Review: Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco, You're Driving Me Crazy.

When I heard that Van Morrison was bringing out a third new album in six months I must admit my first reaction was, “Not another one, you must be joking!”. In the past whenever Van had no new songs of his own to offer it seemed to me that he would return to his ‘roots’ and produce a ‘genre’ album that I was sometimes disappointed with. After listening to the new CD this afternoon though I am really pleased that I bought it because it is a very enjoyable splendid addition to his great body of work. It was 1968 when the young Van walked into a New York recording studio to work with a group of jazz musicians who he had never met before. In two sessions they produced one of the greatest records of all time which was Astral Weeks. Fifty years later Van entered a studio on the other side of that great continent to collaborate with another jazz musician Joey DeFrancesco and his band. Van has made albums with other people before such as Mose Allison, Georgie Fame, Lonnie Donegan, Linda Gail Lewis and The Chieftains. They haven’t always been popular with the fans, but I think apart from The Chieftains album this new one with Joey DeFrancesco is Van’s most successful collaboration to date. It is definitely his best album in the jazz medium, that’s for sure.

The album opens with Miss Otis Regrets which is a Cole Porter song first made famous by Ethel Waters in 1934. I think I first heard it sung by Kirsty McColl. Joey plays some nice trumpet on this track. Hold It Right There is a song originally by Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson who is another artist I probably would never have heard of only for Van. Daughter Shana helps out on vocals and Joey’s organ playing and the saxophones of Van and Troy Roberts are excellent. All Saints Day has never been a favourite Van song of mine but here it comes to life mainly due to Joey’s virtuoso organ playing. Van delves right back into Astral Weeks with The Way Young Lovers Do and I like this version with Joey again demonstrating what a wizard he is on the organ. The Things I Used To Do is an Eddie Jones (Guitar Slim) composition. It was a huge hit in 1953 and actually produced by Ray Charles. This new version is great due to Troy’s tenor sax, Dan Wilson’s fabulous guitar playing and Van on harmonica. Travellin’ Light was originally a hit for Billie Holiday in 1942 with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was also recorded by the Jimmy Giuffre 3 in 1958, I’m sure Van knows that version. We mustn’t forget the contribution of Michael Ode on drums to this album, especially as there is no bass player in this ensemble. Van has recorded Close Enough For Jazz three times and until now I haven’t really rated it as one of his better songs. This version is fun though and Van is clearly enjoying it, scatting away to his heart’s content and the band are all in the groove. There is laughter at the end which shows they had a great time making this album. I didn’t rate Goldfish Bowl either when it came out in 2003 but Van must think we weren’t listening properly and has re-recorded it here. It is a 7.08-minute romp with all the band showing their skills. One fan said this song was a highlight when it was performed in London last weekend and I can see why now.

Me looking at the album.

Evening Shadows is a song that Van wrote with the late great Acker Bilk. The clarinet of Acker is missing here but that is more than made up for by Troy’s saxophones and Joey’s keyboard skills. Magic Time seems to be a favourite song of Van’s because it has been part of his live repertoire for a long time now. It is an ideal song for the small jazz clubs where Van likes to play. Troy and Van excel themselves on their saxes with this song. I first heard You’re Driving Me Crazy in 1961 when it was a hit for The Temperance Seven. I remember them singing it on The Billy Cotton Band Show. It was written in 1930 and has been recorded by dozens of people since. You can hear Van laughing with pleasure during this song after a solo by Dan. Everyday I Have The Blues is a song made famous by Peter Chatman better known as Memphis Slim although most people probably know the version by B.B. King. This version by Van and Joey is great and the enjoyment they had recording it is apparent at the end when Van exclaims, “I gotta hear this stuff”. Have I Told You Lately is one of Van’s greatest and most famous songs, but I have never been enamoured with the faster ‘Las Vegas’ arrangement that he has often performed live. I do like this version though with Shana joining in on vocals and the exquisite guitar playing of Dan Wilson. Sticks And Stones was written by Titus Turner and was recorded by Ray Charles in 1960. For the final track Van sees what the band can do with his great instrumental Celtic Swing and they don’t let him down. A great way to bring this most enjoyable album to a close.

I have really enjoyed listening to this album today on a rainy Saturday afternoon. All the ensemble obviously enjoyed making the record and their enthusiasm is infectious. I think it will be more than just jazz fans who enjoy this record. A big hand for the band !

