VAN MORRISON – A PERIOD OF TRANSITION LP – Nr MINT

Van Morrison – A Period Of Transition
(Warner Bros Records  1977  BS2987  US Press)

Sleeve in Excellent+ condition
– some wear to edges/corners & import cut in top left corner

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition

Sir George Ivan Morrison OBE (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and record producer. His professional career began as a teenager in the late 1950s playing a variety of instruments including guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone for various Irish showbands, covering the popular hits of that time. Van Morrison rose to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Northern Irish R&B band Them, with whom he recorded the garage band classic “Gloria”. His solo career began under the pop-hit oriented guidance of Bert Berns with the release of the hit single “Brown Eyed Girl” in 1967. After Berns’s death, Warner Bros. Records bought out his contract and allowed him three sessions to record Astral Weeks (1968). Though this album gradually garnered high praise, it was initially a poor seller.

Moondance (1970) established Morrison as a major artist, and he built on his reputation throughout the 1970s with a series of acclaimed albums and live performances. He continues to record and tour, producing albums and live performances that sell well and are generally warmly received, sometimes collaborating with other artists, such as Georgie Fame and The Chieftains.

Much of Morrison’s music is structured around the conventions of soul music and R&B, such as the popular singles “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)”, “Domino” and “Wild Night”. An equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz and stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as the album Astral Weeks and the lesser known Veedon Fleece and Common One. The two strains together are sometimes referred to as “Celtic soul”. He has received two Grammy Awards, the 1994 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, the 2017 Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting and has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was knighted for services to the music industry and to tourism in Northern Ireland. He is known by the nickname Van the Man to his fans.

A Period of Transition is the ninth studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1977. It was his first album in two and a half years, largely forgotten or looked over by most casual fans. At the time of its release it was received with some disappointment by critics and fans: “Most were hoping for a work of primeval vocal aggression that would challenge the emerging élite of Morrison pretenders, whose ranks included Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, Phil Lynott, Graham Parker and Elvis Costello.”(Johnny Rogan) However, the album is still notable for several major compositions, including “Heavy Connection,” “Flamingos Fly,” “The Eternal Kansas City” and “Cold Wind in August”.

Morrison had appeared in The Last Waltz with Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) who was a co-producer on this album as well as playing keyboards and guitar.

Track listing

All songs written by Van Morrison unless noted.

Side one

1. “You Gotta Make It Through the World” – 5:10
2. “It Fills You Up” – 4:34
3. “The Eternal Kansas City” – 5:26

Side two

1. “Joyous Sound” – 2:48
2. “Flamingos Fly” – 4:41
3. “Heavy Connection” – 5:23
4. “Cold Wind in August” – 5:48

Personnel

Musicians

• Van Morrison – acoustic and electric guitars, vocals, harmonica
• Ollie E. Brown – drums, percussion
• Marlo Henderson – guitar
• Jerry Jumonville – tenor and alto saxophones
• Reggie McBride – bass
• Joel Peskin – baritone saxophone
• Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) – piano, electric piano and guitar on “It Fills You Up”
• Mark Underwood – trumpet
• Robbie Montgomery, Roger Kennerly-Saint, Gregory Wright, Carlena Williams, Paulette Parker, Candy Nash, Toni McVey, Gary Garrett and Joe Powell – backing vocals

Production

• Producers: Van Morrison, Dr. John
• Engineer: Gary Ladinsky
• Assistant Engineers: Mike Beiriger, Richard Kaplan, Bart Johnson, Mick Glossop
• Art Direction/Design: Mike Doud-AGI Hollywood
• Photography: Ken McGowan
• Management: Harvey Goldsmith
• Cover Concept: Van Morrison