Tag Archives: Van Morrison

Van Morrison: Days Like This

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Days_Like_This

On June 5, 1995, “Polydor” label released “Days Like This”, the twenty-third Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in 1995, at “Windmill Lane Recording” in Dublin, and “The Wool Hall and Real World Studios” in Bath, and was produced by Van Morrison and Phil Coulter.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison— vocal, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone, Hammond organ
  • Foggy Lyttle— electric guitar
  • James Hunter— electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Johnson — electric guitar
  • Arty McGlynn— acoustic guitar
  • Phil Coulter— piano
  • Teena Lyle — piano, vibraphone, congas, backing vocals, recorder
  • Jonn Savannah— Hammond organ
  • Nicky Scott — bass guitar
  • Liam Bradley — drums
  • Geoff Dunn— drums, tambourine
  • Noel Eccles — drums
  • Pee Wee Ellis— alto and tenor saxophones
  • Kate St. John— alto saxophone, oboe
  • Leo Green— tenor saxophone
  • Matthew Holland — trumpet, flugelhorn
  • James McMillan— trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Shana Morrison— vocal, backing vocals
  • Brian Kennedy— backing vocals
  • Pee Wee Ellis, James McMillan – horn arrangements
  • Mick Glossop, Walter Samuel, Brian Masterson – recording
  • Matthew Lawrence, Greig Sangster, Avril Mackintosh, Jamie Cullum, Alastair McMillan, Meabh Flynn – engineer assistant
  • Walter Samuel, Mick Glossop – mixing
  • Ian Cooper, Tim Young – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.

  1. Perfect Fit
  2. Russian Roulette
  3. Raincheck
  4. You Don’t Know Me – Arnold, Walker
  5. No Religion
  6. Underlying Depression
  7. Songwriter
  8. Days Like This
  9. I’ll Never Be Free – Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss
  10. Melancholia
  11. Ancient Highway
  12. In the Afternoon

Eric Gale

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On May 25, 1984, Eric J. Gale died aged 55. He was musician (guitar) and composer,  as session guitarist has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names of the music scene, including Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson, Jimmy McGriff, Benny Golson, Van Morrison, Bernard Purdie, Herbie Mann, Yusuf Lateef, Chico Hamilton, Sonny Stitt, Quincy Jones, Al Kooper, Lena Horn, Gabor Szabo, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Esther Philips, Chuck Rainey, Johnny Hammond, Stanley Turrentine,  David Newman, Hank Crawford, Grover Washington, Jr., Roberta Flack, Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws, Bob James, Joe Higgs, Van McCoy, Ron Carter, George Benson, Phil Upchurch, Tom Scott, Idris Muhammad, Ashford & Simpson, Cedar Walton, Stanley Turrentine, Blood, Sweat & Tears,  Paul Butterfield, Joe Cocker and David Ruffin. As leader he released twelve albums.

Van Morrison: Magic Time

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Van Morrison_MagicTime

On May 17, 2005, “Geffen” label released “Magic Time”, the thirty-first Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded November 2000 – 2003, at “The Wool Hall” and “Windmill Lane”, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison -vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone
  • Mick Green- guitar
  • Foggy Lyttle- guitar
  • Michael Fields -Spanish guitar, lute
  • Martin Winning -tenor and baritone saxophones
  • Matt Holland -trumpet
  • Paddy Moloney- whistle
  • Myles Drennan -piano, Hammond organ
  • Brian Connor – piano, keyboards
  • Dave Lewis- piano
  • John Allair – Hammond organ
  • Jerome Rimson -bass, backing vocals
  • David Hayes- bass
  • Liam Bradley -drums, backing vocals
  • Noel Bridgeman, Johnathan Mele, Bobby Irwin – drums
  • Johnny Scott, Siobhan Pettit, Olwin Bell, Crawford Bell, Aine Whelan, Karen Hamill – backing vocals
  • Irish Film Orchestra -strings
  • Richard Evans – design and art direction, sleeve photographs
  • Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering, London – mastering
  • Javier Pierini / Getty images – front cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.

  1. Stranded
  2. Celtic New Year
  3. Keep Mediocrity at Bay
  4. Evening Train
  5. This Love of Mine – Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra
  6. I’m Confessin’ – Doc Daughtery, Al Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds
  7. Just Like Greta
  8. Gypsy in My Soul
  9. Lonely and Blue – Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  10. The Lion This Time
  11. Magic Time
  12. They Sold Me Out
  13. Carry On Regardless

