The Skiffle Sessions: Live in Belfast 1998 [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Van Morrison often comes across as brusque and gloomy, which is hardly a bad thing. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to come up with a more dire album than Morrison's masterwork, Astral Weeks. The brooding Belfast bard tends to lighten up, however, when he's in the company of musical forerunners and peers, as evidenced by 1994's A Night in San Francisco (with John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, and Jimmy Witherspoon) and '96's Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison (featuring Allison, Georgie Fame, and Ben Sidran). Here he reaches back to his skiffle youth, bringing aboard Lonnie Donegan (to skiffle what James Brown is to funk), trad-jazz bandleader Chris Barber, and Dr. John for a performance of '50s favorites. Skiffle, which was a brief craze in those pre-Beatles days, is a resolutely upbeat mating of jazz, blues, and folk, so you find Donegan and Morrison bellowing the lyrically downcast likes of "Frankie & Johnny," "Goodnight Irene," and "It Takes a Worried Man" as if they didn't have a care in the world. The result is an album that some would consider forgettable... if they could only shake those catchy tunes that keep running through their minds. --Steven Stolder

Tracks:

It Takes A Worried Man
Lost John
Goin' Home
Good Morning Blues
Outskirts Of Town
Don't You Rock Me Daddio
Alabamy Bound
Midnight Special
Dead Or Alive
Frankie & Johnny
Goodnight Irene
Railroad Bill
Muleskinner's Blues
The Ballad Of Jesse James
I Wanna Go Home

Amazon.com

Van Morrison often comes across as brusque and gloomy, which is hardly a bad thing. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to come up with a more dire album than Morrison's masterwork, Astral Weeks. The brooding Belfast bard tends to lighten up, however, when he's in the company of musical forerunners and peers, as evidenced by 1994's A Night in San Francisco (with John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, and Jimmy Witherspoon) and '96's Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison (featuring Allison, Georgie Fame, and Ben Sidran). Here he reaches back to his skiffle youth, bringing aboard Lonnie Donegan (to skiffle what James Brown is to funk), trad-jazz bandleader Chris Barber, and Dr. John for a performance of '50s favorites. Skiffle, which was a brief craze in those pre-Beatles days, is a resolutely upbeat mating of jazz, blues, and folk, so you find Donegan and Morrison bellowing the lyrically downcast likes of "Frankie & Johnny," "Goodnight Irene," and "It Takes a Worried Man" as if they didn't have a care in the world. The result is an album that some would consider forgettable... if they could only shake those catchy tunes that keep running through their minds. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

egos checked, exuberance only.......2003-09-01

The quintessential geezer album, Van `The Man' Morrison moonlights alongside Lonnie `Chewing Gum On the Bedpost' Donegan and brontosaurean trad-jazz trombonist Chris Barber on this revival set of retro-Limey chicken-picken folk songs. Recorded in Ireland last year, the proceedings are appropriately exuberant; Donegan's antiquated nasal bleating is a fitting adjunct to Morrison's squalling bluff and bluster on cranky old folk/blues tunes like Goodnight Irene, Outskirts Of Town, Frankie and Johnny, and Muleskinner Blues. While Morrison and Donegan honk and holler the simple traditionals like ropy old farmyard geese, the raw energy of the big ... six-piece backing band (Dr. John tickles the ivories on Good Morning Blues and Goin' Home) carries the load, injecting the right amount of steely twang and jangle to make these skiffly old dustballs chug down the track regardless of whose ego is bouncing by.

Dr. Jazz says If you don't love this, you don't love Jesus!.......2002-05-05

Naysayers be damned! This recording is an eternal document to the music that is universal and timeless. What a treasure!

If you love this CD as much as I do, I want to hear from you. Please email me at .

Skiffle Me Back To Alabama.......2002-04-30

Whenever I want great (eg. amazon five-star) truck-drivin' music, the first place I search is amazon "truck-drivin". Of course, this was my connection with Van Morrison's Skiffle Sessions. You wonder why?. Well, here's why: I don't own a truck, but I do own a Van. When I entered "Van Drivin Music", amazon returned The Skiffle Sessions. I've got to admit, it's the finest 53 minutes of van drivin music I can remember. I loved it and I bought it. Every time I hear the Ballad of Jesse James, it reminds me a little bit more of Jesse's birthdate. It really gets to me. Tom

a new convert.......2002-04-06

I have never before owned a Van Morrison recording. I am a long time devotee of blues, folk and bluegrass and never have I experienced all three on one recording. If you can sit perfectly still while listening to this gem, you'd best call your doctor. For me this is kind of like discovering a new author and then reading everything he or she has published. I tried to read my e-mail in the office this morning but couldn't concentrate on it until all 15 tracks had played. I've never heard of skiffle but I love it.

Skiffle 101.......2002-01-27

I bought this CD because I buy every CD that Van Morrison releases. I have to admit that I was oblivious as to who Lonnie Donegan & Chris Barber were and what exactly "skiffling" was. I was quickly impressed with this CD (Van doesn't even appear right away). It's just good, clean, toe tappin', knee stompin' fun. Clearly, Van was enjoying getting back to his roots with a couple of masters of skiffle.

I'm still not sure I'd know a skiffler if I bumped into one in a well-lit alley, but I can vouch for this CD being worthy of purchasing for any devoted Van fan.

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