So with his Malibu neighbor, Booker T. Jones (that’s right; the legendary member of the Stax Records’ house band and leader of the MG’s with Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper) set as producer Willie entered the studio and picked out ten tunes that would shine like stars in the night sky for his disc of standards. He brings a wonderful country feel to the songs chosen with quiet guitars, soft bass notes, and a harmonica that adds a cowboy campfire vibe to some of the selections.
Disc one of the set is the original album and nothing on it is as overdone as they could have been, not “Georgia On My Mind,” “Unchained Melody,” or “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” The album is simple and the arrangements make these tunes more approachable, showcasing why Willie’s calm voice is perfect for his dreamy project.
From the start of the title song and opening number on the disc it’s easy to hear why Stardust remains so popular. “Stardust” sets the stage and shines a dim light on the path that Willie is about to take us down. His voice is soft as the drums lightly tap behind him. The guitar evokes the spirit of Django Reinhardt and that harmonica wails its lament of “Paradise where roses grew” and “The memory of love refrained.” Even though “Blue Skies” gets a funky treatment, it keeps in step and gives off the same aura as the rest of the tunes, dominated by the Django strumming and cowboy-harp whispers. The piano seems to know its place as well and adds a quite beauty to the mix.
Willie shows that he can make these ditties jump and swing to boot with such light hoppers as “All Of Me” and “On The Sunny Side Of The Street.” He gets his band to reach back to the days when cowboy jazz (western swing, y’all) filled the airwaves and bands had names like Playboys, Doughboys, and Ramblers.
Article comments
1 - Paul Morrissette
Willie Nelson has also recently released a CD with Wynton Marsalis entitled "Two Men With Blues." It includes a new and wonderful performance of "Stardust."
Those who love this song will enjoy my website devoted to my collection of over 770 different recordings of Hoagy Carmichael's classic.