Matt LuceyIntro to the two
Van Morisson is a well know musician whos refuses to be bound to a single genre. From Rock to blues, Jazz to R&B, he’s done it all. Having grown up surrounded by early blues and Jazz, he was ideally placed to hit his stride in the 60s. The experimental nature of the industry at the time allowed Morrison to find his voice. With Them in the mid-60s, Van began to be noticed, really hitting his stride with the release of “Brown-Eyed Girl” in ‘67. Since then, Van has been virtually constantly writing and touring, with a long and successful career to his name.
Buddy Guy, similarly, has had a massive career in the blues industry. Guy was one of the major figures in the world of the blues throughout his career. He stands amongst giants and is a well respected member in the community. Recently, Guy has been going through a bit of a renaissance. Between working on this, the BB King Blues Summit 100, bringing out a full studio album and more, Buddy has a point to prove and he’s proving it!
Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge
This album is Vans most recent release. It says a lot about the mans volume of work, as this is his 48th studio album. The main genre showcased here, in line with this song, is blues. While it is mainly Van on his own, it also features Taj Mahal, Elvis Bishop and more. Morrison claims that this most recent release is a return to his musical roots. It really shows that he is still more than capable of bringing it to the studio and putting together a great piece of art. This is just months after I saw him perform in Malahide castle alongside Neil Young. I can confirm that he does indeed still put on a fantastic live show too.
Production
The album was released under the label Orangefield Records. The production itself was performed by Van Morrison, who, its seems, is more than capable. The album had a polished feel, with more than enough variety in styles to keep you interested. This particular song was a highlight for me, though the entire album is certainly worth a listen. David Hayes, Anthony Paule, Larry Van and many more make up the band heard through the album.
The music
“Rock Me Baby” is a brilliant showcase of the two legends. Starting with a light rocking rhythm, a nice punchy guitar chord progression tees up the song. Buddy comes in with his iconic vocals and is complimented by a boogie bluesy piano, a synth and a variety of other instruments. The vocals pass on to Van, where he sings in a great bluesy tone, not something he’s overly known for. This also gives Buddy a chance to add his blues riffs to the background.
The solo is an emotional addition to the song. Its not the tidiest or the fastest but it gives us short, punchy bursts of blues. A classic sound. Following this the song continues in the same vein. Van really showcases his vocal abilities here, no strain in his voice, he even hits some nice vibrato. Buddy gives him vocal room while punctuating with his guitar, getting the chance for another little solo towards the end of the song.
Conclusion
This was not a collaboration I was expecting. I truly love both of these artists and it was a joy to hear them work together on this track. I would certainly recommend checking “Rock Me Baby” out, as well as the album on which you can find it.
