van morrison astral weeks live at the hollywood bowl

They were, and remain, ideal source material for musical improvisation that gives way to the sense of wonder for which Morrison has always striven. The jazz-rooted compositions of Astral Weeks are poetic stories of young love and the quest to find one s place in life. Van Morrison did not simply re-create what he did 40 years ago in a NY studio, but instead took the songs to a dramatically higher contemporary level. The first half of the show featured Morrison playing timeless classics that have made him a legend, while the second half was the breathtaking performance of the Astral Weeks album. On November 7 and 8, 2008, four decades later, at the age 63, Van Morrison revisited Astral Weeks live in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl, and delivered a jawdropping, awe-inspiring performance.

Both Astral Weeks and Moondance (Morrison's next album) were inducted into the Grammy® Hall of Fame.Īstral Weeks became a cult favorite and was seen almost as a religion to many artists. Subsequently the album has been ranked on numerous Best Albums of All Time lists, including #19 on Rolling Stone s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and the 40th Greatest Album Ever on VH-1's list in 2003. The results are a real treat, upholding the same openness and sense of exploration that defines the original - even with the addition of more musicians and a string ensemble.Ĭlick the link above to hear the full review of Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl.Recorded in 1968 when the Belfast-bred, blues-rock music legend Van Morrison was just 22 years old, Astral Weeks immediately received critical acclaim and continues to be cited as one of the greatest albums of the rock era. In November, Morrison revisited the album for the first time in a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. But since then, it has become touted as one of the most influential pieces of late-'60s rock.

They worked to create an extraordinarily original piece over the course of just a few days, striking a delicate middle ground between rock and jazz.Īstral Weeks never cracked the Billboard Top Albums chart when it was first released. Verging on starvation and desperate to escape a contract with his first label, Morrison wound up in a New York studio with a small group of jazz musicians.

Though he'd scored a hit the year before with 'Brown Eyed Girl,' he'd made little money off it. When Van Morrison recorded Astral Weeks in 1968, he had reached a low point in his life.

Van morrison astral weeks live at the hollywood bowl