The festive season is well and truly upon us and this week I would like Jazz Made In Australia to reflect that with a program of straight ahead happy music, big band, swing, a touch of latin, a Xmas tune with a difference here and there, music to keep you uplifted during this holiday time.

My most favourite Xmas album is James Morrison’s ‘This is Christmas’ recorded in Germany with a large German Orchestra and American rhythm section of Ray Brown, bass and Benny Green piano and a better collection of arrangements for the usual Xmas songs you couldn’t wish to find. We’ll certainly be hearing a few of those.

Don Burrows is probably the swingingiest musician I know so I will also be taking some tracks from an ABC release of material of the 1980’s recording with a young James Morrison at the time.

Mix in some latin with Gai Bryant’s ‘Talking in Cuban’, some groove with Dale Barlow and some bluesie solo piano with Judy Bailey and I’m sure we have a happy mix. The program starts with a very bright and swinging Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.