Van Morrison

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Image courtesy of Festival de Jazz de Barcelona.

There are musicians who are a continent unto themselves, giants impossible to categorize. One of them is undoubtedly Van Morrison, who makes his debut at the Festival de Jazz de Barcelona just shy of his 81st birthday and after more than 60 years in the business. Born in 1945, the so-called Lion of Belfast grew up listening to his father's record collection, a man passionate about blues, country, and gospel.

Names like Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson, and Leadbelly shaped the soundscape of his childhood before he formed his first band, Them, in 1964. He quickly became a star of the British R&B scene, with albums like Astral Weeks (1968) and classics such as "Gloria" and "Here Comes the Night." Today, Van Morrison continues to lead his band, offering captivating music that evokes all the colors of blues, soul and jazz. His latest album, the deeply moving Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge, proves that Van Morrison is still at the top of his game and that his love for the blues (with tributes to musicians like B.B. King and appearances by Taj Mahal and Buddy Guy) remains as strong as ever, just like when he listened to his father's records at home. 

Van Morrison is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who is widely considered one of the most influential artists in the history of music. He has multiple albums that are ranked as the greatest in the entire rock and roll canon. His live performances are always music making at the highest pinnacle of musicianship, and his song craft is of the highest level of any living performer today.

One of the great singers in all of music, he remains at the absolute peak of his vocal powers. It is compelling, emotive and feels effortless as he stands still delivering vocals that feel like they can reach the heavens. On this night, he and his band soared to the highest reaches yet again. But that is nothing new for one of rock's true greats.Catch him and his exceptional band live for an unforgettable performance in Barcelona. 

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