Norah Jones first rose to stardom 22 years ago with her critically-acclaimed debut Come Away With Me. Her groundbreaking blend of jazz, folk, and pop music revolutionized piano-forward singing for a new century.
Norah Jones is the daughter of sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and offers quietly melodious vocals. Often joined onstage by musicians such as bassist Lee Alexander or guitarist Jesse Harris.
Her debut album Come Away With Me
Smooth jazz has withstood numerous revivals (think ska, swing, punk and classic rock) over time – such as Norah Jones’ debut album Come Away With Me as evidence.
The 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition celebrates Norah’s arrival as a true musical talent, providing all-new liner notes that cover every step in creating this timeless album.
Norah Jones’ debut album features a soothing, inviting sound that is both comforting and soothing, ending with the track “That’s Life”, recalling old cartoons with similar sentiments.
Her second album Feels Like Home
Jones returned after winning multiple Grammy awards with her debut Come Away With Me by taking a different approach with this album, recording songs alongside both existing band members as well as some brand new musicians.
This music features grooves ranging from laidback to rockingly designed, making this album sound country, chanson and psychedelia (with standing blues featured prominently in “All This Time”).
Cover of Tom Paxton classic “Creepin’ In,” earning her a Grammy award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.
Her third album Not Too Late
Norah Jones’ third album, composed entirely or co-written by herself in Texas, is elegant yet understated. With 13 tracks written or co-written by herself that range across styles – though predominantly smooth – the record proves a satisfying listen.
Come Away With Me was a collection of breathy intonations on classic jazz standards while Feels Like Home ventured further into Countryesque territory, but Not Too Late found Norah at a pivotal musical crossroads. She has skillfully brought together all her disparate influences into one cohesive whole; making this album still worldly but now even more mature sounding than its predecessors.
Her fourth album The Fall
Seven years after her debut with Come Away With Me, Norah Jones is now 30 and more at ease as an individual artist. On this album produced by Jacquire King – known for working with Modest Mouse and Tom Waits among many other acts – Norah explores alternative-rock territory gracefully guided by producer Jacquire King (whose clients also include Modest Mouse and Tom Waits).
The Fall features guest appearances from Ryan Adams, Okkervil River’s Will Sheff and session aces Joey Waronker and Marc Ribot – yet it feels more personal to her; her songs have more of their own personality this time around, with late night grooves like Light as a Feather and Stuck sounding more refreshing than Mazzy Star-style torch balladry she had been limited to since 2007. Overall The Fall marks an outstanding step forward.
Her fifth album Little Broken Hearts
Grammy-winner Norah Jones explores new musical territory on this album. While its sound may differ slightly from her classic material, its core characteristics remain.
Producer Brian Burton – also known as Danger Mouse – infuses these songs with lively beats and old-timey ambience, all while keeping the focus on Jones’ distinctive vocals.
Travelin’ On is an outstanding track from Little Broken Hearts that showcases both cello and vocalist Jones doodled dreamily together with her vocals rising into near falsetto – both elements creating an impressively nuanced exploration of wounded emotions that never descends into self-conscious melodrama.
Her sixth album Day Breaks
At her best, Dallas native Jones excels as an alluring crooner; yet on this album she also demonstrates an ability to compose emotive melodies. “Home”, its opening track, sets the scene with its gently rustic groove featuring Jones’s seductive voice over pizzicato strings and lively bass – an auspicious start indeed!
Music critic Tom Moon notes the musicians on this album tread more delicately, seeking nuance while magnifying Norah’s voice.
Day Breaks was Jones’s follow up to his multiplatinum hit Come Away With Me, returning to jazz influences from her debut. This subtle gem earned eight Grammy awards including Album of the Year.
Her seventh album Pick Me Up Off the Floor
Jones’ seventh album casts aside genre barriers to highlight her vocal and emotive songwriting talent. From existential anxiety to hope in darkness, she turns these feelings into intimate moments of personal expression and emotion.
Jones created her album from her award-winning singles series over the past two years and collaborations with artists like Mavis Staples and Thomas Bartlett, among others. While initially not intending to release an album, Jones found that all of her leftovers combined into an incredible piece of work that showcases both depth and beauty.