Norah Jones

When Norah Jones released her debut disc, Come Away With Me, on Blue Note Records in February 2002, the then 22-year-old singer had no idea the album would be a best-seller. In fact, she kept her expectations low. “I like having low expectations, ‘cause then if something turns out well, you’re always surprised in a good way,” says Jones at Sear Studios in New York while doing the final mixes on her new album.

As it turns out, Jones enjoyed an abundance of surprises. A runaway hit, Come Away With Me became a multi-Grammy winner, multi-platinum seller and opened the door for her to perform around the world with her band. Her producer Arif Mardin surmises that the CD was a tipping-point album. “People were ready for heartfelt music,” he says, while working with Jones on the mixes. “Norah is in the vanguard of another kind of pop music listeners have been yearning for. We’re now in a period of time where listeners are looking for real artists.”

Norah Jones returns to the heartfelt on the eagerly anticipated Feels Like Home, her new Blue Note album. The collection features the singer-songwriter-pianist once again teaming with Mardin, engineer Jay Newland and her close-knit touring band. Jones has penned several songs"by herself and with songwriting partner Lee Alexander"gathered other songs from her band mates and friends, and delivers three covers: Townes Van Zandt’s “Be Here To Love Me,” Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan’s “The Long Way Home” and Duke Ellington’s “Melancholia,” which she wrote lyrics to and retitled “Don’t Miss You At All.”

Feels Like Home was recorded in two sessions. Last April Jones and her band convened in an upstate New York studio and worked on new songs, including some they had been performing in concert. After an extensive U.S. summer tour, everyone reassembled in New York City to revisit the tracks already recorded, work on different arrangements that had been road-tested and add new numbers to the mix.

On the disc, Jones plays piano, Wurlitzer electric piano and pump organ and features her core group, comprising guitarists Adam Levy and Kevin Breit, background vocalist Daru Oda, bassist Lee Alexander and drummer Andrew Borger. She also brings aboard a select short-list of guests, including Dolly Parton, drummer Levon Helm and organist/accordionist Garth Hudson of The Band, long-time friends guitarists Jesse Harris and Tony Scherr, drummer Brian Blade and keyboardist Rob Burger.

Mardin oversaw the production and again watched Jones work her magic. “These new songs have been a wonderful journey. This album is not about synthesizers or computers. It’s about Norah being au natural. She doesn’t need pitch correction. She’s always in tune, and her voice always touches you. Millions of people around the world feel the same way.”

Like the first album, Jones imbues the music on Feels Like Home with country, pop and jazz colors. Unlike the quiet, balladic mood of Come Away With Me (which she once characterized as “mellow”), Jones varied the tempo on the new album to reflect the evolution of her live performances. “I’m very proud of my first record, but I was ready for something a little different,” she says, then jokes, “This time it’s not quite as mellow. But it’s still pretty low-key.”

The first single of the CD, “Sunrise,” has a bright, buoyant feel and is a tune co-written by Jones and Alexander. “We’ve been writing a lot together the last two years,” she says. “We finally figured how we work best.”

The Borger-Oda tune “Above Ground” grooves with funky tinges and chills with gorgeous harmony vocals. “We played this song for the first time in April, and the rehearsal ended up being the take. I’m glad Jay taped it!”

Levy’s contribution, “In the Morning,” features Jones pushing beyond the mellow zone with a bluesy wail and a Wurlitzer solo. “Well, that’s rockin’ out for us,” she says with a smile. “Actually, that was one of the first new songs that we played when we started.”

Alexander’s hoedown, “Creepin’ In,” another Jones and Co. upbeat in-concert highlight, almost didn’t make it onto the record because the group wasn’t sure it would mesh with the rest of the material. But after Jones was invited to Nashville to sing with Dolly Parton at the 2003 Country Music Awards, she decided to ask the country singer for a favor: to duet with her on the bluegrass-spiced number. “We asked Dolly if she’d like to sing on the album and she said yes,” says Jones. “We were so nervous when she came into the studio. She came in and sang her butt off. She sounds great, and Kevin has a great guitar solo on it.”

