Van Morrison – has just released the album ‘New Arrangements and Duets’

Van Morrison has today released the album ‘New Arrangements and Duets’. The record is the first in what he hopes will be an ongoing series of archive albums compiled from his vast collection of unheard recordings.

The album is launched alongside the new focus track ‘The Master’s Eyes’. Originally from the 1984 album ‘A Sense of Wonder’ and rarely played live, ‘The Master’s Eyes’ is a deep cut but one that represents the remarkable depth of his rich back catalogue. It’s particularly notable as an example of how Van Morrison applies elements of gospel into his core soul and R&B sound.
 
Like the recent tracks ‘You’ve Got To Make It Through The World’ and ‘Choppin’ Wood’, ‘The Master’s Eyes’ is an alternate big band arrangement which was recorded in 2014. The new arrangements on the album were all chosen by Van Morrison’s musical director / pianist Paul Moran and his former live band saxophonist Chris White.
 
The only duet to preview the album has been ‘Someone Like You’ with Joss Stone. It highlights further collaborations withKurt Elling, Curtis Stigers and Willie Nelson, all of which were recorded in 2018 and 2019. The two Willie Nelson duets –‘What’s Wrong With This Picture’ and ‘Steal My Heart Away’ – also feature guitar courtesy of Lukas Nelson of Promise of the Real.

‘New Arrangements And Duets’ tracklist:
 
‘Steal My Heart Away’ – duet with Willie Nelson
‘Ain’t Gonna Moan No More’ – duet with Kurt Elling
‘Broken Record’ – duet with Kurt Elling
‘Avalon of the Heart’
‘Close Enough for Jazz’ – duet with Curtis Stigers
‘I’ll Be Your Lover Too’
‘Only a Dream’
‘So Quiet in Here’
‘Someone Like You’ – duet with Joss Stone
‘The Beauty of the Days Gone By’
‘The Master’s Eyes’
‘So Complicated’
‘Choppin’ Wood’
‘You Gotta Make It Through the World’
‘What’s Wrong With This Picture’ – duet with Willie Nelson

Physical copies of ‘New Arrangements and Duets’ are available HERE. It has been pressed on black double-vinyl, limited edition orange double-vinyl and CD.