Artists · Rock & Pop
Van Morrison. Three albums, one voice.
From 1968 to 1970: “Astral Weeks” with musicians from the jazz world, “Moondance” with his own band and two horn players, “His Band and the Street Choir” with horns and a choir. Each time, that same voice takes centre stage. All three albums are available from us as 45 rpm double LPs from the Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series, plus “Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” as hybrid SACDs; “His Band and the Street Choir” is available to pre-order as a hybrid SACD.
Tap a cover – you jump straight to the album.
01 / The trilogy
Astral Weeks, Moondance, Street Choir
Three albums between autumn 1968 and 1970, three line-ups – and every time the voice comes first. In his German-language video, Michael 45 calls them a Van Morrison trilogy; in the Vinyl Room, the question “Astral Weeks or Moondance?” came out fifty-fifty. Here the three stand side by side: where they were made, who plays, what to listen for – and what Michael says about the 45 rpm edition.
“Now that we also have the fantastic Astral Weeks and the glorious Moondance, we have three of his main albums in gorgeous quality.”
“In the Vinyl Room we discussed which is the better album, Astral Weeks or Moondance – and the result was 50/50. We all agreed that both are amazing albums. My choice is a little bit more Astral Weeks, but hey, come on: we’re talking about two brilliant folk, psych, jazz and blues albums.”
Astral Weeks
Autumn 1968 · Century Sound, New York · Producer: Lewis Merenstein
Van Morrison’s first album for Warner Bros., recorded with musicians from the jazz world: Richard Davis on double bass, Jay Berliner on guitar, Connie Kay on drums, Warren Smith Jr. on vibraphone and percussion. Eight songs that take their time.
Listen for the bass: Richard Davis draws lines that do far more than mark the harmony.
Start with: “Sweet Thing”, then “Cyprus Avenue”
“An iconic album – with a Van Morrison who uses his voice as, for me, the main instrument on the record. Van Morrison’s singing on Astral Weeks is a dream. It’s amazing.”
Moondance
Early 1970 · recorded in New York in 1969 · Producer: Van Morrison
Ten compact songs with his own band: Jef Labes on keyboards, John Platania on guitar, plus two horn players, Jack Schroer and Collin Tilton. Jazz, rhythm and blues, folk and gospel meet.
Listen for the horns: their replies give the songs shape and leave space around the voice.
Start with: “And It Stoned Me” and the title track – the first side of this edition
“A wonderful Van Morrison – once again at his best.”
His Band and the Street Choir
1970 · demos in Woodstock, recorded at A&R Studios, New York · Producer: Van Morrison
The same year as “Moondance”: rhythm and blues, soul and shared vocals move to the centre. The Street Choir sings on the album; on “Crazy Face” Van Morrison plays tenor saxophone himself, and on “If I Ever Needed Someone” Cissy Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell sing.
Listen for the reply: after each vocal phrase, who picks up the momentum – the guitar, a short horn entry, a piano accent?
Start with: “Domino”, then “Blue Money”
“This voice is an earthquake, in my opinion. His phrasing, the detail in how he sings – in good quality it is so immersive, so tempting, and here you get it in a way the other releases don’t give you. For me, Van Morrison’s voice is 80 per cent of the record.”
From “Moondance” to “Street Choir” the core of the band stays: John Platania on guitar, John Klingberg on bass, Jack Schroer on saxophone – and Cissy Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell sing on both albums. On “Astral Weeks”, by contrast, Richard Davis, Jay Berliner and Connie Kay shape the ensemble.
In the magazine: Van Morrison: three records to fall in love with →
02 / All albums
All 3 albums, from 1968 to 1970
In the order they were made: every album as a 45 rpm double LP, plus “Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” as hybrid SACDs and “His Band and the Street Choir” as a hybrid SACD to pre-order. Prices and availability come live from the shop.
1968–1970 · Three albums
From the sessions with jazz musicians for “Astral Weeks” via the band with two horns to the Street Choir.
recorded 1968
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
Among others: Richard Davis, Jay Berliner, Connie Kay, Warren Smith Jr., John Payne, Larry Fallon
Recorded in New York in September and October 1968 with jazz musicians around bassist Richard Davis: eight songs in which voice, guitars and double bass trace long arcs – from “Sweet Thing” to “Madame George”.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
SACD
released 1970
Moondance
Van Morrison
Among others: Jef Labes, John Platania, John Klingberg, Gary Mallaber, Jack Schroer, Collin Tilton, Cissy Houston, Judy Clay, Jackie Verdell
Released in early 1970 and produced by Van Morrison himself: ten compact songs with a band and two horn players, including “Crazy Love”, “Caravan” and “Into the Mystic”.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
SACD
released 1970
His Band and the Street Choir
Van Morrison
Among others: John Platania, John Klingberg, Jack Schroer, Dahaud Shaar, Alan Hand, Keith Johnson, Cissy Houston, Judy Clay, Jackie Verdell
Released the same year as “Moondance”: rhythm and blues, soul and shared vocals move to the centre – with “Domino”, “Blue Money” and the Street Choir; on “Crazy Face” Van Morrison plays tenor saxophone himself.
