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by: Frank De Blase
You won’t hear Willie Nelson on jazz radio, but I’ve always felt the haphazard phrasing and the time signatures he probably invented qualify him as such. But don’t fence him in. Nelson is one of the greatest songwriters of our time, and he would be even if he’d stopped at “Crazy.” Always the gregarious renegade, Nelson rolls with the outlaw country set, is a staunch supporter of the American farmer, and smokes more weed than the guests at a Jamaican bar mitzvah. From the haunting bluegrass of “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” classics like “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” to hillbilly rave-ups like “Freight Train Boogie,” Nelson’s new album, “Country Music,” is a one boss record.
Levon Helm opens the show. Willie Nelson plays Thursday, July 29, 8 p.m. at CMAC, 4355 Lakeshore Dr, Canandaigua. $52-$67. cmacevents.com.
