American Classic is just that, a record of classic American songs and Willie himself is an “American classic” so the title is fitting in so many ways. The record kicks off with the splendid “The Nearness of You,” gets into a swingin’ groove with “Fly Me To The Moon” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” The production form Tommy Lipuma is genteel and a perfect complement to Willie. Fans of Willie’s unique nylon string guitar “Trigger” will be saddened to hear that Willie only breaks the guitar out on one track on the record. Then again, this record is all about American classics.
There are two duets on the record and the first duet is with popular jazz vocalist/pianist Diana Krall. They sing the classic torch ballad “If I Had You.” And like all many of the great duets Willie’s done in the past, this one really is a perfect marriage of artists and song. The second duet is the playful “Baby It’s Cold Outside” with Norah Jones. This is is also the song where Willie and Norah both ‘duet’ with their instruments while Mickey Raphael breaks out one of his stellar harmonica solos. I have a feeling the song will make its way to country music stations for the holiday season (while also finding itself in a film or two in the future).
Willie’s recorded plenty of classic songs in the past, but is perhaps best known as the guy who made “Always On My Mind” famous again. Well, he may have done it another time here as the song closes out the 12-track American Classic on a familiar, yet fresh mode. This record could win Willie some new friends and fans from the Jazz community and it’s also likely to keep his ever growning fan base happy to have another dose of Willie Nelson, even if it’s not that classic country or roots music that they have long expected him to make. Instead, what we get is truly an American Classic.
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