Angeliou

Living legend Van Morrison has made his name with a mind-boggling, thoroughly masterful and wholly accessible musical mixture of classic R&B grooves, post-bop jazz, mystical Celtic folk and no-holds-barred rock and roll through the course of nearly five decades in the business. It is no understatement to say that it would take a lengthy doctoral treatise to discuss at length the extent of the influence of Morrison's works on subsequent generations of musicians. Suffice to say, his stature is so elevated that he should long ago have had his own system of belief, with millions of faithful worshippers. There are two enduring Morrison trademarks present in each and every one of these releases: his unmatched, literate poetic grace and inventive musical vision, blessing all of his songs with a certain unique benediction. Both of these qualities are present in the effervescent, poised mid-tempo ballad 'Angeliou', from 1979's 'Into the Music', presented here in an absolutely devastating live performance, displaying Van the Man and his stellar band in full flight at the 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival.