Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis Sparkle on Two Men With the Blues
Willie Nelson has recorded many, many collaborations in the span of his long career. Many of those collaborations over the years have not always been inspired, but his latest truly is. On Two Men With the Blues, he recorded two nights of live jazz performance at New York's Lincoln Center with the great jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and an equally talented band.
On the new work, the tight arrangements force Nelson to sing on the beat, just as he did on his great Stardust album. And he has to follow a band rather than vice versa. Just as Booker T. Jones imposed a musical discipline and framework on Nelson with Stardust, so Marsalis has done here.
This may well be the best thing Willie has recorded since Stardust. If you've listened to Nelson over the years, you can hear jazz in his phrasing, in his timing and especially in his guitar playing, which evokes Django Reinhardt. Obviously, he and Marsalis hit it off in these two live concerts, where they fluently merge blues and jazz.
On Two Men With the Blues virtually everything's a highlight, but listen closely to how skillfully the musicians intertwine their playing, especially saxophonist Walter Blanding and Willie's harmonica player, Mickey Raphael.
You can hear the entire album at CMT.com.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Jeane says:
This album deserves several Grammys. I can’t stop listening to it. This is my favorite collaboration album of all time.
PATRICIA WHITTINGTON says:
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE GREATIST PIECE OF WORK EVER IN LONG TIME. I COULD LISTEN TO THIS OVER & OVER AND HEAR SOMETHING NEW EACH TIME. WILLIE & WYNTON I LOVE IT.
Jeffrey G says:
WOW! Pure genious for these two and the rest of the band members to weave a truely unique combination of great music. Recorded live only added to the uplifting feel - and the sound quality is magical.
I can’t find a good reason take it out of my player!
thelma horne says:
you are tobys friend please tell him that only 4 songs on that soundtrack that you can call music beer for my horses off the hillbilly hook burning memories lets get trashed he needs to take charge of his soundtrack it will not sell like broken bridges did thelma horne