Van Morrison tribute fronted by Vince Jones show coming to QPAC

HE TOLD Australian muso Joe Camilleri to f--- off once but grumpy Van Morrison might feel differently about Vince Jones whose new Brisbane-bound show is a tribute to the Belfast-born muso.

HE TOLD Australian muso Joe Camilleri to f--- off once but grumpy Van Morrison might feel differently about Vince Jones whose new show is a tribute to the Belfast-born muso.

It’s music for old farts although Australian jazz master Vince Jones reckons young farts like his tribute to Van Morrison too.

Vince Jones & The Astral Weeks Orchestra celebrate one of contemporary music’s most enduring talents with their concert Van Morrison’s Masterpieces - Astral Weeks & Moondance which is coming to QPAC next week. The 63 year-old Australian jazz singer and trumpet player says there’s plenty of nostalgia involved but he also notices a younger demographic when he does this tribute show.

Jazz man Vince Jones will be at QPAC on January 6. Picture: Nicole Cleary

“A lot of younger people are just discovering this stuff,” Jones says. “I was only 18 when I got Astral Weeks.”

Now, decades later he’s interpreting Van Morrison’s classics although he’s not sure what the Irish musician would make of it, particularly since Morrison, who is now 72, has a reputation for being a tad grumpy. “My mate Joe Camilleri supported Van Morrison once and Van said to Joe ...‘you’re not bad but f--- off’,” Vince says laughing.

“I did a gig in Germany once and was on this TV show and Van and his band, which included Georgie Fame, were on next. Georgie asked me to come and have a drink with them afterwards but it was my first tour of Europe and with their reputation as drinkers I thought I might not make my next gig so I didn't’.”

He regrets it on the one hand but at least it didn't give Morrison the opportunity to tell him to f---- off too.

Jones says Astral Weeks, which came out in 1968 and Moondance, which came out in 1970 are both classics and Astral Weeks really got to him because of its jazz elements. Morrison used jazz musicians on the album to break away from the expectations of the pop music scene.

“He had a great bass player from Miles Davis’ band on that album, a guy called Richard Davis,” Jones says. “He had all these great musicians on that album.”

Jones has assembled his own band of hot jazz musos led by music director Matt McMahon and he has already done this show eight times in southern capitals and at festivals and says he can’t wait to bring it to Brisbane. He recalls singing Moondance, the title track off the album, after many beers at a little country hall out back of Byron Bay when he was 19.

Now he's in the big house, at QPAC. This may be the last time he does his Van The Man show he says which makes you wonder what’s next. Well, we’ll tell you and you heard it here first.

“I’m, thinking of doing all my favourite Dylan songs,” he says. Old farts rejoice, Young ones too.

Van Morrison’s Masterpieces - Astral Weeks & Moondance featuring Vince Jones & The Astral Weeks Orchestra, Concert Hall, QPAC, Saturday, January 6, 8pm, $89 - $119, qpac.com.au