Ed S Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 (edited) Copied from the May studio update section in the News from the Blue Note website: Van Morrison: The rumors are true. Van Morrison is nearing completion on his first album for Blue Note. He has been recording an album of new original material in his native Ireland. Stay Tuned for more. I enjoy Morrison and am anxious to read more about the musicians involved, songs etc. But this definitely has potential. Where's Tom at Bluenote when you need him? Edited May 17, 2003 by Ed Swinnich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 The calender doesn't say April 1st...at the risk of being stuffed and mounted as the catch of the day, I'll say COOL!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Larsen Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 (edited) On a certain level, I'm excited. I love his first couple of solo records (Astral Weeks in particular). But I'm not going to get too excited too soon. As far as I'm concerned, he's cut a lot of really bad records (even in the 70s). I hope to be proven wrong, but I'm going to go into this one with very low expectations. As an afterthought, who will BN sign next? Leo Kottke and Van are unlikely signings, to say nothing of Ms. Jones. Edited May 17, 2003 by J Larsen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 I disagree. I have all of Van Morrison's albums from 1965 through 1980 (and then only some of his post-1980 work) and I don't think Van recorded a bad album throughout the 70s. If you think you know one, please name it. Then I'll laugh, because it just ain't so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Larsen Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 I could, but I don't see the point. I will, however, say that I'd rather listen to anything from before 1980 than after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 A Period of Transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted May 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 I can't say that I'm a Van Morrison expert by any means. I've only got a few of his albums - the obligatory Moon Dance and Astral Weeks plus Poetic Champions Compose and How Long Has This Been Going On? (an okay foray into the jazzy side of Morrison - apparently according to AMG Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison is more successful) I hope he come up with a good effort here as I enjoy his singing and think it lends itself well to jazz. There's frequently a feel of "jazziness" to a lot of the songs I have or have heard, yet the one overt attempt at jazz that I have - the aforementioned How Long Has This Been Going On? yielded mixed results. I'm hopeful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Williams Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 (edited) A Period of Transition. Oooh! I almost used the 'Report This Post' function for the first time: there may be a couple of weaker songs on there, but I love that record. I can do without anything after Poetic Champions, myself. Least favourite pre-80's LPs: Common One and Hard Nose The Highway - they just didn't take with me. Most of the others I love, but Astral and Moondance stand alone: he used to really let go with his singing in those days. Either he's not capable of hitting the singing and writing heights anymore, or he can't be arsed. Edited May 17, 2003 by David Williams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 Ed Mentioned Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison. That's got some pretty nice stuff in it. Ben Sidran and Georgie Fame share in the vocal department. One notable criticism of Van on that project was singing out of tune. In some cases, badly. Could be he wasn't familiar with the material or it was a hurried session but.....I hope he spends a little more time with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted May 17, 2003 Report Share Posted May 17, 2003 I like Van least when he's doing his 'jazz vocalist' bit. One of the disappointments of seeing him a few years back was the lack of Van songs in the concert - he did mainly jazz and R'nB covers. I fear that on Blue Note he'd feel obliged to give us his Gershwin song book! His recent recordings are no match for those from his heydey (but then are there any rock/pop singers who can equal what they did in their first ten years?) but still have plenty to enjoy. I still play 'Back on Top' from a few years back regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 (edited) I can just picture it. 20 years from now 'Van the Man' will make the cut for the latest batch of Conns. Heck, maybe the guys at Stanford will give him his own 'Complete Blue Note Native Irish Recordings of' Mosaic set !! Edited May 18, 2003 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Vitus Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 Well, this is no surprise. Norah and others have proven that being eclectic without being profound is a good way to the listeners' hearts ... which is what Van has been doing for quite a while. Blue Note is proving it can sell the concept well and will likely be a good home for Morrison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 If there's room for Mose Allison & Dr. John to make mighty fine albums on Blue Note, there's room for Van Morrison. Take me where flamingos fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Larsen Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 Good point. I'm going to stick with my "not getting the hopes up too high" strategy, though. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than let down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted May 18, 2003 Report Share Posted May 18, 2003 I'm fairly neutral about Van. He's OK, and I have a fairly high level of respect for him. But he also isn't my cup of tea either. Still, I can imagine Van Morrison on BN more easily than I can Wynton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 I'm a big fan of Van Morrison and I'll be most interested to see how his Blue Note debut turns out.I agree with Jim Sangrey's post on this matter. Overall I feel that Van has very consistently recorded quality music.He has had his share of recordings that have been deemed essential by whomever. However anybody who has recorded as proifically as Van Morrison is bound to release subpar recordings or recordings that are just flat out dogs it just seems like the law of averages but a Van Morrison "barker " is still better than the best efforts of a lot of people. BTW I agree with Bev about "Back on Top". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted May 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 The more I think about this project, the more anxious I get to hear it. I'm hoping that recording for a bonafide jazz label will get the creative energy flowing. I'm hopeful for a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 A Period of Transition. BUZZZZZZZZZ I'm sorry, that's not an acceptable answer. No, it's not Van's strongest album from the 70s (in fact, I consider it to be among the weakest), but it is MILES AWAY from being "bad". How about "Cold Wind In August"? "Heavy Connection"? "It Fills You Up"? There's a lot of excellent music on this disc. I've actually always LOVED the album "Hard Nose The Highway". Again, it's not as ground breaking as "Astral Weeks" or as consistant as "Moon Dance", but it's a pleasure to listen to all the way through. How about "Autumn Song" (which I play every day throughout the month of October)? How about "The Great Deception"? (favorite line: "Have you ever heard about the so-called 'hippies'? Live on the wrong side of the tracks. They take the eye-balls straight outta your head and say 'Son...kid...do'ya want your eye-balls back?'") How about Van's soulful take on "Bein' Green"? Or the title track? In fact, I've always liked "Hard Nose The Highway" better than either "His Band and Street Choir" or "Tupelo Honey". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kulu se mama Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 this should be great. my favorite van album has not been mentioned. how about "into the music." this is an absolute classic. side 2 maybe the greatest side he has ever recorded. as an album, it definitely stands up there with "astral weeks" and "moondance." as far as an artist goes, i would say van has recorded at least 5 - 5 star records. (the 3 mentioned above, plus at least 2 of these "st dominics," "his band and treet choir" and "tueplo honey"). this puts van in very elite company (the beatles, rolling stones, maybe elvis costello - help me out here). even my favorite band (led zeppelin) might only have 3 - 5 star records. van did appear to coast from for awhile there, but in retrospect some of those albums were unnecessarily dismissed. "days like this" and "the healing game" are particularly good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjazz Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 I got the CD. Like it too. He does his usually chanting and mumbling. About 60 mins. Lyrics included. Alittle jazzy at times. I like "Goldfish Bowl" Still giving it the 'first' listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfricaBrass Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 This thread asks, "Van Morrison a Blue Note artist?, What do you think?" I like Van Morrison. I have a bunch of his earlier cds. but if I had my way..... Andrew Hill would be a Blue Note artist instead of Van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjazz Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 This thread asks, "Van Morrison a Blue Note artist?, What do you think?" Guess Van Morrison is trying to be like Mose Allison. (wasn't Mose Allison on Blue Note?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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