Although his main instrument is trumpet, he has also performed on trombone, tuba, euphonium, flugelhorn, saxophone, clarinet, double bass, guitar, and piano.

[3] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 Morrison and an a cappella group, The Idea of North, won Best Jazz Album, for their collaboration on Feels Like Spring.

[14] The band's debut album, A Night in Tunisia, was released in 1984 by ABC Records as part of the Don Burrows Collection.

[19] Instead of playing the current anthem, Marcha Real, he performed the Himno de Riego, not heard since the Second Republic era (1931–1939),[20] causing the Spanish Secretary of State for Sport to walk out in anger.

Fortunately an official quickly found a CD of the correct anthem, placating the Spanish and allowing the match to proceed.

He has also worked with George Benson, Ray Brown, Cab Calloway, Jon Faddis, Herbie Hancock, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Graeme Lyall, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Nightingale, Red Rodney, Arturo Sandoval, Woody Shaw, Frank Sinatra, and Phil Stack.

[23] In 1990, he recorded the album Snappy Doo with Ray Brown on double bass, Herb Ellis on guitar, Jeff Hamilton on drums, and Morrison on piano, trumpet, trombone (tenor and bass), saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), and bits of clarinet, flute, flugelhorn, and euphonium.

He recorded a sequel, Snappy Too, in 2011 with Hamilton, but Brown and Ellis died in the interim, so Morrison played guitar and bass in addition to all of the other instruments from the first album.

[28][29] He found his lead vocalist, Emma Pask, at a school concert when she was 16, and she became an internationally renowned jazz singer.

[30][31][32] For a number of years, Morrison has been the presenter of the in-flight jazz radio station for Qantas Airways.

[2] Unlike Top Gear, the show ideas and script were largely conceived "on the fly" by Morrison and Kupsch.

[citation needed] On 19 December 2008, presenter Charlie Cox announced his departure from Top Gear Australia due to lack of time.

As of September 2023[update] the program was undergoing restructuring, with an aim to bring short courses to regional areas in the near future.

[45] Morrison met Judi Green, the 1987 Miss Australia winner, at a barbecue before both participated in a celebrity race at the Adelaide Grand Prix.

[8][46] On 9 June 1997 James Morrison was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia with a citation "for service to music, particularly jazz, and the sponsorship of young musicians".