiences include China, Resident Guest Conductor of the where the MSO performed in 2016 and Australia Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra Europe where the MSO toured in 2014. (2002-2006) and Principal Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra The MSO performs a variety of (2007-2010). concerts ranging from core classical performances at its home, Hamer Hall Northey also appears regularly as at Arts Centre Melbourne, to its annual a guest conductor with all major free concerts at Melbourne’s largest Australian symphony orchestras, outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Opera Australia (Turandot, L’Elisir Bowl. The MSO also delivers innovative d’amore, Don Giovanni, Così fan and engaging programs to audiences tutte, Carmen), New Zealand Opera of all ages through its Education and (Sweeney Todd) and State Opera Outreach initiatives. South Australia (La Sonnambula, L’Elisir d’amore, Les contes d’Hoffmann). His The MSO also works with Associate international appearances include Conductor, Benjamin Northey, and concerts with the London Philharmonic the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus, as well as with such eminent Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchestra recent guest conductors as Thomas Salzburg, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Ades, John Adams, Tan Dun, the Malaysian Philharmonic and the Charles Dutoit, Jakub Hrůša, Mark New Zealand Symphony, Auckland Wigglesworth, Markus Stenz and Philharmonia and Christchurch Simone Young. It has also collaborated Symphony Orchestras. with non-classical musicians including Burt Bacharach, Nick Cave, Sting, Tim With a progressive and diverse Minchin, Ben Folds, DJ Jeff Mills and approach to repertoire, he has Flight Facilities. collaborated with a broad range of artists including Maxim Vengerov and Slava Grigoryan, as well as popular artists Tim Minchin, Barry Humphries and James Morrison. Ella & Louis A musical match made in heaven. The musical relationship highly talented singer blessed with between Ella Fitzgerald a powerful gravelly voice. and Louis Armstrong is In 1956 the pair recorded their first album of duets, Ella and Louis; their one of the landmark jazz charm, chemistry and joy was, and collaborations of all time. still is, undeniable. Recorded against the backdrop of the racial tensions Dubbed ‘The First Lady of Song’, of mid-century America (that same Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular year Armstrong boycotted his home female jazz singer in the United States town of New Orleans for banning for more than half a century. In her integrated bands), the pairing lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards was the work of legendary Verve and sold over 40 million albums. Her producer Norman Granz, who was voice was flexible, wide-ranging, renowned for fighting prejudice in accurate and ageless. She could sing the music industry. sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate The album was an unprecedented every instrument in an orchestra. success for the Verve label. Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong, an Fitzgerald and Armstrong went on to American jazz trumpeter and singer, record another two studio albums, remains one of the most influential Ella and Louis Again (1957) and Porgy figures in jazz even today. Famous and Bess (1958). In 2016, the album for his innovative methods of playing Ella and Louis was inducted into the the trumpet and cornet, he was also a Grammy Hall of Fame.

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