Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis - Two Men With The Blues
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.40 You Save: $12.58 (66%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.14 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Two Men With The Blues
Free Music Review: Unlikely Pair Create A Blues Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
From the category of "collaborations I would have never thought of" comes a gem of a CD from Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis. However, Two Men With The Blues is going to appeal much more to the Willie Nelson fans out there. It follows in the tradition of Nelson's 2000 release Milk Cow Blues. In fact both CDs share the songs "Night Life" and "Ain't Nobody's Business".
You might think that two legends on the same stage might not work, but these two are more than willing to share the stage not only with each other but also with the musicians such as long time Nelson harmonica player, Mickey Raphael. The songs on the CD follow a blended format between traditional lyrical and jazz instrumental. Interspersed among the verses and chorus on the songs are instrumental solos. I was amazed at how comfortably Marsalis would solo only to hand off to Mickey for a romp on the harmonica. The chemistry of the musicians was outstanding across the board. Not to be lost in the instrumental greatness, Willie Nelson delivers at the top of his game as one would expect based on his body of work - especially over the last decade.
The real question, though, is when you listen to the CD as a whole, is it greater than the sum of its parts? Without a doubt, it is. The lead off track "Bright Lights, Big City" is a great blues shuffle that highlights both lead musicians equally well. Next comes a Nelson staple, "Night Life". Longtime Nelson fans will enjoy yet another variation on this that is highlighted by Marsalis' trumpet lines that are so bluesy that they could only be described as raunchy. Other standout songs include "Basin Street Blues" and "That's All", a number with rather playful lyrics that fit Willie Nelson's persona and delivery to a tee.
All in all, this is a truly great CD that captures one of the many "once in a lifetime" moments of Willie Nelson's career. If you enjoyed Milk Cow Blues, this is a must have.
Download this: Night Life
Free Music Review: Historic: American Masters at Play
Hit: 5 Stars
Everyone knew that this summit of master musicians would be special. The session was recently broadcast on National Public Radio's Jazz at Lincoln Center, and as we already have an Amazon video excerpt of the event, we can expect to see the entire meeting on PBS, with DVD as pledge gift. The CD, however, has had the opportunity for further electronic mixing and improvements by Delfeayo Marsalis and Jeff Jones. So what can we say about the quality of the music and the personalities? How many superlatives are there? But you first must be a Willie Nelson fan and you must be a jazz enthusiast who honors Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz folk for their precision and urban sophisticated development of New Orleans roots. Thus if you are among that very large number of music lovers, you must own this recording. Even the insert notes and photos are nicely done. As for the selections, we have Nelson's own oft recorded theme song, Georgia on My Mind, and we also have Stardust, which was included in the album of the same title that demonstrated that Nelson was more than a country singer; indeed that album is his all-time best seller. I, however, enjoyed Rainy Day Blues and the other tunes that follow, which are what the album is supposed to be about: the blues. This album is simply fun. You will love it.Free Music Review: Absolute Magic
Hit: 5 Stars
I ordered my copy of this cd with great anticipation and I was not disappointed. The musical selections and musicianship are plain fun! I read some of the other reviews and wondered if those who didn't like the cd had even listened to it. Sadly it seems some may have decided going in that they would not like what they heard and that is a shame. They clearly missed the "music". The only question that matters here is, "Is this good music and is it something one can enjoy listening to again and again?" The answer is absolutely yes...these are good tunes, the arrangements are fun...traditional in a sense but with some refreshing takes...some in the spirit of old time New Orleans jazz, others more blues... all are well crafted and very well performed. I find myself rewinding the player to hear certain licks and chops again and again. Willie is Willie and Wynton is Wynton and the two bring what they do together in a way that is just too good to miss. I like this recording very much. I love that it is live... people don't record live much anymore...just as well because a lot of live music isn't anymore. This is a fun cd, musically worthwhile and a joy to listen to again and again. I recommend this to anyone who loves good music, plain and simple.Free Music Review: A Whole Lot of Fun
Hit: 5 Stars
If you close your eyes and listen to this CD, you can imagine how it must have been created. You can picture Willie Nelson's tour bus stuck on the side of the road. You can picture Wynton Marsalis' bus pulling over to help out. You can picture the musicians meeting, introducing their bands. And then Willie says "Hey, man, while we wait on the tow truck, let's jam for a while."
And that's the album. It isn't a groundbreaking, historic summit of two great artistic minds. It is two phenomenal musicians getting together and having a good time. The tunes are standards - the kind you don't need to read music for. These old country, jazz, and blues charts aren't brilliantly reinvisioned. They are just played with tremendous skill and infectious good-humor. Wynton even sings a few verses himself.
This album is fun. That's all. It is good to hear Willie and Wynton, their bands mixed together and exactly on the same page, just having a fine time. I know I had one as well.
Free Music Review: A Talented Cast of Dedicated Musicians
Hit: 5 Stars
My favorite part of this CD is the beautiful instrumental backing, section work, and soloing by the superb Wynton Marsalis band. What a dream rhythm section this group would provide for any singer.
Willie Nelson is, of course, mainly a country singer. But his own band leans heavily on bluesy inflections, and he has previously recorded acclaimed recordings of jazz standards.
Willie's oddball vocal phrasing sometimes throws country musicians for a loop, but it doesn't faze these jazz musicians one bit.
It's a good matchup by a talented cast of dedicated artists. These are not musicians who follow fads and sell their souls to be on the hit parade. Rather it is a tremendously talented group of artists who all have devoted many years to their craft, and yes Willie Nelson is one of them.
Now what would be really fun would be a Marsalis / Nelson country album-jazzed up, of course. Remember when Ray Charles did that in the 1960s?