The Roots Of Van Morrison.

This has been my favourite music of the last week or so. It is a two CD set called The Roots Of Van Morrison, further down the road. A friend told me about it and I ordered a copy. I had to be a bit patient because it had to come from Japan. It was worth the wait because I like all thirty tracks on it. The only small problem is that the sleeve notes are in Japanese but that is a minor consideration.

The first CD is the original versions of all the songs Van covered on his Roll With The Punches album of last year. There are also four bonus tracks. One of the many things I like about Van is that through him I have discovered lots of other music, either by him mentioning other singers in his lyrics or by his cover versions. I knew about the likes of Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and a couple of others from when I was a kid, but I don’t think I would be aware of people like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Ruth Brown, Bobby Bland, Louis Prima, King Pleasure or Little Walter if it wasn’t for listening to Van. On this first CD I think my personal favourites are Teardrops From My Eyes by Ruth Brown which I don’t think I have heard before and the classic Bring It On Home To Me by Sam Cooke. Every track is great though.

The second CD is a collection of sixteen other songs Van has covered during his long and illustrious career. Some of these songs have been favourites of Van’s live repertoire for decades such as Help Me by Sonny Boy Williamson, It’s All In The Game by Tommy Edwards and I Can’t Stop Loving You by Ray Charles. I love Bobby Bland’s Ain’t Nothing You Can Do. It makes you realise how faithful to the original Van’s version is. I also love the songs by Leadbelly, Hank Williams (See video below) and Louis Prima.  My personal favourite is I Can’t Stop Loving You which takes me right back to hearing it first in about 1960. If you look at the picture of the tracks on this album, then I’m sure you will agree that it is packed with great songs. It shows what good taste in music Van has. I highly recommend this album. You won’t be disappointed.

John Prine - Sam Stone

Who Could Love You More - The Lost Brothers

Trails Of The Lonely By The Lost Brothers.

Brrrh, the Beast from the East has arrived In Westbury. That is the cold weather from Russia. I just ventured out to go to the bank and the shops and it felt like -10 C. I’m back home in the warm now. Blizzards are predicted for later in the week. I can’t believe I was outside digging the garden in the sunshine just a few days ago. I have put plenty of food out for my feathered friends so they don’t perish in the cold.

I’m listening to a CD by The Lost Brothers called Trails Of The Lonely. I saw them at Glastonbury in the Acoustic Tent about three years ago. I think I only listened to them because it was raining outside. They sounded quite pleasant, but I must admit I forgot all about them afterwards, until a couple of weeks ago when I read a glowing review of their latest album in one of the music mags. I had a look on eBay and found a promotional copy of their first album from 2008 for only £2.99 so I bought it and that’s what I’m listening to at this very moment.

If you haven’t heard of them before, they are a duo from Ireland consisting of Mark McCausland and Oisin Leech. They got together in 2008 and have made five albums since then. The one I am listening to was their first, released in 2008. It was recorded in the attic of a house in Portland Oregon. As soon as I heard the first track Angry At The Sun I immediately thought of early Simon & Garfunkel. I was most impressed. Fallen is the second song and has a bigger arrangement and sound with a string driven backing. Ribbons And Bows has a singalong feel with drums to the fore and a very live atmosphere. City Of The Rose is one of the stand out tracks and has a ghost like quality which pervades the whole album. I think the house where the album was recorded must have been haunted, or the band thought it was. No Tears For November is another quality song with lots of rhyming going on, probably a stream of consciousness type of song. Refuge is a dreamlike love song with a lazy days of summer feel to it. Trails Of The Lonely, Part 1 is next and is an instrumental, Part 3 comes later, there is no part 2. Mary In The Morning is a charming love song with whistling accompaniment. Wake Me Up has more whistling as an intro and you wouldn’t think the singers were Irish because the album sounds very American to my ears. Under The Turquoise Sky is a sad song which fades away nicely at the end. Last Day On The Job is a great song about a broken hearted clown. It reminds me of something else, but I can’t think what it is at the moment. Dream No More continues the laid-back vibe of the album and has a country feel to it. Joker Ghost Laughing Track shows the fact that they are Irish because it is interrupted with them laughing and talking about the door mysteriously opening on its own. Who Could Love You More is another very laid-back love song. The final song is That’s Just Me which just like the opening track brings me back to Simon And Garfunkel. It is a beautiful way to end a very nice album.

