Van Morrison Recruits Taj Mahal For Little Richard's 'Lucille'

10-20-2023

Van Morrison has enlisted blues legend Taj Mahal to join him on a new cover of the Little Richard classic "Lucille", which is the latest taste from Van's forthcoming 45th studio album "Accentuate The Positive" that will arrive on November 3rd.

BeautifulDay Media shared these details: Van Morrison and Taj Mahal reshape "Lucille" in their own vision, their duet uniting their seasoned vintage soul and blues vocals in their first major recorded collaboration together since "How Can A Poor Boy?" from Van Morrison's 2015 Duets: Re-Working The Catalogue album. The original is, of course, one of Little Richard's most defining songs and an influential moment in the great rock 'n' roll songbook.

Like this year's acclaimed Moving On Skiffle, Accentuate The Positive sees Van Morrison returning to one of his childhood passions: this time rock 'n' roll. Growing up in Belfast shortly after World War II, he was immensely inspired by the heady sounds of 20th century blues and rock 'n' roll. Listening to artists such as Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Johnny Kidd, it wasn't long until Van was intuitively reinterpreting these sounds with his own band in local hometown venues.

Several decades later, Van Morrison now revisits the genre by reimagining some of his personal favorites for Accentuate The Positive, and infusing those timeless songs with an energy that constantly challenges and expands upon its traditions. Van's inimitable voice combined with superb arrangements and highly accomplished brings a fresh zeal to such great songs as The Johnny Burnette Trio's "Lonesome Train", Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' "Shakin' All Over" and Big Joe Turner's pioneering rock 'n' roll hit, "Flip, Flop and Fly".

As well as Taj Mahal (who also appears on "Shake, Rattle and Roll"), the album includes two further guests on "Lonesome Train": the late Jeff Beck on electric guitar, and vocals from Chris Farlowe.