The Caledonia Soul Orchestra

The Caledonia Soul Orchestra was the band created by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in 1973. The band is often considered one of the tightest performing backup groups of the 1970s. The band was named after an eighteen minute instrumental outtake on the "His Band and the Street Choir" album. [Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 270]

In 1973 Van Morrison and the Caledonia Soul Orchestra went on a three-month tour of the United States, and Europe the result of which was the seminal live double album "It's Too Late to Stop Now". The title is taken from the last line in the lyrics in one of Morrison's songs: "Into the Mystic" from the 1970 "Moondance" album. In live performances with The Caleldonia Soul Orchestra, he would close the concert with a dynamic, stretched out version of the "Astral Weeks" song, "Cyprus Avenue" and then shout out "IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW!" as he quickly exited stage. The tour began with warm up shows at the Lions Share in Marin County, California and an appearance on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in April 1973 culminating with two nights at London's Rainbow Theatre in July 1973. (Voted by Q Magazine readers as one of the top live performances of all time.) [ [http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#gigs The Best Gigs Ever] ] The tour was originated to promote the 1973 album, "Hard Nose the Highway". By tour's end it featured forty songs with twelve of them covers such as Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home to Me" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Take Your Hands out of my Pocket". Morrison was going through a divorce at the time and the selection of material and the impassioned performances were evidence of his inner turmoil, combined with a newfound joy of performing. [Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence?, p. 268-270] "I would say that that tour represented the height of his confidence as a performer," band member John Platania remarked. [Turner, Too Late to Stop Now, p.115]

On the live album the musical intensity of the band is on constant display, harmonizing beautifully with the leadership of Morrison (see "I Believe to my Soul", "Saint Dominic's Preview", and "Caravan"). Despite the brilliance of the group, Morrison disbanded them, saving only a few musicians for his follow up album, "Veedon Fleece" in 1974.

A few of the original Caledonia Soul Orchestra musicians would remain in Morrison's band over the years.

The Caledonia Soul Orchestra Lineup

* David Hayes: bass, backing vocals
* Theresa Adams: cello
* Bill Atwood: trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals
* Nancy Ellis: viola
* Tom Halpin: violin
* Tim Kovatch: violin
* Jeff Labes: organ, piano
* John Platania: guitar, backing vocals
* Nathan Rubin: violin
* Jack Schroer: alto, tenor, baritone and soprano saxophones, tambourine, backing vocals
* Dahaud Shaar: drums, backing vocals

Notes

References

*Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press ISBN 1-55652-542-7
*Turner, Steve (1993). Too Late to Stop Now, Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7