Norah Jones : I Dream Of Christmas Review
Norah Jones has been a crossover artist that combines elements of jazz, pop, country, and adult contemporary into something magical. Her warm, alluring singing has captured many awards over the past twenty years. Her 2002 debut album Come Away With Me became a familiar musical companion for millions of people worldwide and began her ever-evolving music catalog. Now, for 2021, the 9-time GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist has released her first-ever holiday album, I Dream Of Christmas. The project has a combination of timeless Holiday favorites and new originals that capture the emotions of our times for this holiday season. Produced by Leon Michels, the album features an excellent cast of musicians, including Brian Blade on drums, Tony Scherr and Nick Movshon on bass, Russ Pahl on pedal steel guitar, Marika Hughes on cello, Dave Guy on trumpet, Raymond Mason on trombone, and Michels on saxophone, flute, percussion, and more.
The opening track, “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones),” is Jones’ original, expressing a deep desire for holiday cheer and companionship. “When I was trying to figure out which direction to take, the original songs started popping in my head,” Norah explains. “They were all about trying to find the joys of Christmas, catching that spark, that feeling of love and inclusion that I was longing for during the rest of the year. Then there are all the classics that have that special nostalgia that can hit you no matter who or where you are in life. It was hard to narrow down, but I picked favorite classics that I knew I could make my own.” The light funky feel is augmented by Jones’ angelic voice with a delightful set of lyrics. A strong original for the Holiday season.
Another strong selection on an album full of many treasures is Jones’ reinvention of The Chipmunk’s “Christmas Don’t Be Late” by David Seville (Ross Bagdasarian). The cross of jazz, country, and pop are strong on this one and will allow listeners of all ages and musical interest to be able to have fun while enjoying this classic Holiday tune. The vocal harmonies are excellent, and so are the New Orleans-inspired horns. Just good fun for the Holiday season.
Jones has an enjoyable project with Dream Of Christmas, with her music appealing to a broad audience. Her vocal tone is filled with lusty exuberance that inspires one to notice and hear the melody. In addition, the band delivers excellent performances throughout the project. Jones also had the good sense to combine originals with the Holiday’s most authentic classics on the album. Together this all equates to a beautiful Holiday album featuring one of jazz’s most recognized and accolated vocalists of our time.
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Norah Jones
I Dream Of Christmas
October 15, 2021
Blue Note Records