Norah Jones took liberty with her blockbuster success to set out on a musical walkabout, spending a good portion of the decade following 2004's Feels Like Home experimenting, either on her own albums or on a variety of collaborations. Day Breaks, released four years after the atmospheric adult alternative pop of the Danger Mouse-produced Little Broken Hearts, finds Jones returning home to an extent: it, like her 2002 debut Come Away with Me, is a singer/songwriter album with roots in pop and jazz, divided between originals and sharply selected covers. Such similarities are immediately apparent, but Day Breaks is much slyer than a mere revival. That term suggests a slight air of desperation, but Jones comes from a place of confidence on Day Breaks, happy to demonstrate everything she's learned over the years. Often, these tricks are deliberately sly: she'll pair her torchy original "And Then There Was You" with a woozy, bluesy cover of Neil Young's "Don't Be Denied" that winds up evoking Come Away with Me, then follow that up with the dense, nocturnal rhythms of "Day Breaks." She threads in versions of Horace Silver's "Peace" and Duke Ellington's "African Flower" while inviting saxophonist Wayne Shorter and organist Lonnie Smith in to play -- moves that signal that there's a strong, elastic jazz undercurrent to Day Breaks that means this record breathes more than her debut. Such a sense of quiet adventure gives the record depth, but what gives it resonance are the exquisitely sculpted songs. Jones' originals feel as elegant as time-honored standards, and all her covers feel fresh. The former speak to her craft, the latter to her gifts as a stylist, and the two combine to turn Day Breaks into a satisfying testament to her ever-evolving musicianship. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
TTracklist :
1 Burn = バーン 4:39
Acoustic Bass – John Patitucci
Drums – Brian Blade
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Sopranino Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Sarah Oda
2 Tragedy = トラジェディ 4:14
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass – Chris Thomas
Electric Guitar – Tony Scherr
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Percussion – Daniel Sadownick
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Sarah Oda
3 Flipside = フリップサイド 3:41
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass – Chris Thomas
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Dr. Lonnie Smith
Percussion – Daniel Sadownick
Vocals, Piano, Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ], Electric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Pete Remm
4 It's A Wonderful Time For Love = イッツ・ア・ワンダフル・タイム・フォー・ラヴ 3:53
Acoustic Bass – Chris Thomas
Drums – Brian Blade
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Sarah Oda
5 And Then There Was You = アンド・ゼン・ゼア・ワズ・ユー 3:05
Acoustic Bass – Chris Thomas
Bass – Tony Maceli
Cello, Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Dave Eggar
Conductor [String Conductor], Arranged By [Arrangement] – Chuck Palmer
Drums – Brian Blade
Orchestrated By [String Orchestration], Copyist – Phil Faconti
Viola – Todd Low
Violin – Katie Kresek, Max Moston
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Pete Remm
6 Don't Be Denied = ドント・ビー・ディナイド 3:36
Acoustic Bass – Vicente Archer
Backing Vocals – Catherine Popper, Petter Ericson Stakee, Sarah Oda, Sasha Dobson
Drums – Karriem Riggins
Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Tony Scherr
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Trombone – J Walter Hawkes
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar – Norah Jones
Written-By – Neil Young
7 Day Breaks = デイ・ブレイクス 3:57
Bass – Tony Maceli
Cello, Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Dave Eggar
Conductor [String Conductor], Arranged By [Arrangement] – Chuck Palmer
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass, Electric Guitar – Chris Thomas*
Orchestrated By [String Orchestration], Copyist – Phil Faconti
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ], Electric Guitar – Pete Remm
Pedal Steel Guitar – Dan Iead
Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Viola – Todd Low
Violin – Katie Kresek, Max Moston
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Pete Remm
8 Peace = ピース 5:15
Acoustic Bass – John Patitucci
Drums – Brian Blade
Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Horace Silver
9 Once I Had A Laugh = ワンス・アイ・ハッド・ア・ラーフ 3:12
Acoustic Bass – Vicente Archer
Drums – Karriem Riggins
Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Trombone – J Walter Hawkes
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones
10 Sleeping Wild = スリーピング・ワイルド 3:07
Acoustic Bass – Chris Thomas
Bass – Tony Maceli
Cello, Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Dave Eggar
Conductor [String Conductor], Arranged By [Arrangement] – Chuck Palmer
Drums – Brian Blade
Orchestrated By [String Orchestration], Copyist – Phil Faconti
Viola – Todd Low
Violin – Katie Kresek, Max Moston
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Sarah Oda
11 Carry On = キャリー・オン 2:48
Acoustic Bass – Chris Thomas
Backing Vocals – Dr. Lonnie Smith
Drums – Brian Blade
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Jon Cowherd
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones
12 Fleurette Africaine (African Flower) = アフリカの花 5:21
Acoustic Bass – John Patitucci
Drums – Brian Blade
Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Duke Ellington
– BONUS TRACK –
13 Carry On (Live At The Flynn Center For The Performing Arts In Burlington, VT) = キャリー・オン(ライヴ) 2:37
Bass, Backing Vocals – Josh Lattanzi
Drums, Backing Vocals – Greg Wieczorek
Guitar – Jason Abraham Roberts
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones
14 Flipside (Live At The Newport Jazz Festival) = フリップサイド(ライヴ) 4:39
Backing Vocals – Anjelika 'Jelly' Joseph, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball
Bass – Chris Thomas
Drums – Brian Blade
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Norah Jones, Pete Remm
15 Peace (Live At The Newport Jazz Festival) = ピース(ライヴ) 4:12
Backing Vocals – Anjelika 'Jelly' Joseph, Tarriona 'Tank' Ball
Bass – Chris Thomas
Drums – Brian Blade
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Horace Silver
16 Don't Know Why (Live At The Newport Jazz Festival) = ドント・ノー・ホワイ(ライヴ) 3:36
Bass, Backing Vocals – Josh Lattanzi
Drums, Backing Vocals – Greg Wieczorek
Guitar – Jason Abraham Roberts
Organ [Hammond B-3 Organ] – Pete Remm
Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
Written-By – Jesse Harris
Friday, August 9, 2024
NORAH JONES — Day Breaks (2016) SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Saturday, April 27, 2024
NORAH JONES — Come Away With Me (2002-2022) Super Deluxe Edition | 3CD SHM-CD Japan | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Norah Jones' debut on Blue Note is a mellow, acoustic pop affair with soul and country overtones, immaculately produced by the great Arif Mardin. Jones is not quite a jazz singer, but she is joined by some highly regarded jazz talent: guitarists Adam Levy, Adam Rogers, Tony Scherr, Bill Frisell, and Kevin Breit; drummers Brian Blade, Dan Rieser, and Kenny Wollesen; organist Sam Yahel; accordionist Rob Burger; and violinist Jenny Scheinman. Her regular guitarist and bassist, Jesse Harris and Lee Alexander, respectively, play on every track and also serve as the chief songwriters. Both have a gift for melody, simple yet elegant progressions, and evocative lyrics. (Harris made an intriguing guest appearance on Seamus Blake's Stranger Things Have Happened.) Jones, for her part, wrote the title track and the pretty but slightly restless "Nightingale." She also includes convincing readings of Hank Williams' "Cold Cold Heart," J.D. Loudermilk's "Turn Me On," and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You." There's a touch of Rickie Lee Jones in Jones' voice, a touch of Bonnie Raitt in the arrangements; her youth and her piano skills could lead one to call her an Alicia Keys for grown-ups. While the mood of this record stagnates after a few songs, it does give a strong indication of Jones' alluring talents. David R. Adler
Tracklist :
CD1 - Come Away With Me - Time: 00:45:09
CD2 - Come Away With Me - The Demos , First Sessions Outtakes , First Sessions EP - Time: 00:58:19
CD3 - The Allaire Sessions - Time: 00:46:08
Saturday, April 6, 2024