Equally exciting for Jones was the participation of Helm and Hudson. A big fan of both, she brought the pair in to help her finally nail “What Am I to You,” her tune that had been recorded previously. “We’ve recorded that song five times but never quite got it.” On a whim, she called Tony Scherr to take a stab at it when her other two guitarists were out of town. Then she brought in Helm and Hudson. “It was real special. I have a lot of respect for both of them, and they’re so nice.”

There are several other band originals in the collection, including two slow-tempo beauties with Harris guesting on guitar: Jones and Alexander’s melancholic “Carnival Town” and Alexander and singer-songwriter friend Richard Julian’s lyrical “Those Sweet Words.” Jones and Alexander also collaborated on another live favorite, the gently flowing “Toes”; Breit contributed the character sketch “Humble Me,” and Jones co-wrote “The Prettiest Thing” with Alexander and Julian.

As for covers, Jones renders Townes Van Zandt’s “Be Here To Love Me,” which she points out has “my favorite Adam Levy guitar moment on the album.” Originally she chose the tune to help pick up the tempo on the CD. “But we ended up slowing it down,” she says. “Garth sounds great on the accordion, and Kevin, Adam and Daru sang background vocals.” She hastens to add, “It’s a great song. I love Townes.”

Jones is also an admirer of Tom Waits, whose song “The Long Way Home” (co-written by Waits’ wife Kathleen Brennan), driven by an upbeat Johnny Cash-like guitar bass line, appears on the album. “I met Tom and Kathleen at a concert he was doing. Tom asked me if I had listened to the demos he sent me,” Jones says. “I didn’t even know he had sent me anything, but I assured him I would track them down.” She did and she liked what she heard, but was reluctant at first to record it. “We’ve covered a couple of his tunes in concert, but it’s hard to do because I like his versions so much. I’m a huge fan. We pretty much recorded it like he did.”

Feels Like Home also features a song Jones developed four years ago. She wrote lyrics to the Duke Ellington instrumental “Melancholia,” recorded a demo of it and has been performing it regularly in concert. She decided to record it for the new disc (as “Don’t Miss You At All”) especially because Blue Note President Bruce Lundvall loves it so much. “I didn’t set out to write lyrics to this song,” she says. “Just the thought of touching an Ellington composition scares me. But I was so inspired by it.”

Inspiration is at the heart of Feels Like Home. While Jones approached recording her follow-up to Come Away With Me with the same sense of musical integrity, she maintains that she did not set out to duplicate its achievement. “I’m glad that people liked the last album. It was where I was at the time, musically. This is where I am now. That’s what a recording is for me, like a snapshot. We had so much fun making this record.”
Show less

The Christmas Show with Norah Jones and Mars Williams

by Jerome Wilson
December 27, 2023

This holiday show features Christmas-related jazz, some of it warm and cozy, some of it anything but. Artists heard include Norah Jones, Mars Williams, Benny Goodman, 3D Jazz Trio, and John Coltrane. Playlist Jerry Granelli Trio “Christmas Time Is Here" from The Jerry Granelli Trio Plays Vince Guaraldi and Mose Allison (RareNoise) 00:00 Host Speaks 4:23 3D Jazz Trio “I Wonder As I Wander" from Christmas in 3D (Self-Produced) 4:51 George Gee Swing Orchestra “God Rest Ye Merry ...

Radio & Podcasts

Hard Sledding

by Patrick Burnette
January 6, 2022

Like musicians in every genre, jazzers can't resist the lure of making Christmas and/or holiday themed albums from time to time. Some of the efforts turn into timeless classics. But let's be real—most of 'em don't. We talk about two recent efforts, an oddity from the 'ninties, and one of Capitol records many repackaging of their back catalog for holiday commerce. Straps yourselves in, elves. Playlist Discussion of the album A Capitol Christmas featuring various artists (Capitol) 6:25 ...

