Van Morrison: Versatile - 2017

  

A couple of months on from releasing an album of storming, high quality blues covers, Van Morrison proved it was too late to stop now and put out this classy album of pre-rock n roll swing/jazz standards in a gently upbeat, drum brushes and stand up bass style with lounge bar keyboards as opposed to the more traditional, orchestrated backing associated with Sinatra and, unfortunately, countless Rod Stewart/Bradley Walsh “mothers’ day” albums. 

This is a much more enjoyable album of these type of songs. There is a nice late night jazzy feel to the material and Morrison’s voice always has a gruff, instantly recognisable appeal. I’m no true jazz aficionado, but this sounds good to me. In many ways, it is a fine little gem of an album. 

Some do not care for the saxophone-driven instrumental version of The Skye Boat Song. Personally I love it. Great keyboards, nice saxophone from Morrison, nice percussion. Just very enjoyable indeed. For me, what's not love? The much-covered Bye Bye Blackbird is impressive too, with its beautiful trumpet solo followed by a flute one, as is the silky smooth Let's Get Lost and the beautifully bassy late night jazz grind of Take It Easy Baby. 

Morrison’s take on I Get A Kick Out Of You is top notch. It's nice to hear his new, jazzy, re-interpretation of his own I Forgot That Love Existed as well. He doesn't quite pull off Unchained Melody, however. The opener, Broken Record, is jazzily jaunty, as is the forties/early fifties-influenced, atmospheric swing of A Foggy Day and Let's Get Lost. So much of the album has that fifties London jazz sound about it. It is all most evocative. 

The sound quality on this album, by the way, is superb. It is a pleasure to listen to. Basically, I like all the music on here. You either like it or you don’t. I liked the dirty, authentic blues of Roll With The Punches and I also enjoyed the country of Pay The Devil. I like Van Morrison. It seems many just want him to do Bright Side Of The Road-type material and nothing else. Van Morrison is at a stage in life, indeed he always has, when he just what he feels like doing. Good for him.

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