All photos by Susana Capra
www.examiner.com
by Phyllis Pollack
Willie Nelson and Family performed last night at Club Nokia in Los Angeles last night, sharing the stage with nine-time Grammy Award winners Asleep With The Wheel, who opened the show. There was nothing dysfunctional about this family last night, as the band delivered hit after hit. Nelson, dressed in black, wore his iconic long hair in a braid, pulled to the side. During the evening, he would toss bandanas into the audience, and at one point, flung his hat into the crowd. At last night’s show, it was as much Willie at the wheel, as it was Willie and the Wheel.
The Bismeaux Records album Willie And The Wheel, featuring Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel, has been nominated for Best Americana Album, and for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, for the upcoming 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010.
A track from Nelson’s album American Classic, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” featuring Norah Jones, has been nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the category of Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. The disc is on Blue Note Records, and is produced by Tommy Lipuma. An alluring set of tracks, it features Nelson’s flawless interpretations of timeless standards including “The Nearness Of You,” “Fly Me To The Moon” and “Angel Eyes.”
As far as the family, Nelson’s sister Bobbie played keyboards, his son Lukas played guitar, and they were joined by with other friends in Nelson’s musical family, including longtime drummer Paul English, as well as his brother, Billy, and harmonica player Mickey Raphael, who has performed with numerous artists ranging from Neil Young to Motley Crue.
Asleep At The Wheel also played the fan favorite, “Route 66,” written by the late Bobby Troupe. “Big Ball’s in Cow Town” was to follow, as was “San Antonio Rose.”
Nelson joined Asleep At The Wheel for “Hesitation Blues,” the opening track from the Willie And The Wheel, released in February this year. “Oh! You Pretty Woman,” “I’m Sitting On Top Of The World,” and the party song “Bring It On Down To My House” from the album were also played last night. The idea for the critically acclaimed album came from the late journalist and record producer Jerry Wexler. The album also features Vince Gill. “Sitting On Top Of The World,” also heard on that album, was one of the evening’s songs that proved what a perfect musical union transpires when Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel roll together. There was never a dull moment throughout the show.
“Poncho And Lefty” offered great harmonies. After a few numbers Nelson then left the stage, and the band continued to play. Jason Roberts dazzled the audience with fiddle and vocals, while Eddie Rivers and Ray Benson’s boogie woogie vocals and guitar kept the crowd hopping. An extraordinary front man, Benson mesmerized the crowd.
It is always great to hear different versions and interpretations of Nelson’s songs, both performed by Willie, as well as his renditions performed with other artists. Tonight’s gig with Asleep At The Wheel was no exception.
After a short break, Nelson returned with his six-piece Family Band, opening with “Whiskey River.” Next was “Still Is Still Moving To Me.” A reggae version of this song, recorded by Toots and the Maytals, can be heard on Toots Hibbert’s 2004 True Love album, a compilation that featured Nelson, and other guest artists including Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Hibbert and Richards were among guests on Nelson’s Outlaws And Angels album. “Still Is Still Moving To Me” rocked last night’s crowd.
Sporting bandanas, interchanged with two hats during the show, Nelson sang a heartfelt version of the song he wrote that was recorded by Patsy Cline, the anthem “Crazy,” and he shot into the blues rocker “Night Life.”
“Shoeshine Man” received immense applause, in part due to the guitar solo. Bobby Nelson, with locks even longer than her brother Willie’s, offered lots of honky tonk keyboards.
Nelson’s son, Lukas, with a style all his own, played impressive blues leads during the show.
The audience sang along to songs like the charming “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” and Nelson performed the tearjerker “Always On My Mind.”
The mellow and moving “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground” was one of the many highlights of the performance.
Nelson played other signature tracks including “On The Road Again,” and he treated the audience to “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”
The boogie woogie “Superman” was part of the evening’s set, as was “Rainy Day Blues,” which featured a harp solo and a jam session.
Nelson played solos and shredded chords on his N-20 Martin guitar, and the band proved they could go from beautiful to gritty with “Bloody Mary Morning.”
At times during last night’s show, members of the audience were in tears, moved by Nelson’s performance.
The lyrically clever “Pick Up The Tempo” also kept the audience enraptured. The 1948 gospel track “I Saw The Light,” originally recorded by Hank Williams, was another number that kept Nelson’s audience hooked.
Nelson was clearly enjoying himself throughout the evening, smiling at the crowd, and having fun during works like “Jambayala” and “Hey, Good Lookin.” Next was a boogie woogie version of “Movin On Over,” a song made popular by the radio hit recorded by George Thorogood.
The evening ended as Nelson left the stage, and the band played a medley of Christmas songs, including “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” and “Jingle Bells.”
During last night’s moving ballad “Funny How Time Slips Away,” Nelson sang, “I never know when I’ll be back in town.” Whenever that time is, however, it will not be soon enough for Nelson’s fans that attended last night’s show.
Read the article, and see a slide show of more great photos at:
http://www.examiner.com/x-19141-Hollywood-Concerts-Examiner~y2009m12d9-Willie-Nelson-and-Family-roll-hits-through-Los-Angeles-Concert-with-Asleep-At-The-Wheel