Van Morrison was riding high in 1973 — as a songwriter, singer and performer. For proof, music lovers need look no further than the double live album “It’s Too Late to Stop Now,” which Morrison released the following year. It has long been regarded as one of rock’s greatest live recordings.
More than four decades later, Morrison is releasing a more expansive exploration of that time in his career, the four-disc sequel, ” … It’s Too Late to Stop Now, Volumes II, III and IV & DVD,” highlighting other performances during that same tour.
Morrison had assembled a group he dubbed the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, expanding on the basic rock-blues-soul quartet of guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. He also employed a two-member horn section with trumpet and saxes and a five-piece string ensemble that gave the Irish artist an exceptionally wide instrumental palette with which to work.
The original album had 18 tracks recorded at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and the Rainbow Theatre in London, the same venues from which the new set culls 45 additional performances. That gives a strong Southern California slant to the overall collection.