ZOOM: Celtic Soul: Van Morrison, Poet-Songwriter-Musician   

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

“No white man sings like Van Morrison,” says music critic Greil Marcus. Nearly 80, the Belfast-born, two-time Grammy winner has given his fans 60 albums, 80 singles, and thousands of live performances. Known for “Celtic soul” -- a fusion of blues, soul, R&B, jazz, rock and Celtic lyricism --   no other musician-songwriter has plumbed such a rich, rooted and spiritual vein. Drawing upon ancient bardic tradition, Van the Man shows how poetry and music have never been so intimately intertwined. With a focus on his poetic champions and artistry, musicianship, key themes, and collaborators, the journey will take us into both the mundane and the mystic.

[The class session titles are using titles of Van’s songs.]

Revised 5-28-23

1 GOT TO GO BACK

• Childhood and youth in Belfast and Ireland

• Dad’s records! Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Hank Williams, jazz and more!

• A working-man in his prime cleaning windows

2 MOONDANCE

• Early years as a musician: Days of Them and Them Again

• Early fame and its impact

• Love 

3 NO GURU, NO METHOD, NO TEACHER

• Healing, Spirit, God 

4 A COUNTRY THAT OPERATES ALONG ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LINES

• Stateside and Return

5 THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION

• Controversies, Colleagues and Covers

6 LEGACY

• Realm of influence on rock/pop/soul music
• Over 60 albums, 80 singles