I have really enjoyed listening to this album on a bitterly cold February afternoon. I might buy another Lost Brothers CD to see how they have progressed over the ten years since this first album was released. The last Irish duo who impressed me this much were Tir Na Nog and I think the Lost Brothers might be just as great as them.

The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover by Del Shannon.

I had never heard of this album until a few days ago. A muso friend of mine who really knows his stuff read my review of Blossom Toes and suggested that if I wanted to hear another lost gem from that era then I should check out The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover by Del Shannon which was released in 1968. I looked on eBay and there was one copy available in Britain which I bought. It dropped through my letter box yesterday morning. I know what you are thinking, who the hell is Charles Westover? well that was Del Shannon’s real name. The CD which arrived was released in 1998 and as well as the original album it also contains eight bonus tracks. I think it is a British release because the liner notes include the address of the British fan club and all the photos in the booklet were taken in Britain. Del Shannon was always more popular in Britain than his native USA.

I had previously never bought a Del Shannon recording in my life. Everyone knows his great classic hits of the early 60’s though such as Runaway, Hats Off To Larry, Swiss Maid & Little Town Flirt. I remember seeing him on Top Of The Pops singing Keep Searchin’ which I think was his last UK hit in 1964. With the arrival of The Beatles & The Stones, Del Shannon and many other artists of his era entered the wilderness years. The Beach Boys & Bob Dylan were among the few American acts who could compete with the UK invasion. The Charles Westover album was an attempt to re-invent himself for the psychedelic era.

Thinkin’ It Over is the first track and it was released as a single in 1968. This CD was remastered from the original master tapes and I don’t know why, but it seems to make some of the backing orchestration sound fuzzy to me which put me off a bit. There isn’t that problem with any other track. Be My Friend is a bluesy song with great harmonica. Del’s vocals are different to what you would expect, there isn’t the falsetto singing we are used to. Silver Birch is an epic doom-laden song about a wedding that never took place. It is heavily orchestrated with trumpets and a choir. It could have been a bit longer I think. Shades of McArthur Park by Richard Harris maybe, or other great songs of the era. I Think I Love You is very psychedelic without being gimmicky. Del uses the sound of the time to illustrate the songs. Some music of the late 60’s was whimsical just for the sake of it, not so with this album. There are cellos and violins and driving guitars. The song seems to be a protest against bourgeois values. River Cool starts with nice guitar picking and then electronic keyboard but is one of the lesser songs in my opinion. Colour Flaming Hair  is a strange song about a night visitation with lush arrangements of violins which remind me of The Beatles or ELO. Gemini is another song which was released as a single without success. It is a great song though. Running On Back was the B-Side to a single. Maybe this song was slightly ahead of it’s time. It seems a little bit reminiscent of when psychedelic turned to underground rock. It is quite heavy with guitars, keyboards and drums. I like the false ending and the distortion. On first listen Conquer reminded me of the Bee Gees song To Love Somebody. It is a song about someone who is suffering with depression. That is a subject Del Shannon was well acquainted with. Been So Long was co-written with Brian Hyland. It is a rocker but isn’t that great. It grinds to a halt at the end. At the beginning of Magical Musical Box you can hear someone winding it up and then the music box playing. This is excellent, possibly my favourite track. It exactly captures the era in which it was recorded. Spacey vocals and violins in abundance make it a wonderful song. New Orleans brings the album to an epic conclusion. Dr John the Gris-Gris man came into my head on hearing this and Walk On Gilded Splinters. Maybe that is just the New Orleans connection though. There are all sorts of things going on in this song. I love it.

That brings the original album to an end but then there are eight bonus tracks. I must say I love Del’s version of What’s A Matter Baby. I have put it below if you want to hear it. It was originally a hit for Timi Yuro in the USA but I think Del’s version is just as good. All of the bonus tracks are great. Others I particularly like are the re-working of Runaway, The House Where Nobody Lives and You Don’t Love Me. Sadly, although the fans and the critics liked this album it didn’t restore Del Shannon’s fortunes and he never re-captured his glory days of the early 60’s when he topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. He slowly succumbed to alcoholism and depression and took his own life in 1990. I’m glad I got to hear this album  and although I don’t think it is one of the best albums ever, there are some great songs on it. It is well worth checking out if you haven’t heard it before.

Review: Fairport Convention At The Cheese & Grain, Frome February 16th 2018.

