Nora
Jones’ melodies ease students into fall
By
Christine Adamo
On-line
Forty-Niner
On
Valentine’s Day, “Rolling Stone” magazine
proclaimed 22-year-old Norah Jones to be
one of “10 Artists to Watch” in 2002.
And
“Rolling Stone” could not have been more
true to its proclamation with her new CD
“come away with me”.
If
you were lucky enough to hear Jones perform
her first two singles, live Feb. 28 on KCRW’s
“Morning Becomes Eclectic,” hosted by Nic
Harcourt on 89.9 FM, you know that “Rolling
Stone” was right—and their timing could
not have been better.
A
fantastically intoxicating debut, “Come
Away With Me” was released by Blue Note
Records on Feb. 26, 2002. There is no better
way to create an oasis of calm at the start
of the fall semester than by following Jones
on this open-hearted, far-from-melancholy
folk journey. But be advised, the
CD’s title track and second release, “Don’t
Know Why,” have the power to turn even the
most reluctant of romantics into believers.
If
you let her, Jones will drag you far away
from the trite, self-involved lyrics and
antics of her peers. Think of last
week’s MTV Video Music Awards to get an
idea of what I mean. Unlike Christina,
Britney and Pink, Jones baits you with self-restraint
and hooks you with tremendous musical talent.
Jones,
guitarist Jesse Harris and bassist Lee Alexander
took turns penning the majority of the CD’s
14 songs. Jones’ signature and roots
emerge in sultry vocal and piano tracks
laid down on two covers: “Cold Cold
Heart” written by Hank Williams, Sr., in
the late ‘40s and “The Nearness of You”
written by jazz legend Hoagy Carmichael
in 1937.
“Come
Away With Me” will make the end of summer
pass like a dream and the act of tumbling
into autumn as graceful as Jones’ entry
into the music industry.
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