Norah Jones: A New Classic

Norah Jones w/ the Other Band
Venue, Seattle, WA
10.19.16

Over 14 years since her huge splash into the music landscape with her classic debut, Come Away With Me, Norah Jones’ tour brings her to the iconic Benaroya Hall in support of her sixth album, Day Breaks, released earlier in October. Jones took the sold-out crowd through her library of jazz, folk, country, and blues with her signature laid back way about her and her vintage-tinged voice.

Opening the night was the bluesy, Americana songstress from Tennessee, Valerie June. “Hello Seattle, y’all are looking beautiful,” she exclaimed as she began her set. June’s sound bounced from the Delta blues and old-time country to classic folk and simple soul, never skimping on energy. In addition to her impressive vocals, she showed off guitar skills with intricate rhythms, offbeats, and fingerpicking. To close out the night, she went a capella with a Lead Belly cover of “Goodnight Irene,” which disarmed the crowd and was the perfect end to a solid warm-up for Jones.

When Jones first graced the stage, the capacity crowd erupted into applause and she replied in kind with a simple, “Thank you!” She opened the set with “Day Breaks,” a subtly intense rock ballad and the title track to her latest album. From there, her set was filled with the exceptional variety Jones is known for, delving into jazz, rock, country, and blues. It had something for everyone.

Jones held court on her Yamaha grand piano as she worked through her venerable library, including the classic “I’ve Got To See You Again,” an ode to her best friend’s puppy, “Man Of The Hour,” and the hopefully romantic “And Then There Was You.” The cell phones came alive when she played an alternate introduction to her mega-hit “Don’t Know Why,” which triggered a rousing applause probably not heard often in the hallowed symphony hall.

Sitting on stage with Jones was her Gibson SG, which she picked up to play during “Black,” a bluesy rock song with unexpected – but welcomed – edge. Her voice changed subtly with each shift in genre, but it held onto the original soulful qualities that endeared her to the world.

She treated her set like a casual conversation with her adoring fans. It had a deliberate pace, never rushed, always relaxed. “You have to excuse me, it is just tea, not whiskey, fighting a bit of a bug,” she explained to the crowd as she sipped from her red Solo cup. It is this genuine personality, on top of a musical evolution spanning a generation that has established her as a new classic.

Norah Jones Set List
Day Breaks
I’ve Got to See You Again
Out on the Road
It’s Gonna Be
Burn
Sinkin’ Soon
Tragedy
It Must Have Been the Roses (Robert Hunter cover)
Stuck
And Then There Was You
Don’t Know Why
Man of the Hour
My Dear Country
Peace
Black
Don’t Be Denied (Neil Young cover)
Flipside
Carry On
Encore
Come Away With Me
Sunrise
How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart?