THE VAN MORRISON ALUMNI BAND to Launch Weekly London Residency
Saxophonist Leo Green leads the group at The Emerald Theatre, with vocalists Jessica Greenfield and Hayley Sanderson.
A new weekly music residency built around the songbook of Van Morrison is set to take place at The Emerald Theatre in Central London. THE VAN MORRISON ALUMNI BAND, made up of musicians who have toured and recorded with Van Morrison over decades, will perform his hits and lesser-known songs live on Tuesdays, accompanied by stories from those who worked alongside him both on stage and in the studio.
Tuesdays at The Emerald Theatre in Central London sees classic songs performed live by The Van Morrison Alumni Band: a company of musicians hand-picked by Van Morrison himself to accompany him over decades of touring and recording, bringing one of the greatest songbooks in modern music to life - the songs everyone wants to hear, played by those who know them best.
Expect to hear the hits and the deep cuts alike: songs like 'Brown Eyed Girl', 'Into The Mystic', 'Moondance', 'Have I Told You Lately', 'Gloria', 'Domino', 'Sweet Thing', 'Crazy Love', 'Jackie Wilson Said', and many more - all performed live, and woven around the stories behind them: anecdotes from musicians who have lived and breathed the Van Morrison sound both on stage, as well as in the recording studio with Van Morrison.
The group currently features Matt Holland (Trumpet), Steve Pearce (Bass), Alec Dankworth (Bass), Robin Aspland (Piano), Geoff Dunn (Drums), Ralph Salmins (Drums) and curated and led by saxophonist and Musical Director Leo Green, with vocalists including Jessica Greenfield, Hayley Sanderson, Natalie May Paris, and Wayne Hernandez. Collectively they have accompanied Van in concert more than 3,000 times all over the world as well as having amassed more than 600 recording credits alongside him in the studio.
This project is the only endorsed Van Morrison project of its kind in the world - of The Van Morrison Alumni Band, Van himself said: 'These songs are meant to be sung and heard, and I am really happy that Leo is carrying the torch.'
Earlier this year, Van performed with the Alumni Band at the Jazz FM Awards, where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award, joining the Alumni musicians on stage for a rendition of 'Snatch It Back and Hold It.'
The Van Morrison Alumni Band have also recorded their own debut album, Volume 1 – brand-new interpretations of some of Van Morrison's most loved songs.
Right on the banks of the Thames and just a couple of minutes from Trafalgar Square, The Emerald Theatre is one of London's newest cultural landmarks – an Art Deco-inspired space with top-tier acoustics, in one of the most enviable locations in the capital, and the perfect place to hear these songs the way they were always meant to be heard.
Residency Dates
August: 4th, 11th, 18th
September: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
October: 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th
November: 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
December: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
About The Showtime Group
The Showtime Group is a live entertainment company founded to develop, package and scale premium music-led formats for venues, promoters, agents, orchestras and IP owners. Built around repertoire, musicianship, audience connection and scalable live entertainment IP, the company's activity includes Icons Orchestral, Van Morrison Alumni Band, Secret Sax Party and related live format work including BBC Radio 2's Sounds of the 60s Live. The Showtime Group's formats are designed to tour, transfer, license and scale across venues, territories and partners.
The band, led by saxophonist and Musical Director Leo Green, features musicians including Matt Holland, Steve Pearce, Alec Dankworth, Robin Aspland, Geoff Dunn and Ralph Salmins, along with vocalists Jessica Greenfield, Hayley Sanderson, Natalie May Paris and Wayne Hernandez. According to the release, the group has accompanied Van Morrison in concert more than 3,000 times and holds over 600 recording credits with him, and Morrison himself has said of the project, These songs are meant to be sung and heard, and I am really happy that Leo is carrying the torch.
