In 2007, Nelson and Marsalis united for their first dual concert and album, Two Men With the Blues. Now they're together again, this time to honor one of the all time greats of musical history, Ray Charles. Joined by Norah Jones on several of the 15 tunes in this 2009 concert at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center, Marsalis and Nelson tell the tale of love that's found, then lost, and then found again. The arrangements, many of them with a New Orleans flavor, are uniformly fresh and dynamic. Marsalis's solos are brilliant, combining chops, taste, and humor, and in the band saxophonist Walter Blanding and drummer Ali Jackson are featured.
The late Ray Charles was genuinely beyond category, combining gospel, blues, jazz, and country to form one of the most original styles in 20th-century music.
Personnel: Willie Nelson - guitar & vocals, Wynton Marsalis - trumpet, Walter Blanding - saxophone, Mickey Raphael - harmonica, Dan Nimmer - piano, Carlos Henriquez - bass, Ali Jackson - drums
90 minutes / Bonus: behind-the-scenes featurette