Vinyl · 45 RPM2 LPs · 180 g
SACD
No album matches these filters.
03 / Guide
Where do you start?
The three albums were made between autumn 1968 and 1970: “Astral Weeks” with musicians from the jazz world in New York, “Moondance” with his own band and two horn players, “His Band and the Street Choir” with horns and a choir. We carry them as 45 rpm double LPs from the Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series, plus “Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” as hybrid SACDs; “His Band and the Street Choir” is available to pre-order as a hybrid SACD. Where you start depends on what you want to hear.
You want to be close to the voice
Then start with “Astral Weeks”. Van Morrison develops words and motifs over recurring figures; a phrase need not be finished the first time, it can return with a different weight. “Sweet Thing” is an approachable way in, while “Madame George” and “Ballerina” give this way of singing plenty of room.
You want songs with horns and gospel
Then “Moondance” is your album: ten compact songs in which two horn players answer the voice. On “Crazy Love” and “Brand New Day”, Cissy Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell sing backing vocals – here the connection with gospel becomes especially clear. Van Morrison later played “Caravan” with The Band in “The Last Waltz” in 1976.
You want a band that sings along
Then take “His Band and the Street Choir”. Rhythm and blues and soul move to the centre, the Street Choir sings on the album, and on “Crazy Face” Van Morrison plays tenor saxophone himself. On a first pass, listen to what happens right after each vocal phrase: who picks up the momentum, who holds back? “Domino”, “Blue Money” and “Call Me Up in Dreamland” invite you in straight away.
You want to know how the three connect
With “Moondance” Van Morrison takes over production himself – on “Astral Weeks” it was Lewis Merenstein – and works with a band of rhythm section, keyboards and two horn players. From “Moondance” to “His Band and the Street Choir” the core stays – John Platania, John Klingberg, Jack Schroer. Both albums appeared in 1970; ideas and demos came together in Woodstock, the recording took place in New York.
Which edition suits you?
All three double LPs belong to Analogue Productions’ Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series: two 180-gram records at 45 rpm. For “Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” the publisher specifies a flat 24-bit/192 kHz transfer of the master tapes, then equalised through The Mastering Lab’s analogue tube chain; Matthew Lutthans cut the lacquers, Quality Record Pressings presses the records, in a double-pocket Stoughton gatefold jacket. “Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” are available as hybrid SACDs, mastered to DSD by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab; “His Band and the Street Choir” is available to pre-order as a hybrid SACD. The CD layer plays on any CD player, the SACD layer needs an SACD player.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
Which Van Morrison album should I start with?
It depends on what you are looking for: “Astral Weeks” (1968) is open and takes its time, with musicians from the jazz world and long arcs; “Moondance” (1970) brings ten compact songs with a band and two horn players; “His Band and the Street Choir” (1970) focuses on horns and shared vocals. In the Vinyl Room, “Astral Weeks or Moondance?” came out fifty-fifty – Michael 45 himself leans towards “Astral Weeks”.
Who plays on “Astral Weeks”?
Musicians from the jazz world: Richard Davis on double bass – he played a central part in assembling the group –, Jay Berliner on guitar, Connie Kay on drums and Warren Smith Jr. on vibraphone and percussion. John Payne plays soprano saxophone and flute, Larry Fallon wrote the string arrangements. Lewis Merenstein produced, and the album was recorded in autumn 1968 at Century Sound in New York.
What is the Street Choir?
The singers who join in on “His Band and the Street Choir” – according to the credits Larry Goldsmith, Janet Planet, Andrew Robinson, Ellen Schroer and Martha Velez. Cissy Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell also sing backing vocals on “If I Ever Needed Someone”. Communal singing is not just a title here; it is part of the album’s expression.
Which Van Morrison albums are available on SACD?
“Astral Weeks” and “Moondance” are available as hybrid SACDs from the Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series, mastered to DSD by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. “His Band and the Street Choir” is available to pre-order as a hybrid SACD. The CD layer plays on any CD player, the SACD layer on an SACD player.
What does the 45 rpm double LP give you?
The album is spread across four sides: on “Astral Weeks” there are two tracks per side, and on “Moondance” the first side holds only “And It Stoned Me” and the title track. The album’s running order stays the same; turning the records adds short pauses. All three double LPs belong to Analogue Productions’ Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series.
What does Michael 45 say about the three albums?
For him they are among Van Morrison’s main albums, and the 45 rpm editions bring them in gorgeous quality – in his German-language video he calls them a Van Morrison trilogy. Asked “Astral Weeks or Moondance?”, he leans towards “Astral Weeks”, and in his videos he keeps coming back to the voice: on “Astral Weeks” it is, for him, the main instrument of the record.
Details from our product texts; year for “Astral Weeks” = year of recording, otherwise year of release (as of 19 Sept 2026). Price and availability live from the shop.
