Jay Berliner, Guitar: Misty Monday Edition

The third installment of the unearthing of Rhapsody-available tracks featuring guitarist Jay Berliner.

Though I didn't know his name until two weeks ago, Jay Berliner appears on some very significant recordings from the past four decades. (OK, so "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" may be slightly more enduring than Deodato's first album, but our investigation is ongoing.)

Today's offering is a case in point. Van Morrison's 1968 release Astral Weeks is a unique, potent, and dreamy blend of musical styles. Jay Berliner's guitar makes its most evocative contribution on track #2, Beside You. This song's a shambling acoustic parade that has something to do with a baby, a truck, a woman, a railroad, and a countryside overhung with wet, windy weather. It sounds lovely, but is it really "one of the best albums in pop music history"? I don't think so, but judge for yourself:

Van Morrison - Beside You