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How Long Has This Been Going On

Verve - Exile Productions Ltd 314 529 136-2
(Released December, 1995)

1. I Will Be There (2:28)
2. The New Symphony Sid (3:50)
3. Early in The Morning (2:41)
4. Who Can I Turn To? (3:59)
5. Sack O' Woe (4:03)
6. Moondance (7:15)
7. Centerpiece (including sections from "Blues Backstage") (4:04)
8. How Long Has This Been Going On? (3:45)
9. Your Mind Is On Vacation (3:03)
10. All Saint's Day (2:15)
11. Blues in The Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me) (3:18)
12. Don't Worry About a Thing (2:18)
13. That's Life (3:48)
14. Heathrow Shuffle (3:18)
    Total time: (50:56)

Recorded live on May 3, 1995 at Ronnie Scott's Club, London, England

Musicians:
Van Morrison: Vocals/Arranger
George Fame: Hammond Organ/Vocals/ Vocals(Background)/Arranger
Annie Ross: Vocals (Background)
Ralph Salmins: Drums
Leo Green: Saxophone/Arranger
Pee Wee Ellis: Saxophone/Arranger
Alan Skidmore: Saxophone
Guy Barker: Trumpet
Alec Dankworth: Bass
Robin Aspland: Piano

Review by Scott Thomas:
How Long Has This Been Going On is another side project in the tradition of Irish Heartbeat, but this one approaches music from the opposite direction. Released on Verve, Polygram's jazz subsidiary, recorded live (without an audience) at Ronnie Scott's club in London, stocked with material by Ray Charles, Cannonball Adderley, Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross, Mose Allison, and Sinatra, and even offering jazz versions of previously released Van classics, this is Morrison's stab at jazz legitimacy. Unfortunately, he sings poorly. Also, the horn arrangements are uninventive, and the playing is off-kilter in places. In the end, the album is a victim of the very spontaneity and improvisational spirit that it celebrates.