What a way to experience an international flavor for this year鈥檚 DC JazzFest than with a hard-driving, straight-up jam session at the Australian Embassy in Northwest D.C.聽
Alto saxophonist came to this year鈥檚 20th Anniversary DC JazzFest riding high on the release of her latest album 鈥淧hoenix Reimagined.鈥 Then there鈥檚 , who performs primarily on trumpet and flugelhorn, and is an overachiever who also plays trombone, tuba, euphonium, saxophone, clarinet, double bass, guitar, and piano.
Benjamin and Morrison admired each other’s music style from afar. They wasted no time in kicking off their performance with full-speed energy.
Benjamin can play whatever is on her mind and in her soul. It can be upbeat, hard-driving jazz mixed with hip-hop, R&B, rock, or spoken word. Morrison had no problem matching Benjamin’s mood, vibe-to-vibe, which was surprising since this concert was their first in-person moment, meeting an hour before they were introduced to an overflow audience at the embassy.
鈥淲e just played that feeling of improvisation that is actually happening now,鈥 said Morrison. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not regurgitating something we do all the time, and that feeling is magic. That鈥檚 what jazz is all about, right?鈥
Morrison got it right in describing the dynamic collaboration with Benjamin. The concert set the tone for the 20th Anniversary DC JazzFest.