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Every week on the air there's a special focus on one particular jazz album. Check them all out here!

Jazz Album of the Week: Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco—You’re Driving Me Crazy

April 23, 2018. We all know Van Morrison as a crooner, just different from the ones heard regularly on WRTI. On You’re Driving Me Crazy, Van Morrison teams up with Philadelphia native son, organist and trumpeter Joey DeFrancesco. The result: a jazz album that swings hard, and true.

Studio musicians Dan Wilson (guitar), Michael Ode (drums) and Troy Roberts (sax) round out the sound, which includes an updated version of Morrison’s “Close Enough For Jazz.”  

The Great American and Jazz Songbooks are not a thing of the past on this recording. “Miss Otis Regrets,” and  "Travelin’ Light” just sound a little bit cooler when they’re sung by Van. “Everyday I Have the Blues” does not disappoint, especially with its tight horn section.

You’re Driving Me Crazy isn’t “close enough for jazz,”  it is a jazz album in all of its glory, and a nod to the many jazz greats Van has worked with throughout his long career. It’s clear he’s comfortable with the set list, and Joey DeFrancesco brings the heat—like only he can.