Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco - You're Driving Me Crazy (2018) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Morrison's 39th Studio Collection Showcases Electrifying Musical Collaborations, Fresh Interpretations of Blues/Jazz Standards and Deep Cuts from Van's Songbook. Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Van Morrison's new 39th studio album, You're Driving Me Crazy, a musical collaboration with Hammond organ virtuoso and trumpet master Joey DeFrancesco, on Friday, April 27.

A new milestone in Van Morrison's ever-expanding catalog of essential recordings, You're Driving Me Crazy finds the iconic Irish singer-songwriter-performer exploring a variety of jazz and blues standards and classics ("Miss Otis Regrets," "The Things I Used to Do," "Every Day I Have the Blues") alongside fresh interpretations of songs from Van's own catalog ("Have I Told You Lately," "The Way Young Lovers Do," "Magic Time").

You're Driving Me Crazy finds Morrison collaborating in the studio with DeFrancesco and his band–including Dan Wilson (guitar), Michael Ode (drums) and Troy Roberts (tenor saxophone). DeFrancesco, who signed his first deal with Columbia Records at the age of 16, has performed with Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Grover Washington, Jr. and many more while leading his own band, and is responsible for bringing the classic Hammond organ sound back to the world of jazz in the late 1980s.

The release of You're Driving Me Crazy caps more than a year of non-stop activity for Van Morrison, who released his 37th and 38th studio albums (Roll with the Punches and Versatile) in quick succession in the fall and winter of 2017. Roll With The Punches became his 13th album to reach the Top 10 of the U.K. charts, while Versatile topped Billboard's jazz chart.

The world of jazz has provided a vital ongoing influence on the music of Van Morrison, whose acclaimed 1968 studio masterpiece, Astral Weeks, showcased jazz musicians Connie Kay, Jay Berliner, and Richard Davis. Inspired by the spontaneity, soul and sound of jazz, Morrison has performed on stage and/or in the studio with a variety of jazz and blues musicians including John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Mose Allison, Bobby Bland, Solomon Burke, Jeff Beck, Georgie Fame, Robbie Robertson, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Maceo Parker, Candy Dulfer and others.

Joey DeFrancesco is a prolific American jazz organist, trumpeter, and vocalist and Grammy-nominee who signed his first record deal (with Columbia Records) at the age of 16 and has gone on to release more than 30 albums. He has performed on stage and in the studio with a wide variety of artists including Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Ray Charles, Bette Midler, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, Larry Coryell, Frank Wess, John McLaughlin, Danny Gatton, Elvin Jones, and many more. DeFrancesco is a nine-time winner of the Down Beat Critics Poll (organ) and has won the Down Beat Readers Poll every year since 2005. He has won a number of JazzTimes Awards and is an inaugural member of the Hammond Hall of Fame.



Tracklist:
1. Miss Otis Regrets 05:15
2. Hold It Right There 04:08
3. All Saints Day 03:05
4. The Way Young Lovers Do 04:13
5. The Things I Used to Do 05:55
6. Travelin' Light 04:18
7. Close Enough for Jazz 04:45
8. Goldfish Bowl 07:05
9. Evening Shadows 03:21
10. Magic Time 05:13
11. You're Driving Me Crazy 04:46
12. Everyday I Have the Blues 05:38
13. Have I Told You Lately? 04:52
14. Sticks and Stones 02:46
15. Celtic Swing 05:15

Personnel:
Van Morrison, saxophone, vocals
Joey DeFrancesco, Hammond organ, trumpet
Dan Wilson, guitar
Michael Ode, drums
Troy Roberts, tenor saxophone