Norah Jones – Visions
Norah Jones is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose new album Visions marks her first release since 2015. Produced by Leon Michels (known for working with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Logic), Visions marks Norah’s return.
Norah was raised outside Dallas and attended Grapevine Middle School and Booker T Washington High School for the Performing Arts before enrolling at University of North Texas’ famous music program but ultimately left after two years.
She was born in New York City
Jones made her professional debut on her 16th birthday at a Dallas coffeehouse, choosing Billie Holiday’s I’ll Be Seeing You as the song to showcase. Since then she has won multiple Down Beat Student Music Awards and enrolled at University of North Texas to major in jazz piano performance.
Come Away With Me was widely lauded for its delicate blend of acoustic pop and jazz. Feels Like Home followed soon after as another step on her musical journey that demonstrated her range as an artist.
On her fourth album, The Fall, she collaborated with veteran producer Jacquire King who had worked with such artists as Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse and Tom Waits. Additionally, she recruited new songwriting collaborators including Ryan Adams of Okkervil River’s Will Sheff; this collaboration yielded Chasing Pirates which reached No 13 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts and produced its hit single Chasing Pirates which became No. 13 hit single. Additionally she appeared alongside Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz in My Blueberry Nights movie alongside Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz among others.
She is a singer-songwriter
Norah Jones first gained wide public notice with her 2002 release of Come Away With Me, an album which proved an instantaneous hit and sold more than 4 million copies worldwide, winning Grammy Awards for album, record, and song of the year as well as becoming an adult contemporary radio staple with ballad “Don’t Know Why”.
Jones left college after only two years and moved to New York, where she waited tables and sang jazz standards in Greenwich Village clubs. Later she formed a band with guitarist Jesse Harris and bassist Lee Alexander to record demos that led to an agreement with Blue Note Records.
Now nine albums into her career, Norah Jones returns with Visions, a collection of ten songs exploring themes of hope and healing. For this edition of World Cafe, Norah sits down with Matt Berninger and Bryce Dessner from The National to discuss her latest album.
She is a multi-instrumentalist
Norah Jones is an award-winning singer/pianist whose music blends elements of jazz, soul, country, and pop. She has received critical acclaim for her vocal prowess and musical talent; both were noted by critics when her albums achieved critical and commercial success; she received multiple Grammy nominations based on these albums alone! Additionally, Norah can often be found performing live alongside her band and touring worldwide.
At the University of North Texas, she studied jazz piano and sang with the UNT Jazz Singers. Following graduation, she moved to New York City and formed a band with Jesse Harris.
Come Away with Me was an instantaneous hit in the United States alone, selling more than one million copies. It features both originals and covers by jazz luminaries such as Billie Holiday and Etta James; Jones credits this album with kickstarting her career. Her second record Feels Like Home proved equally engaging and emotive.
She is a producer
Norah Jones introduced herself to the world with her 2002 self-described “moody little record”, Come Away With Me. It quickly become a worldwide phenomenon, winning eight GRAMMYs and making Norah Jones an international star.
Norah has followed her muse wherever it leads throughout her career, from jazz to folk to pop and country. 2012’s Little Broken Hearts marked an exceptional step forward by teaming her with producer Danger Mouse for an album which defied easy genre categorisation.
Visions, her latest release, serves as an accompaniment to 2020’s Pick Me Up Off the Floor and showcases an artist with classic rendition. This set speaks of feeling free to dance and accepting what life brings in its entirety. Recorded over two sessions with Jones reassembling her band after revisiting previous performances and working on new arrangements, Visions is sure to create an impactful listening experience for any music lover.