Accentuate the Positive

by Van Morrison

Overview

Arriving swiftly on the heels of Moving on Skiffle, Accentuate the Positive is certainly a kissing cousin to its 2023 companion: it's another spirited revival of a style that a young Van Morrison held dear. Despite being titled after the Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen standard, Accentuate the Positive isn't an ode to the Great American Songbook. It's nominally a celebration of the early days of rock & roll, an era that did see various styles, attitudes, and demographics mingle, so Morrison's decision to punctuate classics by Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, and Chuck Willis with pop tunes, country hits, and jump blues isn't far afield: all this music was part of the early explosion of rock & roll. Besides, Van Morrison has never been a rockabilly cat, he's a blues shouter and he plays precisely to those strengths here, leading his band through lively and loving readings of rock & roll oldies, never apologizing for the unabashed nostalgia of the entire enterprise. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/03/2023
Label:	Virgin
UPC:	0044003369580

Tracks

1. You Are My Sunshine
2. When Will I Be Loved?
3. Two Hound Dogs
4. Flip, Flop and Fly
5. I Want a Roof Over My Head
6. Problems
7. Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes
8. The Shape I'm In
9. Accentuate the Positive
10. Lonesome Train
11. A Shot of Rhythm and Blues
12. Shakin' All Over
13. Bye Bye Johnny
14. Red Sails in the Sunset
15. Sea of Heartbreak
16. Blueberry Hill
17. Bonaparte's Retreat
18. Lucille
19. Shake Rattle and Roll

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Van Morrison   Primary Artist,Vocals,Sax (Alto),Tambourine,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Anthony Paule   Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Colin Griffin   Drums,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Pete Hurley   Bass
Richard Dunn   Organ (Hammond),Vocals (Background)
Mez Clough   Drums
Sticky Wicket   Percussion
Teena Lyle   Vocals (Background)
John McCullough   Piano
Alistair White   Trombone
Bobby Ruggiero   Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Jolene O'Hara   Vocals (Background)
Jeff Lardner   Drums
Nathan O' Regan   Vocals (Background)
Nick Scott   Bass
Chris White   Sax (Tenor)
Chantelle Duncan   Vocals (Background)
Dana Masters   Vocals (Background)
Stuart McIlroy   Piano
Mike Barkley   Trumpet
Kelly Smiley   Vocals (Background)
Eamon Ferris   Drums
Paul Moran   Piano,Organ (Hammond)
Laurence Cottle   Bass
Chris Farlowe   Vocals
David Hayes   Bass,Vocals (Background)
John Allair   Piano,Organ (Hammond),Vocals (Background)
Jeff Beck   Guitar (Electric)
Larry Vann   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Dave Keary   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Paul Moore   Bass
Crawford Bell   Vocals (Background)
Taj Mahal   Banjo,Vocals

Technical Credits

Guy Robinson   Composer
Richard Penniman   Composer
Cathy Lynn   Composer
Jim Mahoney   Mixing
Pete Parsons   Tour Manager,Production Manager
Harvey Brooks   Composer
Lawrence Stock   Composer
Charles Calhoun   Composer
Ben McAuley   Mixing,Engineer
Dameon Priestly   Artwork,Cover Art
Paul Hampton   Composer
Paul Burlison   Composer
Terry Thompson   Composer
Tristan Powell   Engineer
Jimmy Kennedy   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bill Haley   Composer
Boudleaux Bryant   Composer
Larry Stock   Composer
Chuck Berry   Composer
Chuck Willis   Composer
James Kennedy   Composer
Dorsey Burnette   Composer
Johnny Kidd   Composer
Johnny Burnette   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Pee Wee King   Composer
Hugh Williams   Composer
Louis Jordan   Composer
Van Morrison   Producer
Redd Stewart   Composer
Milton Subotsky   Composer
Al Lewis   Composer
Albert Collins   Composer
Glen Moore   Composer
Tony Cousins   Mastering
Hal David   Composer
Jimmie Davis   Composer
Felice Bryant   Composer
Frank Pingatore   Composer
Enda Walsh   Engineer
Vincent Rose   Composer
Johnny Restivo   Composer
Little Richard   Composer
Lou Willie Turner   Composer
Phil Everly   Composer
Jim Stern   Engineer
Otis Blackwell   Composer