Radio & Podcasts

Joy and Wonder: New Holiday Releases

by Mary Foster Conklin
December 20, 2021

This broadcast presents new holiday releases from harpist Jacqueline Kerrod, vocalists Alexis Cole, Norah Jones, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Jose James plus seasonal singles from Elisabeth Lohninger, and flutist Ragan Whiteside, with birthday shoutouts to Dave Brubeck, Bob Dorough, Cory Weeds, Diane Schuur and more. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by purchasing their music during this time of pandemic so they can continue to distract, comfort and inspire. Playlist Geri Allen “Joy and ...

Album Review

Norah Jones: I Dream of Christmas

Read "I Dream of Christmas" reviewed by Jim Trageser

by Jim Trageser
October 23, 2021

With Tony Bennett's retirement, the mantle of legitimate straight-ahead pop crooners is now firmly in the hands of subsequent generations: Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall and Norah Jones. Not pure jazz singers, of which there are numerous stellar examples, these singers are more in the Bennett-Sinatra-Fitzgerald mold, bringing a jazz sensibility to pop music. It is in the area of seasonal Christmas music that the crooners have had perhaps their greatest influence. From Andy Williams to Connie Stevens, ...

210

Album Review

Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters

Read "River: The Joni Letters" reviewed by George Kanzler

by George Kanzler
March 6, 2008

The participation of such former and present Grammy nominees and winners as Norah Jones, Tina Turner, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza and Leonard Cohen (reading “The Jungle Line" like a beat poet), as well as the iconic stature of Joni Mitchell herself, may have immeasurably helped in winning this CD the Grammy Album of the Year award. But that doesn't diminish the significance of it being the first jazz album to win the award in forty-three years. For make no ...

537

Album Review

Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters

Read "River: The Joni Letters" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
October 11, 2007

While it might be easy, on the surface, to view pianist Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters as a continuation of Possibilities (Hear, 2005), nothing could be further from the truth. Possibilities was an unapologetically pop record; River is unequivocally jazz--although such broad classifications shouldn't matter. River is, quite simply, a superb disc that takes Joni Mitchell's extant jazz proclivities and gives them an even greater interpretive boost. The majority of River is culled from Mitchell's “classic" songwriting ...

124

Album Review

Norah Jones: Feels Like Home

Read "Feels Like Home" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
February 23, 2004

How does a young jazz artist follow-up and debut release that sold 17 million copies and garnered six, count them, six Grammy Awards?

She relaxes.

Norah Jones answered her well-received recording Come Away With Me with the comfortable as quilt Feels Like Home. In its first week of release, the sophomore recording sold one million-plus copies, making Bruce Lundvall and the EMI suits some of the happiest men alive. There is really no downside to this. ...

Festival

58th San Sebastian Jazz Festival: 100+ Concerts / 15 Venues / Headliner Shows Free from July 21-25 2023!

Source: San Sebastian Jazz Festival (Jazzaldia)
March 27, 2023

For years the San Sebastian Jazz Festival had harboured the wish of billing Norah Jones in the city. That dream will come true on 22 July when the singer performs at the Kursaal Auditorium. Another of the aims fulfilled is being able to enjoy two British artists we have tried to bill for several editions, and who will perform in the Plaza de la Trinidad this year: the singer Joss Stone and the saxophonist Nubya Garcia. Completing our wish list ...
read more

Festival

Nice Jazz Festival and Jazz at Juan les Pins 2018

Source: All About Jazz
June 3, 2018

The Cote d'Azur, France's legendary playground, celebrated the first jazz festival 70 years ago but the concept did not become an annual event until the early 1970s. Set beside the impossibly blue Mediterranean, jazz festivals are celebrated all along the coast from Cannes to Monte Carlo. Here we look at two major events in July, Nice Jazz Festival and Jazz at Juan les Pins, Antibes. The first jazz festival was organized by Jacques Herbey in Nice in February ...
read more

