If you have been waiting for new music from Sir George Ivan Morrison, OBE, this is going to be a good year for you.
Sir George, better known as Van Morrison, will release his brand new album ‘Keep Me Singing’ on September 30th through Caroline Records, home of Alabama Shakes and 50 Cents. Must be an interesting company Christmas party.
The album’s lead single, ‘Too Late’, will be released that same day. Van will perform seven live shows across the UK from October 20th, starting with a headline performance at Bluesfest 2016 at London’s O2. (It must be mentioned, that same weekend Bluesfest will stage a musical tribute to Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman on his 80th Birthday. Take that in. Eighty. Years. Old.)
Keep Me Singing (as I’m only 70)
Van the Man, a mere child compared to the grizzled Wyman, is on his 36th studio album to date. ‘Keep Me Singing’ consists of 13 tracks – 12 original songs written and performed by Morrison, as well as a cover of the blues standard ‘Share Your Love With Me’. For the track ‘Every Time I See A River’, Morrison has collaborated with lyricist Don Black, possibly best known for his Bond themes. The album’s closing track, ‘Caledonia Swing’, is an instrumental featuring Van on piano and saxophone. All tracks were produced by the man himself.
Morrison has also announced he will play seven live dates across the UK in October and November, beginning with Bluesfest and culminating at Manchester’s O2 Apollo. What will you get when you see him live – you just never know. His back catalogue is vast, but Morrison also likes to pay tribute to his musical inspirations. His cover of the Ray Charles classic “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was a treat when he played London a few years ago, and sometimes he goes off with the Celtic fairies and you’ll hear a lot of traditional music, all superbly done, of course. I’m guessing at least half of the thirteen tracks from new album will get an airing, but, hey, you never know. Which makes a Morrison concert fun.
Pre-Order Van Morrison
The new album album ‘Keep Me Singing’ is now available for pre-order, with a ticket bundle option also available to order the album and tickets to his UK tour as a package. Tickets and album bundle available here: http://po.st/KeepMeSingingTicket
Van Morrison UK tour dates
20th October – Bluesfest 2016, The O2, London
8th November – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
9th November – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
13th November – Playhouse, Edinburgh
14th November – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
28th November – Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
29th November – O2 Apollo, Manchester
More Van Morrison, from Pat Francis
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A former ABC National, Dallas and Atlanta radio personality, Martina O'Boyle is now making movies and covering culture in London, Dublin, and as far in Europe as the cheapie flights will take her, for Pop Culture Beast.