NORAH JONES — Visions (2024) Two Version (Blue Note – 00602458671445) + (Blue Note – UCCQ-9666 Japan Bonus Track) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless & FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Norah Jones named her eighth proper studio set Visions because many of the musical ideas occurred to her in the middle of the night, right when her consciousness was hazy: they weren't fully realized so much as an apparition. That sense of dreaminess carries through to the finished product but not in ways that are commonly associated with such a description. Far from being an album constructed for twilight hours -- a dimly lit excursion into mood music -- Visions is clear and light, its textures vividly articulated and its rhythms mellow and fluid. It's music that feels alive, inhaling and exhaling with a gentle insistence; it's never rushed, never clipped. Despite the record's inherent relaxation, Visions never quite proceeds in a linear path. Chalk this up to Jones' choice of collaborator. Working again with Leon Michels, a veteran of the seminal retro-soul outfit Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings who previously produced Norah's 2021 seasonal set I Dream of Christmas, Jones embraces the possibilities of psychedelic-tinged soul without succumbing to its trappings. Visions pulsates softly and sweetly, like a lava lamp slowly shifting colors in the background. The hues aren't hyper-saturated; they're pleasing pastels radiating warmth. The emphasis on atmosphere isn't unusual for a Norah Jones album -- after all, she has worked with hip-hop collage artist Danger Mouse -- but Visions feels bright and open. It glides between modulated soul jams, languid ballads, and hopeful pop tunes, each enlivened by flair that's felt more than heard: horns start to sigh in the background, Jones' voice gets an off-kilter filter, guitars take an elliptical journey to a resolving chord. The results aren't startling so much as they're fresh, avoiding musical and lyrical clichés. Witness "That's Life," a closing number that offers its inspirational advice not only with a knowing shrug but a song that rushes into a chorus and backs away on its bridge; the sentiment is familiar, but the execution isn't. It's a fitting farewell on a record that offers boundless imagination underneath its cool surface. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1 All This Time 3:15
Written By, Drums, Bass, Guitar, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
2 Staring At The Wall 4:31
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
3 Paradise 3:25
Written By, Drums, Bass, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar – Norah Jones
4 Queen Of The Sea 4:46
Drums, Bass, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Norah Jones
5 Visions 2:42
Engineer – Leon Michels
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Vocals, Guitar – Norah Jones
6 Running 3:28
Written By, Drums, Tambourine, Baritone Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
7 I Just Wanna Dance 3:07
Written By, Bass, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Drums – Homer Steinweiss
Written By, Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Electric Piano], Electric Guitar – Norah Jones
8 I'm Awake 4:18
Bass – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
9 Swept Up In The Night 3:34
Drums – Brian Blade
Electric Bass – Jesse Murphy
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Tambourine, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Omnichord – Norah Jones
10 On My Way 3:52
Drum Programming, Tambourine – Leon Michels
Written By – Pete Remm
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Organ, Keyboards, Bass – Norah Jones
11 Alone With My Thoughts 4:14
Bass [Upright Bass] – Jesse Murphy
Drums – Brian Blade
Trumpet – Dave Guy
Written By, Organ, Tenor Saxophone – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano – Norah Jones
12 That's Life 4:22
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
— JAPAN BONUS TRACK —
13 Can You Believe 3:56
Written By, Drums, Bass – Leon Michels
Written By, Vocals, Piano, Organ – Norah Jones
Monday, March 11, 2024
NORAH JONES – ... Featuring Norah Jones (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
