New Arrangements & Duets by Van Morrison.

It is Sunday afternoon and pouring with rain; I won’t be going anywhere today which gives me a chance to tell you about a CD I have been listening to for the last few days. It is called New Arrangements & Duets by Van Morrison. When I first heard about this new album I was a bit dubious about buying it because I imagined it would be nothing new and I didn’t like the idea of Van’s songs being given the jazz big band treatment. However, when I heard Steal Your Heart Away with Willie Nelson, and then read glowing reports of the album launch concerts in Brighton I thought I ought to hear it. Now after a few listens I don’t think it is one of Van’s greatest albums by any means, but there are several tracks including one magnificent song that make it a worthwhile addition to Van’s oeuvre. I think the Exile team spared any expense on the bland sleeve design though.

Van & Kurt Elling.

Kurt Elling is the guest vocalist on the first two tracks Ain’t Gonna Moan No More, and Broken Record. I admit I had never heard of him before, which shows my lack of knowledge of jazz music. Wikipedia told me he has been nominated ten times for Grammy awards and has won twice as best jazz vocalist. He has a great voice, and I love his scatting away to his hearts content. I also like the tenor sax playing of Alan Skidmore, trumpet of Guy Barker and percussion of Teena Lyle. I must say though that Broken Record is one of my least liked Van songs. I wish they had chosen something else. Chris White is responsible for eight of the new band arrangements on this album. I think he must like Van’s Enlightenment album because he chose to rearrange two Enlightenment songs. I’m not all that keen on what he has done with Avalon Of The Heart, a song I have always loved because of its spiritual connection to mystical Glastonbury and the holy grail. I don’t think these lyrics are suited to the big band jazz swing treatment. 

Van & Curtis Stigers.

Close Enough For Jazz is a song I have never been that keen on. I think this must be about the fourth time Van has recorded it. I don’t know what Paul Moran thought he could add by wheeling it out again. Curtis Stigers is the guest singer here, but I’m sure they could have found a better song for him. I’ll Be Your Lover Too is one of the best songs from the Street Choir album. This arrangement was recorded in 2014 so I think the backing vocals of Dana and Jolene must have been added recently. Four sax players, two trumpets and a trombone give a rich sound to the re-working of Only A Dream. I also like the piano playing of Jim Watson. So Quiet In Here is the first track which for me makes it all worthwhile. I always think of it as a companion song to Into The Mystic, maybe because they both mention foghorns. With this arrangement I think Chris has been much more sympathetic to the original spiritual emotion of the song. Van’s voice sounds wonderful, especially as it fades away at the end, “Way out in the distance, foghorns in the night, sailing for some other shore”, Quite brilliant. 

Van & Joss.

I like Joss Stone, as a person and a singer. I think Van likes working with her as well. I remember them singing Wild Honey together one sunny evening at Glastonbury Abbey a few years ago. She sings Someone Like You with Van here. I’m not that keen on what they have done to The Beauty Of The Days Gone By. On the Down The Road album it was a bittersweet wistful song of nostalgia, here it has a Las Vegas jazz lounge swing treatment. By contrast the next track The Masters Eyes I think is magnificent. (I have shared it below, so you can judge for yourselves) To me what makes it so outstanding is the celestial backing vocals of Larry Batiste, Nona Brown, and Omega Rae Brooks. Also, Van’s vocals, he sings it like he means it, unlike on some other tracks. Paul Moran is responsible for So Complicated and Choppin’ Wood, neither of which are favourite songs of mine. To my ears So Complicated is a bit like Broken Record. I know Choppin’ Wood means a lot to Van because its about his father, but this version doesn’t improve on the original for me. You Gotta Make It Through The World is Van’s ‘survival’ song from A Period Of Transition but is one of his lesser songs in my humble opinion. 

The album ends on a happy high note with Van being joined for two songs by Willie Nelson and his legendary Martin acoustic guitar Trigger. Willie effortlessly breathes new life into What’s Wrong With This Picture and Steal My Heart Away. Willie has such a rich distinctive voice that he can make anything sound great. I was pleased to see that Jay Berliner turns up for these songs, also Lukas Nelson, Tony Fitzgibbon on fiddle. Bobby Terry steel guitar, and Mickey Raphael on harmonica. In summary, I think this for me is a mixed album with some lesser tracks, but also some excellent ones with So Quiet In Here and The Masters Eyes sounding especially great. It is all down to personal taste, some people like the big band sound and others like a more acoustic folkier sound. I like it when Van the alchemist mixes up several genres of music into something that he makes uniquely his own, and I’d like to hear an album of new original songs by Van, but I don’t know if that will happen. One thing is for sure, Van’s voice is still as good as ever. Cheers.

Van Morrison - The Master's Eyes.