Artist: Van Morrison
Label: EMI Records
Release: 2007
Van Morrison, the Belfast-born legend of Irish and world music royalty (way back in 1945), is today one of the last “survivors” of the old school. And in the truest sense of the word! It’s hard to believe that the man set out on his first major musical journey back in 1964. Over the decades since, on top of a mileage that not even the Rolling Stones would be ashamed of, he’s built up an incredibly wide body of work.
The latest collection of hits, which “Van The Man” launched under the predictable title The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3, takes a close look at the most recent stretch of Morrison’s artistic journey. The record in itself testifies to the versatility of a musical genius who, in his fifth decade of nonstop creating, is determined to stick to his mission. The dazzling genre variety of the archive recordings, along with an enviable roster of musical legends, offers a few surprises beyond the already-heard: two previously unreleased collaborations, with Tom Jones and Bobby “Blue” Bland. And there are other familiar faces too: Carl Perkins, Ray Charles, BB King, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Whiterspoon and so on. You won’t find a guest list this shamelessly long and distinguished on every street corner.
The chronological run through Van Morrison’s nineties output kicks off with a soul-tinged duet with Tom Jones from 1998. With its seductive softness, the track vividly sketches the whole picture of this unusual document, which in its first half focuses mainly on the period up to 1997. Fans of livelier rhythms will get a kick out of the rowdiness of Gloria with John Lee Hooker, the filthy “nasty” lyrics of Help Me, which comes in a live package together with blues legend Junior Wells, and an appearance by yet another legendary “grumbler”, Jimmy Witherspoon. Of course, with Van Morrison the lovers of tender, melancholic tunes are always nicely taken care of too. Four classics from what’s probably the author’s best album of the nineties, Days Like This, make sure of that, among them the unforgettable title track, which soon after became an unofficial anthem of the fragile truce in Northern Ireland’s unpredictable everyday life.
The second half, with the author’s later work, gains in sensuality, and with it Morrison once again points to the wide range of genre influences that helped him shape his recognizable identity over the years. Gospel, blues, jazz, soul: there’s something for everyone. From Bobby Bland to BB King and Ray Charles, Morrison keeps surprising us with unique musical approaches. Georgia On My Mind is surely one of those unforgettable moments. Same goes for Sitting On Top Of The World, where, with a little help from Carl Perkins, we witness yet another textbook demonstration of his interpretive skills. On this latest collection of Van Morrison’s brightest gems, they once again handed us a real unforgettable lesson. For which we can surely be grateful to the good old “The Man” forever.
Lineup
Van Morrison & guests
Production
Van Morrison
Tracklist
Disk 1:
1.Cry For Home
2.Too Long In Exile
3.Gloria
4.Help Me
5.Lonely Avenue/4 O’Clock In The Morning
6.Days Like This
7.Ancient Highway
8.Raincheck
9.Moondance
10.Centrepiece
11.That’s Life
12.Benediction
13.The Healing Game
14.I Don’t Want To Go On Without You
Disk 2:
1.Shenandoah
2.Precious Time
3.Back On Top
4.When The Leaves Come Falling Down
5.Lost John
6.Tupelo Honey
7.Meet Me In Te Indian Summer
8.Georgia On My Mind
9.Hey Mr. DJ
10.Steal My Heart Away
11.Crazy Love
12.Once In A Blue Moon
13.Little Village
14.Blue And Green
15.Sitting On Top Of The World
16.Early In The Morning
17.Stranded
Album length: 2h 23.30