I caught the 6.40 train from Westbury yesterday evening and nine minutes later arrived in the quaint little market town of Frome. I was early as usual, so I went in the George Hotel for a drink. It’s a nice place but they charged £4.55 for a pint of Thatcher’s cider so I won’t be returning there for a while. Then I repaired to the Cheese & Grain which must be one of the best music venues in the West Country. We are very lucky to have it on our doorstep and I’ve seen some great acts here over the years, long may it continue. As soon as the doors opened I bagged myself a seat right on the front row by leaving my jacket on the chair. Then went to the bar and got myself a large sauvignon blanc. On the merchandise stall I spotted Fairport’s legendary bass player Dave ‘Peggy’ Pegg. I bought the new album which Dave signed for me. He also agreed to me having my photo taken with him. What a great man he is. 

I’m playing the album now. It is called 50:50@50. That’s because it is a mix of new material and live tracks and celebrates Fairport’s 50^th anniversary as a band. I find it hard to believe that it is nearly 50 years since I bought my first Fairport album which was What We Did On Our Holidays. I was still at school at the time. Reading the sleeve notes to the album makes you realise what a great contribution Ric Sanders & Chris Leslie make to the band because they have written most of the new material. There are guest appearances by Robert Plant and Jacqui McShee on the album. It is a great album which I highly recommend.

Then it was time for the guest act who are called Winter Wilson. They are a male/female duo and I liked their short but enjoyable set. I particularly enjoyed a song about Jack London called I’d Rather Be Ashes Than Dust. Another great song was a blues number inspired by the lady singer’s admiration for Bonnie Raitt. At the end of their set they were joined by Fairport for a song called There’s Life In The Old Dog Yet.

Winter Wilson left the stage and Fairport began their set with the very powerful and political Jewel In The Crown written by Julie Matthews. In these days of Brexit & Trump we need more songs like this. I should mention that the line-up of the band hasn’t changed for many years now. It is still Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Gerry Conway, Ric Sanders & Chris Leslie. Simon told the audience that the band were now on their fourth bus of this tour because the buses kept breaking down. That led into a very jolly Chris Leslie song called The Bus Rolls On which is all about the members of the band and recalls other songs in their history such as Walk Awhile and Meet On The Ledge. Simon then introduced the classic Crazy Man Michael from their Liege & Lief album which is the greatest folk/rock album of all time. Chris played some haunting whistle on this song. Shuffle & Go is a wonderful rocky dance number with Chris again excelling on vocals and harmonica. Ric Sanders then proved that he is a comedian as well as musician by telling some great jokes. This led to his composition Portmeirion which is a beautiful instrumental. This was followed by Hawkwood’s Army from their Sense Of Occasion album of 2007. The first half of the show ended with the sad story of John Condon who came from Waterford and was the youngest soldier to die in the Battle Of Ypres. This song is on their excellent Myths & Heroes album which I bought three years ago when I last saw Fairport at this venue.

During the interval I got myself another large wine and then the second half began with the rousing John Gaudie and this was followed by Doctor Of Physick written by Richard Thompson and the late great Dave Swarbrick. It was originally on the Full House album of 1970 which I think was when Peggy joined the band. I remember at the time really missing Sandy Denny who had just left to form Fotheringay. A fabulous song written by the great Ralph McTell was next which was Clear Water in which Chris played some great whistle. The lively little number called Gallivant was next up after more jokes by Ric. The Wood And The Wire is a great song written by Chris and Thea Gilmore’s husband Nigel Stonier. Another equally fabulous song followed which was Weightless written by James Wood. Summer By The Cherwell is another jolly song which celebrates their famous annual festival at Cropredy. Sandy Denny was only in the band for a very short period, but her contribution was epic and Simon Nicol sang a great version of her classic Who Knows Where The Time Goes? Another great Chris Leslie song about an ill-fated expedition of 1850 to find the Northwest Passage called Mercy Bay was followed by the great Matty Groves. The band left the stage, but we knew they would return. They were joined once again by Winter Wilson for a rousing rendition of Meet On The Ledge.

After the show my friends Dave and Sarah kindly gave me a lift back to Westbury and I had time for a quick pint of cider in the Ludlow Arms. Thank you very much Fairport Convention for a great evening in Frome. If you get the chance to see them on the remainder of this tour then I urge you to go along, you won’t be disappointed. Also, buy the new album, it is great.