Band & Street Choir

Filled with saxophones, tasty piano playing, organ flourishes, and acoustic and electric guitars, "His Band And The Street Choir" is vintage Van Morrison - an amalgam of rock, blues, folk, jazz and country.
It is not as innovative and certainly not as idiosyncratic as "Moondance" or "Astral Weeks", leaning more heavily towards classic R&B, but it is a very solid and appealing record.

The muscular rockers "Blue Money" and "Domino", and the joyous, swinging "Give Me A Kiss", are among the highlights, as are the bouncy "Call Me Up In Dreamland", the gospel-tinted ballad "If I Ever Needed Someone", and the upbeat, piano-driven blues "Sweet Jannie", which also features some great lead guitar playing from John Platania.
But everything is worth a listen, really, although not every song is equally great.

To me, "Tupelo Honey" remains Van Morrison's strongest album, but "His Band And The Street Choir" is no throwaway either.
Recommended.


Definitely one of his best   July 26, 2003
Clayton J. Hilmert (Fargo, ND USA)
Still in his prime form, this album offers the full spectrum of what Van Morrison can be. From his moody, somewhat meloncholy "I'll Be Your Lover," to his well known "Domino," and in between the down-to-earth, sexy, "I've Been Working," this album encompasses a spectrum most of his others do not, in that it is a transition including musical mysticism, blues, and pop (not a criticism but a complement). As a lover of his live bootlegs I find this to be one of the most satisfying studeo albums Van Morrison ever produced - period.


DELIGHTFUL R&B EXCURSIONS   June 22, 2003
Pieter (Johannesburg)
Domino is the catchy slice of soulful pop that opens this great album. Crazy Face has gorgeous organ and I love the rockabilly rhythm and catchy melody of Give Me A Kiss. I've Been Working is an impressive funk workout that actually reminds me of the sound of James Brown; it's awash in exquisite sax and organ. The rousing Call Me Up In Dreamland sounds more like country-soul to me and here again the sax is the hero. Van goes into torch song mode for the brooding I'll Be Your Lover Too. One of the highlights of the album is the brilliant Blue Money with its catchy tune, hypnotic chorus and bubbling beat. (The obscure singer Cristina did a marvellous cover of Blue Money on her now out-of-print album Sleep It Off that appeared on Ze Records in the 1980s). Overall, His Band And The Street Choir is a wonderful showcase of Morrison's delightful take on various R&B styles. Measured against masterpieces like Moondance, Tupelo Honey and Hymns To The Silence, it's not amongst his absolute best, but by any other standard it's a great work that will amply reward the listener.


van needs a new robe   February 3, 2003
ray b. (worcester, mass)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

good cd not great but van man lose the robe you are not a hippie an irish sorcerer yes not a hippie child hows that well ill be your lover too is amazing thats how it is and the rest aint bad either


Wow   October 31, 2002
I wish somebody would tell me what is better than this Van Morrison compilation(Other than Caravan, Glad Tidings and Into the Mystic---My all-time favorites)This is superb Van Morrison. You feel like he's really enjoying the performance and his compadres play off each other. An all-around effort. Wow! Thanks.