Two Men with the Blues

This is a day I could not have foreseen: Willie Nelson participating in a blues album . . . and it's a good one, too! Nelson and the legendary Wynton Marsalis teamed up for Two Men with the Blues, a new album with the musical all-stars. The album is overall a blues album, with plenty of jazz and even some tastes of country, though they are subtle ones. "That's All" and "Bright Lights, Big City" are two highlights of an already quite good album. Anyone can try to sing the blues, but few actually do it well. The combination of Nelson and Marsalis was a very successful one. It synthesizes early blues flavors and a contemporary sensibility. It is simultaneously one that seems not to be stuck in exactly one era, though it easily traverses all ages of blues. For fans of blues and jazz, this is a great album. And for those who may not be blues fans, this is still a good album to enjoy! It's a cool album for a hot summer ahead. Well done, Messrs. Marsalis and Nelson!