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It's Too Late to Stop Now
Warner Bros. 2760-2
(Released February, 1974)
CD1:
CD2:
Musicians:
David Hayes: Bass
Teressa "Terry"
Adams: Cello
Bill Atwood: Trumpet
Nancy Ellis: Viola
Tom Haplin: Violin
Tim Kovatch: Violin
Jeff
Labes: Organ/Piano/Arranger/Keyboards
Van Morrison:
Guitar/Keyboards/Saxophone/Vocal/Producer
John Platania: Guitar
Nathan Rubin: Strings/Violin
Jack Schroer:
Piano/Arranger/Saxophone
David Shaw: Clarinet/Percussion
Ted
Templeman: Producer
Review by Scott Thomas:
Before Veedon
Fleece came the in-concert recording It's Too Late to Stop Now!
By the mid-1970's, double live albums were already a well-established
institution which enabled artists to fulfill contractual obligations without
having to write and record new material. Not surprisingly, Morrison's
contribution to the genre, recorded in Los Angeles and London during a highly
acclaimed tour, is one of the best. Instead of taking the easy, well-traveled
route of offering picture-perfect reproductions of greatest hits, Morrison
renovates some of his best known songs (e.g.; "Into the Mystic"), dredges up
some lesser known gems ("I've Been Working," "These Dreams of You"), and works
up a glorious, Them-like sweat on covers of six R&B/soul classics.
Van's touring band from this period, the 11-piece Caledonia Soul Orchestra, was always superb and is documented here at the top of its game. The R&B bump & grind of the rhythm section (bassist David Hayes and drummer Dahaud Shaar) and horn section (saxophonist Jack Schroer and trumpeter Bill Atwood) and the jazz-inflected playing of pianist Jeff Labes symbolize the poles of Morrison's musical vision. Labes, a master at improvisation, anticipates and reacts to every move executed by his ever-spontaneous, ever-inventive leader. In these performances, Van refuses to let any human vocal sound go to waste. Grunts, whispers, the spoken word, and even silence are used to supplement the more conventional R&B vocal devices Van had mastered in his Them days. Like any great jazz artist, his timing is peerless, his technique flawless, and his imagination boundless. Like any great soul artist, he knows how to work his audience. Note the teasing and orgiastic climaxes to both "Caravan" and "Cypress Avenue."
Notes: See the liner notes in the Discography entry for the It's Too Late To Stop Now Outakes bootleg CD for related information on this release.
Part of The Van Morrison Website