Performance / Tour

Shows I'll Never Forget: Norah Jones, June 29, 2003

Source: Something Else!
November 20, 2011

In Boston OK, lemme get this part out of the way: I was really, really excited to see the name “Gillian Welch" on the FleetBoston Pavilion marquee. Apparently, lots of folks didn't share in my excitement ... 'cause about 75 percent of those in attendance kept up a constant drone of blabbing during the performance by Welch and Rawlings. Rawlings even asked the crowd for just a little bit of quiet ... joking about needing it for just one song. ...
read more

164

Recording

Guilty Pleasures: Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (2004)

Source: Something Else!
June 19, 2011

By Mark Saleski Smack in the middle of the initial Norah Jones explosion (remember? When it seemed like the radio was tryin' to brainwash you by playing “Don't Know Why" every 20 minutes or so ... and you kept thinkin' “gee, aren't there any other songs on that CD?) it was pretty easy to pick up on signs of the backlash. It was bound to happen. Somebody steps into the official RisingStar position and immediately the wet blanket brigade pipes ...
read more

344

Recording

...Featuring Norah Jones

Source: Groove Notes
November 8, 2010

I have often said that Norah Jones is the most versatile vocalist since Ray Charles. There are many that disagree with me, for a variety of reasons, but very few of their arguments actually have to do with her versatility. Some will say she isn't a true (insert genre here) singer, but that argument to me just goes to show that she can succeed at a variety of styles and sounds without having to be a jazz, folk, rock, country, ...
read more

120

Festival

Austin City Limits Festival Announces Lineup

Source: Michael Ricci
May 19, 2010

The Eagles and Phish will be making their only festival appearances of the year at the ninth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Tex., from Oct. 8 to 10.

They will be joined by more than 100 other acts, including Muse, the Strokes, M.I.A., Norah Jones, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, the National, Gogol Bordello, Deadmau5, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, Sonic Youth, Monsters of Folk, the XX and Girls.

Want some more names? O.K.: Matt and Kim, ...
read more

109

Performance / Tour

Norah Jones at the Orpheum Theatre

Source: Michael Ricci
April 26, 2010

It's hard to feel sorry for Norah Jones: At 31, she's already sold more records than most artists will over a lifetime, and despite her soccer-mom appeal, she's retained a kind of cool-musician cachet, collaborating in recent years with Bright Eyes, Beck and the Beastie Boys. In an unsteady music industry, hers is a success story with both commercial and creative dimensions. Still, on Friday night at the Orpheum Theatre, where Jones played a sold-out date on her current U.S. ...
read more

162

Recording

Norah Jones: When Gritty Meets Girly

Source: Michael Ricci
November 30, 2009

The songstress delves into darker territory on The Fall Norah Jones gets her hands dirty on her new album, The Fall - figuratively speaking, of course. We are, after all, talking about one of the gentlest voices in jazz-pop, an artist who has sold more than 35 million copies of her first three albums. So she wasn't about to go all hardcore on us. The Fall was produced by Jacquire King, who has worked with Tom Waits and indie-rock acts ...
read more

197

Video / DVD

Norah Jones' "Chasing Pirates" Video World Premiere

Source: Michael Ricci
November 1, 2009

Check out Norah Jones' “Chasing Pirates" official video world premiere on VH1.com! Filmed in Norah's hometown of NYC, the video was directed by Rich Lee (Fergie, Michael Buble) who has worked on the visual effects for all three Pirates of the Caribbean movies. “Chasing Pirates" will begin to air on the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown on October 31. “Chasing Pirates" is the lead single off Norah's upcoming album The Fall, which will be released on EMI/Blue Note Records on ...
read more

335

Recording

Norah Jones to Release "The Fall" on Blue Note Records

Source: Michael Ricci
September 26, 2009

Multiple Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Norah Jones will release The Fall, her fourth studio album on Blue Note Records on November 17, 2009. Jones wrote nearly all of the songs in the past two years since completing tours in support of her 2007 global chart-topping, U.S. double-platinum album Not Too Late. Beloved by fans for her sultry vocals and jazz-informed, piano-driven pop songwriting, Jones has taken a new direction on The Fall, seeing it as ...
read more