Van Morrison: Down the Road

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Van Morrison_Down the Road_

On May 14, 2002, “Universal” label release “Down the Road”, the twenty-ninth Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded 2000 –  2001, “Wool Hall”  in Bath, Somerset, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone
  • John Allair -Hammond organ
  • Mick Green- acoustic and electric guitars
  • Johnny Scott – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Fiachra Trench- piano
  • Geraint Watkins- piano, Hammond organ
  • Richard Dunn -piano, Hammond organ
  • Pete Hurley – bass guitar
  • Bobby Irwin – drums
  • Colin Griffin -drums
  • Lee Goodall -tenor, alto and baritone saxophones, flute, backing vocals
  • Karen Hamill – backing vocals
  • David Hayes- bass guitar, double bass
  • Matt Holland -trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals
  • Acker Bilk- clarinet
  • Bob Loveday -violin
  • Jake Walker -viola
  • Rosie Wetters -cello, string section leader
  • Martin Winning – clarinet, tenor saxophone
  • Crawford Bell -backging vocals
  • Olwin Bell – backing vocals
  • Aine Whelan – backing vocals
  • Siobhan Pettit – backing vocals
  • Johnny Scott, Aine Whelan – vocal arrangements
  • Fiachra Trench- string arrangements
  • Stuart Bruce – engineer
  • Tim Cooper – mastering
  • Walter Samuel – engineer, mixing
  • Ben Sidran- liner notes
  • Peter Thorpe – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.

  1. Down the Road
  2. Meet Me in the Indian Summer
  3. Steal My Heart Away
  4. Hey Mr. DJ
  5. Talk Is Cheap
  6. Choppin’ Wood
  7. What Makes the Irish Heart Beat
  8. All Work and No Play
  9. Whatever Happened to P.J. Proby?
  10. The Beauty of the Days Gone By
  11. Georgia on My Mind – Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell
  12. Only a Dream
  13. Man Has to Struggle
  14. Evening Shadows – Acker Bilk, Van Morrison
  15. Fast Train

Nina Simone

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On April 21, 2003, Eunice Kathleen Waymon aka Nina Simone, died aged 70. She was singer, songwriter, musician (piano), arranger, and civil rights activist. In her career, Simone has recorded more than forty albums. Many famous musicians have cited Simone as their influence, among the others: Aretha Franklin, Adele, David Bowie, Antony and the Johnsons, Dianne Reeves , Sade , Beyoncé,  Janis Joplin , Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley, Van Morrison, Elkie Brooks, Lena Horne, Bono, Cat Stevens, Peter Gabriel, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Elton John, Alicia Keys and Lana Del Rey. John Lennon cited Simone’s version of “I Put a Spell on You” as a inspiration for the Beatles’ song “Michelle”.

For her work, Simone received various awards including:

  • In 2000, “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”for her interpretation of “I Love You, Porgy”
  • Honorary degrees in music and humanities, from the “University of Massachusetts Amherst” and “Malcolm X College”
  • Honorary degree by the “Curtis Institute of Music”
  • In 2002, city of Nijmegen, in Netherlands, named a street the “Nina Simone straat”
  • In 2009, Simone was inducted into the “North Carolina Music Hall of Fame”
  • In 2010, her home town Tryon, in North Carolina, placed her statue in the “Trade Street”

Van Morrison: Keep It Simple

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Keep It Simple

On March 17, 2008, “Exile Productions Ltd./Polydor” labels released “Keep It Simple”,the thirty-third Van Morrison solo album. It  was recorded in 2007, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  1. Van Morrison – vocals, piano, alto saxophone, acoustic guitar, ukulele
  2. John Platania- guitar
  3. Mick Green– guitar
  4. Ned Edwards – guitar, harmonica, backing vocals
  5. Sarah Jory- steel guitar, banjo
  6. Cindy Cashdollar- steel guitar
  7. Paul Moore – bass
  8. David Hayes- bass
  9. Geraint Watkins- piano, accordion
  10. John Allair – organ
  11. Liam Bradley- percussion
  12. Tony Fitzgibbon – fiddle
  13. Neal Wilkinson – drums
  14. Crawford Bell – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  15. Katie Kissoon- backing vocals
  16. Karen Hamill – backing vocals
  17. Margo Buchanan – backing vocals
  18. Stevie Lange – backing vocals
  19. Jerome Rimson – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison

  1. How Can a Poor Boy?
  2. School of Hard Knocks
  3. That’s Entrainment
  4. Don’t Go to Nightclubs Anymore
  5. Lover Come Back
  6. Keep It Simple
  7. End of the Land
  8. Song of Home
  9. No Thing
  10. Soul
  11. Behind the Ritual

Van Morrison: Back On Top

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Back_on_Top

On March 9, 1999, “Point Black” label released “Back on Top”, the twenty-seventh Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in 1998, at “Wool Hall Studios” in Beckington, and was produced by Van Morrison. The photography of Morrison on the inside of the album cover, was originally used for the front cover of Peter Handke’s book “My Year in the No-Man’s-Bay”, first published in 1994.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison– vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
  • Mick Green– acoustic and electric guitars
  • Geraint Watkins– piano, Hammond organ
  • Fiachra Trench– piano
  • Jools Holland- piano
  • Mike Sanchez- piano, guitar
  • Ian Jennings – double bass
  • Liam Bradley – drums, percussion, background vocals
  • Bobby Irwin – drums
  • Pee Wee Ellis– soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, backing vocals
  • Leo Green- tenor saxophone
  • Matt Holland – trumpet
  • Irish Film Orchestra – strings
  • Brian Kennedy– backing vocals
  • Matt Curtis – photography, art direction, design
  • Brad Wilson, Paul Cox, John Mintoft – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.

