Van Morrison had a tough time choosing duets for his new album

The 69-year-old singer-songwriter worked with acts including Mavis Staples, George Benson, Steve Winwood and the late Bobby Womack on Duets: Reworking The Catalogue, and admitted he had made decisions on which songs to include “with great difficulty”.

“I had to leave a lot of people out because of the time factor and it was going to run into a double or triple album,” he said.

“I just had to get people who were available.

“I wanted Bobby Womack, he had been one of the first people on my list for many years. Bobby Womack, Mavis Staples and Natalie Cole were playing the Blues Festival in London and so was I. That made sense to get them during that.

“Those three kind of kicked it off for me. Then it was much harder to get the rest because of calendars.”

Belfast-born Van said it was important to him to work face to face in the studio with his collaborators when he could.

“Whenever possible you want to get that. The George Benson track I did live with his band in the studio, because I wanted to do something with his band rather than mine for a change.

“You just have to work with what’s available at the time. Luckily he was in London, so it worked out.”

Another contributor is Canadian crooner Michael Buble, who is a self-confessed fan of Van.

“He’s recorded a couple of my songs and mentions me quite a bit,” Van said. “He is great, I like him. I think it is great that someone is doing that whole big band thing.

“There are not many people doing it apart from Harry Connick Jr, but Buble is out there, promoting himself, out there all the time, non-stop working.”

Van Morrison releases Duets: Reworking The Catalogue on March 23.