In the wake of her 2002 blockbuster debut, Norah Jones became an in-demand duet partner, popping up on albums from all manners of musicians. The 2010 compilation, …Featuring, helpfully rounds up 18 of these guest appearances, including a cut by the Jones-fronted country cabaret outfit the Little Willies, and what impresses is the range of collaborators and the consistency of the music. Anybody who called Norah up for a duet was clearly smitten by her way with slow-burning seduction, as they almost without fail cast her in that role for their own recordings, smoothing out rough edges or adding some sultry sophistication. This would seem like a limited specialty, but Featuring proves it’s not. Jones sounds as comfortable trading verses with Willie Nelson and Ray Charles as she does acting as a counterpoint to Q-Tip and Outkast, providing alternating contrasts according to the setting; she freshens the veterans and provides a touch of timeless elegance to her modern rock peers. It may all be variations on a theme, but the sounds and songs change just enough for the music to be quietly absorbing. Better still, when these side shows are grouped together as a main attraction, they manage to sound of a piece. These may be songs that appeared on other artist’s albums, but when presented as a collection, they seem to belong only to Norah Jones. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist
1. The Little Willies - Love Me (3:53)
2. Foo Fighters - Virginia Moon (feat. Norah Jones) (3:52)
3. Sean Bones - Turn Them (feat. Norah Jones) (4:06)
4. Willie Nelson - Baby It's Cold Outside (feat. Norah Jones) (4:01)
5. Norah Jones & Sasha Dobson - Bull Rider (2:58)
6. Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Ruler of My Heart (feat. Norah Jones) (3:00)
7. El Madmo - The Best Part (3:25)
8. Outkast - Take Off Your Cool (feat. Norah Jones) (2:39)
9. Q-Tip - Life Is Better (feat. Norah Jones) (4:27)
10. Talib Kweli - Soon the New Day (feat. Norah Jones) (4:04)
11. Belle & Sebastian - Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John (feat. Norah Jones) (4:25)
12. Ray Charles - Here We Go Again (feat. Norah Jones) (3:58)
13. Norah Jones - Loretta (feat. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings) (3:23)
14. Ryan Adams - Dear John (feat. Norah Jones) (4:37)
15. Norah Jones - Creepin' In (feat. Dolly Parton) (3:04)
16. Herbie Hancock - Court & Spark (feat. Norah Jones) (7:36)
17. Charlie Hunter - More Than This (feat. Norah Jones) (4:12)
18. Norah Jones - Blue Bayou (feat. M. Ward) (3:45)
– BONUS TRACK –
19. Wyclef Jean - Any Other Day (feat. Norah Jones) (4:13)
All Credits :
Thursday, November 9, 2023
NORAH JONES – Pick Me Up Off The Floor (2020) SHM-CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Once she came to the end of the promotional cycle for 2016's Day Breaks, Norah Jones decided to challenge herself by recording a series of swift sessions with a rotating cast of collaborators. The intention was to release the results quickly, issuing them as a digital single at a time, and Jones followed through on this plan, releasing a new song every few months throughout 2018. These tunes were rounded up on 2019's Begin Again, but that wasn't the end of the project. Jones cut a number of songs during these sessions that were unreleased but not forgotten by the singer/songwriter. She kept listening to the rough mixes, eventually coming to the conclusion that these tracks would make a strong album of their own accord. Pick Me Up Off the Floor proves her instincts were correct. Lacking the purposeful digressions of Begin Again -- an album where the digressions were the entire point -- Pick Me Up Off the Floor is a tighter affair than its companion record, firmly rooted in the after-hours jazz-folk-pop hybrid that's Jones' calling card. Some of the cohesion may be due to how a good chunk of the album is anchored by her standby drummer Brian Blade, but it's also true that this record's collaboration with Jeff Tweedy is the amiably rambling "I'm Alive," a number that is firmly stationed within Jones' wheelhouse. The same could be said about Pick Me Up Off the Floor in general. There are accents and flourishes that distinguish the tunes -- "Flame Twin" is charged by curlicues of guitars and smears of organ, "To Live" is graced by muted horns straight out of the Big Easy -- but as a collection of songs, Pick Me Up Off the Floor winds up emphasizing how Jones slyly and elegantly synthesizes a pop sensibility with a jazz execution, a fusion that is comforting yet relies on her idiosyncratic twists. This blend of warmth and invention is what's so appealing about Pick Me Up Off the Floor: the shape may seem familiar, but the construction of the songs and the inventiveness of the performance keeps it fresh and surprising even after the first listen. Stephen Thomas Erlewine Tracklist + Credits :