Willie Nelson fills in for Cole

In a bit of serendipitous timing, Willie Nelson will take over for Natalie Cole, who was forced by illness to cancel her scheduled appearance Wednesday at the Hollywood Bowl with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Although it may appear as an odd-couple pairing, Nelson and Marsalis will re-create some of the music from their collaboration early last year when they played four shows at Lincoln Center, performances documented on the album “Two Men With the Blues,” being released today.

The pair’s only scheduled public performance together in conjunction with the album’s release had been an appearance Thursday on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.”

-- Randy Lewis