jazz fusion
VAN MORRISON
Van Morrison, was born George Ivan Morrison on 31st August 1945 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A critically acclaimed singer/songwriter some of Van 'Van the Man' Morrison's albums are considered some of the best ever made including "Moondance", "Astral Weeks" and "It's Too Late to Stop Now". His work came from a number of genres including R&B, soul, Rock 'n' Roll, celtic, blues and jazz. He can play the guitar, saxaphone, harmonica, keyboard, tambourine, drums and ukulele.
Van Morrison achieved considerable international fame, largely as an album artist. In 1993, Morrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2003 the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well. VH1 ranked him No. 25 in their list of "100 Greatest Artists of Rock and Roll". and Rolling Stone magazine rated Morrison No. 42 in their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
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His superb albums include "Blowin' Your Mind!", "Moondance", "Astral Weeks", "His Band and the Street Choir", "Saint Dominic's Preview", "Tupelo Honey", "Hard Nose the Highway", "Veedon Fleece", "It's Too Late to Stop Now", "The Healing Game", "Live at Austin City Limits Festival" and the more recent album "Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl".
Van released the majority of albums through Bang, London, Warner Bros, Mercury, Lost Highway Records, Exile/Polydor, Listen to the Lion/EMI and Decca. Now in his 60s Morrison is still active in music.
Albums: (for Warner Brothers, except as noted)
Blowiri Your Mind, Bang, 1967.
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
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Gong
Gong, even though they have a bizarre band name, are a successful progressive rock band formed by Australian musician, Daevid Allan. They formed in 1967, after Allan, then a member of Soft Machine, was denied entry into the UK due to a visa complication.
He remained in France, where he and a London born professor, Gilli Smyth, began the band now known as Gong.
They apparently found saxophonist Didier Malherbe living in a cave in Deya, before the band were invited back to France to record the soundtrack to Jerome La Perrousaz movies. Following this, they were signed to independent label BYG, and signed up for two albums (Magick Brother, Mystic Sister and Bananamoon).
The next feat for the band was playing at the first ever Glastonbury festival, and were subsequently one of the first acts to sign up to Virgin Records. By 1971, a regular line-up had established itself, and Gong released their ‘Camembert Electrique’ album, priced at just 49p. How times can change. Sadly though, it was barred from entering the charts due to it being so cheap!
Between 1973 and 1974 the band released their ‘Radio Gnome Trilogy’. Following this in 1975, Allan refused to go on stage, claiming there was a ‘wall of force’ stopping him. He later left the band, along with Smyth. The band continued to tour with a new line-up, eventually morphing into Pierre Moerlen’s Gong, taking their main influences from the jazz genre.
Although not as recognised as they were n previous years, there are many space-rock wannabe bands keeping the Gong spirit going.
Carly Page
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com
