Editorial Review:

Album Description:
The event was simply billed as 'Willie Nelson Sings the Blues,' but the historic two-night stand on January 12 and 13, 2007 at Jazz at Lincoln Center was far more than that. Call it a summit meeting between two American icons, Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis, two of the most significant figures in modern-day country and jazz, who discovered common ground in their love for jazz standards and the blues. Their performance stirred the sounds of New Orleans, Nashville, Austin and New York City into a brilliantly programmed mix that was equal parts down-home and cosmopolitan, with plenty of swing and just a touch of melancholy. To say that these shows were a hot ticket would be an understatement. Luckily, the tapes were rolling and the results of this unique collaboration now constitute the Blue Note album Two Men With The Blues for everyone who couldn't cram into The Allen Room. Featuring great playing from one of the hottest bands around these classic tracks are given new life by the extraordinary dual talents of Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis. At a time when most people are thinking of retirement, Willie has never been busier. His profile has been high in recent weeks with his various career retrospective releases and sold out tour and this album can rightly stake it's place alongside anything else he has done. Wynton rarely sounds so relaxed and both of these musical giants are clearly having the time of their lives together on these new interpretations of some of the greatest songs of the 20th century.

Amazon.com:
Two Men with the Blues is no more a jazz album than a blues album. It's neither jazz returning home, nor blues wandering out. What Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis have created is a compilation of jump-blues standards with arrangements that compliment both genres. While most of the album is careful not to take itself too seriously, there are a few tracks that seem to plod on for ages. The live set kicks off with the upbeat 'Bright Lights, Big City,' on which Marsalis' horn is crisp and full. 'Ain't Nobody's Business' and 'Basin Street Blues' are arranged slower than better known versions but still fit the album's context. Nelson and Marsalis's take on 'Stardust' comes off as a bit too 'Sinatra' for Nelson's thin vocal, while 'Georgia on My Mind' just doesn't work at all. Still, the things that work, work well. 'Night Life' and 'Rainy Day Blues' are particular stand-outs, and 'Caldonia' is a faithful homage to the Louis Jordan original--minus Jordan's screaming punch line, of course. The album ends riding high on the last song, 'That's All,' with its straight-out-of-a-New-Orleans-Baptist-church feel. Both Nelson and Marsalis are notorious for collaborating with other artists. Therefore, it seems only natural that they've found themselves on a project together. Overall, this set is well worth the wait. --Eric C.P. Martin

People en Español
Aunque a primera vista un dúo entre Willie Nelson y Wynton Marsalis suena como una combinación extraña, la realidad es que Two Men with the Blues es un disco bastante interesante. El álbum fue grabado el 12 y 13 de enero de 2008 en dos actuaciones en el famoso Jazz at Lincoln Center en Nueva York. No se puede negar que por momentos Willie Nelson parece un poco perdido el dentro del jazz, pero también demuestra el por qué es una leyenda de la música en canciones como 'Caledonia' y 'Georgia on My Mind,' ambas interpretadas de forma espectacular. Quizá este no sea el mejor disco de Blues, Jazz o Country del año, pero sin duda es una adquisición obligatoria para los fanáticos tanto de Nelson y Marsalis. Además hay que decir que el sonido del álbum es magnífico, muchos músicos sueñan con sonar así dentro de un estudio. --Ernesto Sánchez (People en Español )









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Disc 1:

1. Bright Lights, Big City - Willie Nelson, Reed, Jimmy
2. Night Life - Willie Nelson, Nelson
3. Caldonia - Willie Nelson, Moore, Fleecie
4. Stardust - Willie Nelson, Carmichael, H.
5. Basin Street Blues - Willie Nelson, Williams, Spencer
6. Georgia on My Mind - Willie Nelson, Carmichael, H.
7. Rainy Day Blues - Willie Nelson, Nelson, Willie
8. My Bucket's Got a Hole in It - Willie Nelson, Williams, Clarence
9. Ain't Nobody's Business - Willie Nelson, Porter, Grainger
10. That's All - Willie Nelson, Travis, Merle

Rating: - * Willie at his best ... Willie's collaborations don't always appeal to me, but this one does. It's a great blend of musicians, and a joy to listen to. A real hit. Rating: - * Willie and Wynton ... Wynton Marsalis and Willie Nelson get together on some familiar tunes. It is folksy and interesting, but not the best work by either artist. Rating: - * more than promised ... You don't have to like Willie Nelson's musical style or Wynton Marsalis's to enjoy this outstanding coupling. Together they make new Music!. Relaxing and fun, I listen to it over and over and each time find a new gem hidden in the songs. Thanks guys for putting together such a fine piece of work. Buy people! Buy two and give as a gift. Worth every last nickel. Rating: - * Waiting For Volume 2!! ... A small-club setting and appreciative audience, a set that cooks, two laid back super cool music makers having fun, some funky blues with a generous helping of rocking traditional jazz and jive = 5 stars! Willie's voice sounds like he's sung the blues more than a few times and, like the older Johnny Cash, sounds like a man who's been around the long block a few times and is now completely comfortable in his skin. The backing musicians add some wonderful solo and ensemble work; Wynton Marsalis rollicks and wails, and Willie's guitar work is subdued but stills grabs you. Fun and entertaining from track 1, and I'm hoping for another pairing to maybe give us a Volume 2 next year! Rating: - * A Great Idea, that flops ... I looked forward to a collaboration of two of my favorite artists on some great tunes. Willie has done some fantastic duets over the years. This one doesn't work. The production values are terrible. Willie's voice is covered up by the instrumentals. You can barely hear him. Assuming he had his own mike, that was a producer's choice ---a bad decision.