UKARIA hosts the closing chapter of James Morrison's Jazz Weekend with voices at the centre

The James Morrison Jazz Weekend wraps up with Concert Three: Vocal Bliss, and it's built around a different kind of ensemble to the two concerts before it. Instead of a horn section or rhythm players filling out the stage, Morrison and alto saxophonist Patrick Bartley are surrounded by twelve vocalists, directed by Naomi Crellin, the esteemed alto from The Idea of North, with three ensemble members rounding things out.

That vocal-forward setup opens up a lot of ground. The program moves between a cappella passages and fuller arrangements with rhythm section behind them, and the repertoire itself ranges widely, from hymns through to swing, samba and bossa nova. It's the kind of stylistic spread that suits Morrison's instincts as a bandleader, always more interested in what a group of musicians can build together than in sticking to one lane.

Morrison himself has described the vocalists as creating "a wonderland" for him and Bartley to explore within, which gives a sense of how the concert is structured. Rather than the horns leading and voices supporting, it sounds like the roles are flipped, with the vocal ensemble setting the terrain and the two saxophonists finding their way through it.

Vocal Bliss plays twice on the Sunday, at 12pm and 2:30pm, each performance running around two hours with a 25-minute interval. UKARIA's setting, with its focus on acoustic clarity, feels suited to a program built on voices moving between unaccompanied harmony and fuller backing.

Tickets are $100 for adults and $95 concession. There's also a Sunday Package at $155 ($150 concession) that adds a buffet lunch from noon, useful if you're making a day of it rather than just popping in for the concert.

Vocal Bliss is the third and final concert of the James Morrison Jazz Weekend, following Concert One on Friday the 4th of September and Concert Two on Saturday 5 September. Taken together, the three concerts give a sense of Morrison's range as a performer and curator, but this closing show, built almost entirely around voice, looks like it might be the most distinctive of the three.