Looking Back : Elvis Costello and Joe Henry

Over the last 15 years, Elvis Costello and Joe Henry have had some coöperations. I don't know how, and where they first met, but in his Autobiography, Elvis Costello calls Joe his friend.

In 2002, Joe produced Solomon Burke's album Don't give up on me. Elvis Costello wrote the song The judgement, together with Cait O'Riordan.
In that same year, Joe was opening act for a few Elvis Costello concerts.

1 Year later, Elvis Costello received the ASCAP founders award.

ASCAP's Founders Award honors pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music.  Before Elvis, some Founders Award recipients include James Taylor, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Leiber & Stoller, Quincy Jones and Walter Becker and Donald Fagen,...

During that celebration, Joe was bandleader for the special EC tribute concert. The band consisted of: 

Joe Henry : Guitar

Pete Thomas : Drums

Patrick Warren : Piano

David Piltch : Bass

Elvis Costello himself was 1 of the guest artists, but also Solomon Burke, who performed 'The Judgement'. 

2 years later, they found each other again. In December 2005 The album 'The river in reverse' was recorded. An album from Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint produced by Joe. The album was made in the afterdays of Hurricane Katrina. Allen Toussaint was 1 of the many who lost everything. Together with Elvis Costello he made this album to remember everything that was going on in New Orleans. At the same time, the album acknowledged Allen Toussaint worldwide ! Outside of New Orleans, not a lot of people knew Toussaint as the man behind all the great music he made in his career.

Fast forward to 2013 : On April 30 'a tribute to Allen Toussaint' was held. It honored Toussaint's 75th birthday, and benefited the charity organisation NOAAHH (New Orleans Artists, Against Hunge & Homelessness.

Both Costello and Henry were among the performing Artists (Dr John, Irma Thomas, Cyrille Neville,....)
Joe sang 'From a Whisper to a scream'.

 

Additional Sources :
Unfaithful music and disappearing ink
The Elvis Costello Wiki
ASCAP
NOLA