Stars and Guitars
Lost Highway www.losthighway.com

Death and taxes. As long as the mainstream music biz totters along, overcharging consumers and putting out substandard product, creepy music executives will drive a successful formula into the ground (and they'll charge you $20 a pop for it). On Stars and Guitars, country legend Willie Nelson — who knows a little something about the inevitability of taxes — tries on the Santana formula only to find it's an ill-fitting suit of clothes. Paired with “stars” like Toby Keith and the ubiquitously bland Rob Thomas, the red-haired stranger finds himself adrift in a VH-1 sea of mediocrity, running through perfunctory versions of his classic songs. Marred by a relentlessly slick production and lifeless performances, Stars and Guitars sounds like a half-hearted attempt to cash in. Willie deserves better than lukewarm duets with Sheryl Crow and Jon Bon Jovi. So do we.

▪ Rating (out of 5): 1.5

A Jazz Celebration
Marsalis Music/Rounderwww.marsalismusic.com

When scientists complete the human genome project, perhaps they will be able to explain the Marsalis family. That much talent in one family boggles the mind (though Charlie Haden and his progeny certainly have their share of chops). Trumpet, sax, trombone, drums — the Marsalis family knows what it means to woodshed. A Jazz Celebration — which documents a tribute concert to Ellis Marsalis as he retired from the University of New Orleans in 2001 — teems with crisp, comfortable performances, the sound of musicians who share a bond of music and blood. The elder Marsalis shines on the ivories, and Jason Marsalis's drumming is understated yet forceful. From an evocative take on “Surrey with a Fringe on Top” to Branford's edgy “Cain and Abel,” the group sounds relaxed yet focused; after all, the family that plays together stays together.

▪ Rating (out of 5): 4