Norah Jones | …Featuring

Norah Jones | …Featuring

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Norah Jones is a chameleon – to say the least. The singer/songwriter/pianist began as a fixture of jazz and ‘torch songs’ but over a decade has evolved as a genre-defying super-musician. With one of the most distinctive, recognizable voices of our time, it is no wonder that Ms. Jones, the daughter of famed sitar player Ravi Shankar has collaborated with so many of her contemporaries, encompassing an expansive array of genres. Across the exceptional and depth-filled …Featuring, Norah Jones covers jazz, folk, rock, R&B, country, blues,and of course the jazz that helped to establish her on her own Album of the year winning Come Away With Me way back in 2002. Über fans may complain of the exclusions (“Any Other Day” from Wyclef Jean’s 2007effort Carnival II is absent for example), but for the most part across these eighteen songs, Jones has her collaborative efforts covered.

The album opens with an incredibly soulful “Love Me,” which features The Little Willies. Here, Jones takes the lead vocals with superb backing vocals heightening the soulful, organic mood of the cut. The piano playing by Jones is bluesy, particularly a solo that appears later on,not to mention an equally superb guitar solo. Jones definitely begins the album strongly. Equally is enjoyable is “Virginia Moon” as performed by the Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones from their 2005acclaimed LP In Your Your Honor. Here, strummed guitar and subtle piano lines by Jones give this uncharacteristic cut for the hard rock band a jazzy quality that is quite appealing. Vocally, Jones sounds great,despite the fact that her voice is mixed in the background behind Dave Grohl (the front man of The Foo Fighters). The musicianship is clear two tracks deep.

“Turn Them” finds Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones. Here, Jones play sinto the indie-/alt-rock style just a comfortably and assimilating as within anything else on this effort. While it is shade less enjoyable than “Love Me” or “Virginia Moon,” it is much more than just a solid,ordinary cut. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” finds Jones working with Willie Nelson from his 2009 jazz-standards effort American Classic. Nelson’s vocal performance is a bit underwhelming (lets not forget his age), but Jones picks up the slack and duo ends up being a moderately successful one. The excellent “Bull Rider” (written by Rodney Cromwell) is performed with Sasha Dobson. One of the album’s better cuts, he chemistry vocally between Jones and Dobson is undeniable. Here, the country-styled track suits Jones’s distinct vocals perfectly.

“Ruler of My Heart,” performed by Dirty Dozen Band featuring Jones, is another ‘match made in heaven.’ Here the horns of the Dirty Dozen Band soulfully support one of Jones’ most nuanced performances of her career.Who would have thought that three minutes would be so ‘jam-packed’ with soul? “The Best Part,” performed by El Madmo (Jones playing guitar and Daru Oda playing bass) is minimalist, contrasting every other cut up until this point. While the songwriting is a bit difficult to latch on to, the listening is captivating in itself just to here Jones play guitar if nothing else.

A series of hip-hop collaborations follow, all interesting within their selves. “Take Off Your Cool” appears from André 3000’s half of the Album of the Year winning Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Unsurprisingly, a weird, but nice chemistry can be heard between Jones and André 3000.On “Life Is Better,” she is the featured guest of intellectual rapper Q-Tip from his 2008 Grammy nominated effort The Renaissance. Jones’ breathy, distinct vocal prove perfect here; Q-tip doesn’t begin rapping until past the two minute mark. Closing the hip-hop segment, Talib Kweli’s “Soon The New Day” (from 2007’s Eardrum) finds Jones with a nice, though somewhat small cameo appearance.

“Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John” finds Belle & Sebastian featuring Jones in one of the best cuts. Smartly, Jones shifts from hip-hop back to a more organic sounding production that we’ve grown accustomed to hearing her in. “Here We Go Again” was a record of the year winner when it bowed after the late, great Ray Charles’s death(Genius Loves Company). The engineering of this track is perfect with Ray playing acoustic piano, Jones playing electric piano, and the late great Billy Preston playing the B3 superbly. “Loretta,” featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings finds Jones assimilating to country once more in another standout turn. Here, no percussion is used,giving this cut a folksy, ‘roots’ kind of effect.

“Dear John” (Ryan Adams featuring Jones) is as strong as anything else,with some superb musical ideas expressed, though had the production been tweaked the slightest bit more, it could have even been more magical. “Creepin’ In,” from Jones’s own 2004 album Feels Like Home, features a very ‘young’, beautiful sounding Dolly Parton. It just may be the country cuts that exploit the greatness of Jones’ voice the most.“Court and Spark” finds Jones once again dabbling in the company of album of the year winners with Herbie Hancock being the host artist (2007’s River: The Joni Letters). “Court and Spark” is a superb cut,but at nearly eight minutes, it is better suited for its parent album.“More Than This” marks another jazz return for Jones as she is featured with guitarist Charlie Hunter. Closing cut “Blue Bayou” (featuring M.Ward) is solid, though not the best of this overall exceptionally piece together effort.

Overall, what can you say about a compilation album? Great and memorable cuts together make for a brilliant listen. Jones is prodigiously talented and this album showcases those gifts. This compilation is incredibly well pieced together.

Brent Faulkner
The Urban Music Scene