Morrison, Van

VAN MORRISON

Born: George Ivan Morrison; Belfast, Northern Ireland, 31 August 1945

Genre: Rock

Best-selling album since 1990: The Best of Van Morrison (1990)

Singer/songwriter Van Morrison has compiled a tremendous volume of work since first recording in the 1960s and he remains one of contemporary music's most intangible stars. Morrison's soulful, sometimes spiritual music is influenced by a wide array of styles, including those of his Irish roots, and goes beyond clear-cut description. Additionally, his reticent personality and disdain for stardom have cast him publicly as an enigma. Linked by the masses to his pop hit, "Brown-Eyed Girl" and a few other radio staples, Morrison's entire song canon contains some of the preeminent poetry of post-1960s music.

Early Genius

Growing up, Morrison was exposed to a variety of musical styles by his mother who was an opera and, later, jazz singer, and his father, who was a fervent collector of seminal blues and folk recordings. By age fifteen, Morrison was adept on the guitar, saxophone, and harmonica and began playing in Belfast professionally with a variety of rhythm and blues groups. He eventually caught on as a saxophonist with a traveling show band, the Monarchs, who played throughout the United Kingdom. He left the Monarchs in 1964 to play his own music with a group of musicians in Belfast who shared similar artistic passions. They named the band Them. They released two albums, Them (1965) and Them Again (1966), which introduced the United States to Morrison specifically by the oft-covered hit, "Gloria."

After Them broke up, Morrison returned to Belfast where his songs caught the attention of producer Bert Berns. Berns convinced Morrison to come to New York and record some of them as singles. On the strength of "Brown-Eyed Girl," which had become a hit, Berns, without Morrison's approval, compiled the songs on an album titled Blowin' Your Mind (1967). Morrison's fury over this situation fueled his distrust of the record industry, a sentiment he has never released. Morrison recovered by recording Astral Weeks (1968). Using a jazz quartet for backing, Astral Weeks took just two days to record, but the result was a stunning album hailed by critics then and now as one of the most important recordings of contemporary music. Astral Weeks featured Morrison's literate Belfast-placed poetry combined with an emotional mélange of folk, blues, and jazz tinged with Celtic import. The album established Morrison as a creative genius, an expressive singer, and a star—albeit a reluctant one—on the rise.

Morrison recorded ambitiously, releasing sixteen albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Most of the hits came in the early 1970s, a time when his music continued to be a mix of jazzy rhythm and blues with Irish overtones. They include "Moondance," "Domino," "Wild Night," and the love ballad "Tupelo Honey." In the 1980s, Morrison's music took a spiritual turn and his songs often professed a devotion to a higher power. His most noteworthy albums of that period were Irish Heartbeat (1988), which includes backing by Ireland's exceptional folk band, the Chieftains, and Avalon Sunset (1989), which contains "Have I Told You Lately"—made popular once again when pop singer Rod Stewart recorded it for a smash hit.

The Reticent Star

These two albums marked a comeback of sorts for Morrison and he built even more momentum for the 1990s with the successful The Best of Van Morrison (1990). He also continued his propensity for releasing nearly an album per year with Enlightenment (1990), Hymns to the Silence (1991), and Too Long in Exile (1993).

Another puzzle throughout Morrison's career is his concert work, where forming a rapport with the audience has never been a top priority. While most performers direct their energy out to the audience, Morrison seems to bring his inward, showing concern only for the music itself. The effect of this prudence can make him appear clumsy, shy, or even hostile at different times and critics have been harsh on Morrison for this character trait. However, his muscular tenor colors and blends into songs like a musical instrument and few singers inject their music with the inner passion that Morrison brings to the stage. He extends that passion into his lyrics that are often inspired by the works of poets such as William Blake, William Butler Yeats, T. S. Eliot, and many others. He has released three live albums and A Night in San Francisco (1994) is the one that critics often cite as his best live effort.

Morrison paired with Linda Gail Lewis, the sister of early rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis, to record a collection of country and blues standards with You Win Again (2000). Jerry Lee Lewis was a major influence for Morrison and working with his sister allowed that stimulus to bear fruit. Lewis plays piano and sings on this recording, which features John Lee Hooker's signature song, "Boogie Chillen," and three by Hank Williams—"Jambalaya," "Why Don't You Love Me," and the title track. All of Morrison's albums normally carry a theme and this one communicates Morrison's root influences.

Morrison returned to his own compositions in Down the Road (2002). The album is a full-circle return to the rhythm and blues swing of his earliest music and features thirteen Morrison originals in addition to his version of the much-rendered classic, "Georgia on My Mind." He belts some powerful blues on "Talk Is Cheap."

Van Morrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. He has written and recorded more than 500 songs in his career. A dedicated gypsy poet, Morrison takes his music to the people, which has always been more comfortable for him than leading with any aspect of his persona.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Astral Weeks (Warner Bros., 1968); Moondance (Warner Bros., 1970); Tupelo Honey (Warner Bros., 1971); Saint Dominic's Preview (Warner Bros., 1972); Hard Nose the Highway (Warner Bros., 1973); Veedon Fleece (Warner Bros., 1974); A Period of Transition (Warner Bros., 1977); Wavelength (Warner Bros., 1978); Common One (Warner Bros., 1980); Beautiful Vision (Warner Bros., 1982); Celtic Swing (Phonogram, 1985); No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (Mercury, 1986); Avalon Sunset (Polydor, 1989); Hymns to the Silence (Polydor, 1991); Too Long in Exile (Polydor, 1993); A Night in San Francisco (Polydor, 1994); Days Like This (Polydor, 1995); How Long Has This Been Going On? (Verve, 1996); The Healing Game (Polydor, 1997); The Philosopher's Stone (Polydor, 1998); Back on Top (Virgin, 1999); Down the Road (Polydor, 2002). With the Chieftains: Irish Heartbeat (Mercury, 1988). With Linda Gail Lewis: You Win Again (Virgin, 2000). With Them: Them (Parrot, 1965); Them Again (Parrot, 1966).

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

K. Altman, No More Mr. Nice Guy! (London, 1999); B. Hinton, Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison (London, 2000).

donald lowe