Into the Mystic: Van Morrison alumni band rekindle the soul and swing of Van the Man
Performed by his longtime collaborators, the Van Morrison Alumni Band bring soul, swing, and mysticism to a joyful celebration of Van Morrison’s enduring songbook.
Have you told Van Morrison lately that you love him? Chances are that, sadly, you haven’t been able to, because at the grand old age of 80 he does not tour as much as he once did.
However, all is not lost because in his place there is the Van Morrison Alumni band. They are not a tribute band as such because unlike tribute bands, they are comprised solely of musicians that have spent years playing with Van and so know his music inside out and back to front. And what a body of music it is!
Between them the musicians from the Alumni Band have accompanied Van more than 3000!!!!!!! Times live and well as playing on 600 recordings.
Van has released over 50 albums and as a singer-songwriter he is the equal of rock luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Lennon & McCartney and David Bowie. Close your eyes when the Alumni band performs and you are immersed in the magic of Morrison's music.
The set kicks off with the wonderful Moondance, before treating the audience to Bright Side of the Road, a wild version of Gloria and the raucous Wild Night.
The Alumni band is led by the indefatigable Leo Green, who has been Morrison's saxophone player for years. Whereas Morrison is gruff and monosyllabic when it comes to his adoring audience, Leo is the exact opposite. He is engaging, garrulous, a born storyteller and enthusiastically jumps off stage on many occasions to play his saxophone as the audience moves and grooves to the passion and pulsating rhythms of the songs.
Van's singing - his brilliant mix of passion, gospel and mysticism - is hard to reproduce but Wayne Hernandes and, pleasingly, two women singers, Hayley Sanderson and Jess Greenfield, manage to do the songs justice.
All in all, the band performed 29 songs, including some, like Caravan and Gloria, twice as encores.
Morrison's songs are all brilliant. For me, the standouts from the night included Into the Mystic, And It Stoned Me, Crazy Love, Tupelo Honey, Whenever God Shines His Light, Real Real Gone, Cyprus Avenue, and of course, the well-worn Brown Eyed Girl.
The event took place at the Emerald Theatre on London's Embankment, and the venue was like stepping back into the intimate nightclubs of the 20s and 30s, with the best seating at small, cosy cabaret tables.
During the performance, charismatic host Leo Green also answers the question of what the unknowable Van Morrison is really like, though he intelligently avoids any real insight by saying "he is perhaps one of the greatest musicians on Earth."
The event is really a celebration of Morrisson's brilliant output and, what's more, has the seal of approval from Van the Man himself, who says: “These songs are meant to be sung and heard, and I am really happy that Leo is carrying the torch.”
As a huge Van fan - I have seen him perform more than any other artist - it was a night to remember… though they didn't play one of my favourites, Warm Love. Perhaps next time!
Setlist:
Moondance - Hayley
Bright Side of the Road - Wayne
Cleaning Windows
Gloria - Jess
Jackie Wilson - Hayley
Wild Night - Hayley
Domino - Wayne
Act 1 Scene 2
Into The Mystic - Hayley
The Way Young Lovers Do - Hayley
And It Stoned Me - Jess
Sweet Thing - Jess
Crazy Love - Hayley
Tupelo Honey - Hayley
Brand New Day - Jess
Someone Like You - Hayley
Days Like This - Hayley
Act 2 Scene 1
Did He Get Healed - Jess
Whenever God Shines His Light - Jess
Full Force Gale - Hayley
Wavelength - Jess
Real Real Gone - Wayne
Act 2 Scene 2
In The Garden - Jess
Cypress Avenue - Hayley
Summertime in England
Act 2 Scene 3
Have I Told You Lately - Hayley
The Healing Game - Hayley
Brown Eyed Girl
Caravan - Hayley / Al
Gloria - Jess / Al
The band started their residency at the Emerald Theatre on Jan 20th and perform every Tuesday evening there until April 28th.
