Van Morrison's Instrumental Music.

Next week I’m looking forward to hearing Van Morrison’s new album which is called Beyond Words. A collection of 17 previously unreleased instrumental tracks from the archives. Although I haven’t heard any of the tracks yet, I think hopefully it might turn out to be Van’s most satisfying album since Three Chords & The Truth in 2019. The news of the impending release seems to have been welcomed positively by most fans, but I have noticed that some people have reacted by saying things like, “If there are no vocals I’m not interested, it isn’t Van if he doesn’t sing”, and things like that. That surprised me because I think they are forgetting that Van has released some wonderful instrumental music in the past.

This was most true in the 1980s when Van’s spiritual quest was at its height and he became interested in ‘New Age’ music and didn’t see music as mere entertainment, but more as a way of raising consciousness in the listener. We got the first hint of where Van’s music was heading with such tracks as When Heart Is Open on the Common One album. Although it isn’t an instrumental, the sparse lyrics and the music were aimed at creating a meditative mood. This was continued in 1982 when Beautiful Vision was released. The song Across The Bridge Where Angels Dwell gently leads the listener into the meditation of Scandinavia. Van was so keen on this instrumental track himself it was actually issued as a single. How many other great singers with distinctive voices have released instrumental singles?

Inarticulate Speech of the Heart was released in 1983, and Van said he arrived at the title from a Shavian saying: "that idea of communicating with as little articulation as possible, at the same time being emotionally articulate".  As he explained in 1984, "Sometimes when I'm playing something, I'm just sort of humming along with it, and that's got a different vibration than an actual song. So, the instrumentals just come from trying to get that form of expression, which is not the same as writing a song”. Instrumental tracks included Connswater, Celtic Swing, and Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2 which isn’t really a song at all but repetitive simple phrases which lull the listener into September Night. Let’s not forget also that Van is a multi-instrumentalist himself, so its not surprising that he likes to show off his skills on saxophone and many other instruments. A Sense Of Wonder in 1985 contained Evening Meditation and Boffyblow & Spike.

When Poetic Champions Compose was released in 1987 Van originally intended the album to consist wholly of jazz instrumental works, but later said that "when I did three numbers I thought, 'No, I don't wanna do that,' and changed my mind." The three tracks are Spanish Steps, Celtic Excavation, and Allow Me. There is no way that these three tracks could be described as ‘filler’. They are an integral part of the overall feeling of peace and stillness which the album conveys. As we entered the 90s this feeling continues on tracks such as the hypnotic Hymns to the silence which isn’t a song in the conventional sense, and I think of it as almost instrumental. Another great almost instrumental track I would recommend is Instrumental/ Tell Me What You Want from Too Long In Exile which has some wonderful vibraphone playing by Teena Lyle. Close Enough For Jazz also began life as an instrumental. Caledonia Soul Music an early outtake from the Street Choir album is basically a wonderful improvised instrumental jam session. If you haven’t heard it before I also recommend you go on youtube and listen to Daring Night 1 from Beautiful Vision Outtakes which includes about ten minutes of instrumental bliss.

Although I haven’t heard any track from the new album yet, some of the titles intrigue me, such as Driving On A Country Road, Parisian Walkabout, Celtic Voices, Mountains, Fields, Rivers & Streams, and Far North. If a few of these tracks turn out to be as good as Scandinavia, Allow Me or Spanish Steps then I will be well pleased. I’ll let you know what I think in about nine days’ time. If you know any great instrumental tracks by Van that I have overlooked let me know and I'll add them in. Cheers.