By Barry Porter

　　AS far as these two exponents of jazz are concerned, music is more than just a business and the way they earn their livelihood. It is with them 24 hours a day - they talk it, teach it, perform it and when they get to sleep, they dream it.

　　Their business cards read: "Striving to be of service to Humanity by promoting international harmony through music" and while they mean every word of that "mission statement", their approach to life is as relaxed and happy-go-lucky as that of any jazz musician.

　　Yes, the American jazz duo of Phil Morrison ("Bassist, Songwriter, Composer") and his compatriot, Keith Williams ("Pianist, Vocalist, Arranger, Composer") are back in town - their fourth appearance in Shanghai in as many years.

　　The venue for their playing befits their stature as jazzmen - the soaring architecture of the JW Marriott Shanghai at Tomorrow Square on the corner of Nanjing Xilu and Huangpi Beilu. They are playing in the JW Lounge on the 40th floor of the rocketship-like tower, the tallest building in Puxi.

　　The Marriott chose them to be the opening act in the brand-new hotel and they are settling in for a long stay. They were last in the city 18 months ago at the Ritz Carltonswheresthey were joined by Danny Woody on drums and played as the Phil Morrison Trio.

　　Since then they have had engagements in Japan in Osaka and Tokyo and back home in the US in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. They have also recorded another album - "Philanthropy" - to be released on CD next January.

　　Shanghai engagements

　　"We've really been looking forward to coming back to Shanghai," said Morrison. "As always, we're amazed at the changes that have taken place - even in the 18 months since we were last here. However, we're glad to see one thing hasn't changed - the people are still wonderful."

　　The two are also looking forward to slipping backsintosthe routine of their past three tours to Shanghai and engaging with Shanghainese students and musicians. They previously spent most of their spare time here mentoring, tutoring, encouraging and improving the techniques of young, local jazz players in private and at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

　　"The jazz scene is growing here - there's definitely a jazz culture emerging," said Williams. "And while we're here we want to do everything we can to contribute to building it up. Sharing music is our community work."

　　"We've met some really fine musicians and there are lots of others who are coming through," said Morrison. The two jazzmen mention young trumpeter Feng Yucheng, Zhao Ke ("Coco"), Shao Junyan on dizi (bamboo flute) and the erhu players Ma Xiaohui and Zhen Wei.

　　Another feature of their past engagements in Shanghai which Morrison and Williams intend to keep up is inviting young jazz players - guitar, saxophone, clarinet, piano, whatever - to sit-in with them during their nightly performances.

　　Already playing with them most nights on this trip is student alto-saxophonist Simon Wu - "the best in Shanghai, or maybe even China" the jazzmen said.

　　And China is also rubbing off on them and their music. "There is now a lot of Chinese influence in our jazz, in composing, playing and improvising," Morrison said. "It just comes out and you can hear it clearly on our CDs, particularly in tracks like, 'China Skies', 'In a Chinese Tea Garden' or 'Shanghai Silver'."

　　Morrison and Williams are especially proud of two of their compositions from 2001 - "The Day the World Came Together" (for 9/11) and "Good Luck Beijing" (for the 2008 Olympic Games).

　　"The Olympic Games number really was pretty lucky," Morrison said. "I wrote it before the announcement was made that Beijing had won."

　　Something for everyone

　　Another Olympic connection with their music concerns the host city for the 2004 Gamesswheresthe Athens Jazz Festival commissioned the composition of 'The Martyr's Rose', a tribute to persecuted people around the world who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of justice.

　　The two still like to mix their jazz playing - there's something for everyone.

　　Their playing, as they say on an earlier CD, "Sea Island Blues", is "people friendly". Morrison's jazz roots are in Bebop and while there are echoes of the warmth of gospel music in Williams' vocalizing, the overall effect is the sound of the blues.

　　"You don't have to be a jazz fan to listen to us," Williams said. "We play the standards, of course, but we also throw in a little Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Elton John..."

　　And when it comes to "throwing in" a few names, the title song on their soon-to-be-released "Philanthropy" CD throws in the whole world of jazz. Williams, in "talking blues" style (early rap), goes through a litany of what must be 100 jazz greats - a feat of memory that probably defies repitition.

　　Morrison tell a curious story about another of his compositions on the "Philanthropy" CD. Entitled "Helo from Ipanema", the song tells the story of Helo Pinheiro, the original "Girl from Ipanema".

　　"Most people know the story about how the song came to be written," Morrison said. "It seems that back in 1962, Antonio Carlos Jobim and his friend Vinicius de Moraes wereshavingsa cup of coffee in a cafe near the beach at Ipanema outside Rio de Janeiro when they saw this lovely young girl walk past.

　　"Inspired by the sight, Jobim wrote the music and de Moraes the lyrics about 'The Girl from Ipanema' who was 'young and tall and tanned and lovely ...' The song became a big hit and about a year later the girl that inspired it was found and her name was Helo Pinheiro.

　　"When I was first down in Rio working with Freddy Cole (younger brother of Nat King Cole) about 20 years ago, he introduced me to Helo and we have kept in touch.

　　"Then, a little while ago, I was listening to the radio at home in Georgia and on the news I hear that Helo has been taken to court by Jobim's widow who is alleging Helo has committed a breach of copyright. Apparently Helo had opened a fashion store in Ipanema and called it, 'The Girl from Ipanema' and Jobim's widow went to the lawyers and has launched an action against Helo to get her to close the store down or change the name.

　　"Senora Jobim claims that the name belongs to her late husband and only to him or to his estate.

　　"I thought this was ridiculous because, after all, Helo really was, and is, 'The Girl from Ipanema' so I wrote the song, 'Helo from Ipanema', and sent it off to her.

　　"She tells me she loves it and I tell her - 'that tall tanned girl who walked to the sea' - that I hope she wins the court case."

　　Morrison and Williams did not mention another composition they somehow found time to write. It's the official song of the city of Brunswick in Georgia, now their home state. Although the Brunswick city commission plays "Take Me to the Coast of Georgia" on ceremonial occasions, it doesn't seem to be on their Shanghai playlist.