  1. Goin’ Down Geneva
  2. Philosopher’s Stone
  3. In the Midnight
  4. Back on Top
  5. When the Leaves Come Falling Down
  6. High Summer
  7. Reminds Me of You
  8. New Biography
  9. Precious Time
  10. Golden Autumn Day

Van Morrison: Pay The Devil

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Pay the Devil

On March 6, 2006, “Lost Highway” label released “Pay the Devil”, the thirty-second Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in 2005, and was produced by Van Morrison. The album features twelve cover versions of American country and western songs and three original compositions.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Crawford Bell – vocals
  • Trionagh Moore- vocals
  • Olwin Bell – vocals
  • Karen Hamill – vocals
  • Aine Whelan – vocals
  • Leon McCrum – vocals
  • Paul Godden – guitar, steel guitar
  • Mick Green- guitar
  • Johnny Scott – vocals, guitar
  • Geraint Watkins- piano
  • Paul Riley- acoustic bass
  • Ian Jennings – double bass
  • Nicky Scott – electric bass
  • Bobby Irwin – drums
  • Bob Loveday – violin
  • Fiachra Trench- vocals, string arrangements
  • Gavyn Wright- string section leader

Track listing:

  1. There Stands the Glass – Alize Gresham, Russ Hull, Mary Jane , Shurtz
  2. Half as Much – Curly Williams
  3. Things Have Gone to Pieces – Leon Payne
  4. Big Blue Diamonds – Earl J. Carson
  5. Playhouse – Van Morrison
  6. Your Cheatin’ Heart – Hank Williams
  7. Don’t You Make Me High – Daniel Barker, Ken Harris
  8. My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It – Clarence Williams
  9. Back Street Affair – Billy Wallace
  10. Pay the Devil – Van Morrison
  11. What Am I Living For? – Art Harris, Fred Jay
  12. This Has Got to Stop – Van Morrison
  13. Once a Day – Bill Anderson
  14. More and More – Merle Kilgore, Webb Pierce
  15. Til I Gain Control Again – Rodney Crowell

Van Morrison: The Healing Game

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Van Morrison The Healing Game

On March 4, 1997, “Polydor” label released “The Healing Game”, the twenty-sixth  Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in 1996, at “Westland Studios” and “Windmill Lane Studios” in Dublin, and was produced by Van Morrison.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison -vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
  • Ronnie Johnson- electric guitar
  • Robin Aspland -piano
  • Phil Coulter- piano
  • Georgie Fame- Hammond organ, backing vocals
  • Alec Dankworth- double bass
  • Nicky Scott -bass guitar
  • Geoff Dunn- drums, percussion
  • Ralph Salmins – percussion
  • Pee Wee Ellis- soprano and baritone saxophones, backing vocals
  • Leo Green- tenor saxophone, backing vocals
  • Matt Holland -trumpet, backing vocals
  • Paddy Moloney – uilleann pipes, whistle
  • Peter O’Hanlon -dobro
  • Haji Ahkba -flugelhorn
  • Brian Kennedy- backing vocals
  • Katie Kissoon – backing vocals
  • Matt Curtis @ Abrahams Pants – art direction, design
  • Paul Cox – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison

  1. Rough God Goes Riding
  2. Fire in the Belly
  3. This Weight
  4. Waiting Game
  5. Piper at the Gates of Dawn
  6. Burning Ground
  7. It Once Was My Life
  8. Sometimes We Cry
  9. If You Love Me
  10. The Healing Game

Van Morrison: Moondance

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Van Morrison Moondance

On February 28, 1970, “Warner Bros” label released “Moondance”, the  third Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded August – December 1969, at “A & R Studios” in New York, and was produced by Lewis Merenstein and Van Morrison. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in US by the “RIAA,” In 1989 “Spin” magazine ranked “Moondance” at number 21 at list of the “All-time 25 Greatest Albums”; in 1999, the album was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”; in 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Moondance” at number 65 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”; in 2006 “Time” included the album in its list of “The All-Time 100 Albums”, and in 2007, the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” named it as one of their “Definitive 200” albums, ranking it 72nd.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison– vocals, guitar, rhythm guitar,  tambourine,  harmonica
  • John Platania– guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Jef Labes– organ, piano, clavinet
  • John Klingberg – bass
  • Gary Mallaber– drums, vibraphone
  • Guy Masson – conga
  • Jack Schroer– alto and soprano saxophones
  • Collin Tilton – flute, tenor saxophone
  • Emily Houston– backing vocals
  • Judy Clay– backing vocals
  • Jackie Verdell– backing vocals

Track listing

All tracks by Van Morrison.

  1. And It Stoned Me
  2. Moondance
  3. Crazy Love
  4. Caravan
  5. Into the Music
  6. Come Running
  7. These Dreams of You
  8. Brand New Day
  9. Everyone
  10. Glad Tidings