Night & Day

One of the true icons of country music, Willie Nelson has seen more of life than most of the rest of us combined – including well publicised bouts with alcohol and drugs and a particularly intimate knowledge of the workings of the IRS. Through it all, however, the quality of his music has been consistent in its excellence, and for the most part Night & Day, his first instrumental collection – which was Grammy-nominated – maintains that record.

At under thirty-five minutes playing time, it’s a tad on the short side, and a couple of the early performances are laid back to the point of being almost catatonic. On tracks like ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ and ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ he and his cohorts, particularly Mickey Raphael on harmonica and Johnny Gimble on fiddle and mandolin, sound as if they’re having a high ol’ time. Come to think of it, they probably are.

Night And Day is relaxed, beautifully crafted and performed with love and affection. Perfect for long-distance journeys or with a late night bottle of red – I should know, I’ve tried it with both – it will continue to please the Nelson fan-base until the next time.