Norah Jones: Taking the World by Storm

If you haven't heard of Norah Jones yet, you must be living in a cave. Or so it would seem. Recently, Jones seems to have been everywhere, which is hardly a bad thing. Jones offers a refreshing change to the world of jazz, let alone to the world of music. Having made appearances on seemingly all the late night talk shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, appeared in noteworthy magazines such as Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, and not to mention airplay on both television and radio, its safe to say that Norah Jones is just about everywhere.

Wondering what all the buzz is about fellow music lovers? Well read on and just maybe you'll find something worth checking out. Which of course, in my opinion, is.

So yet another great musical artist has come out of Texas. Surprisingly, this one's not from the musical mecca of Austin, but straight out of Dallas. Norah Jones is the greatest thing to happen to the music world in quite awhile. Jones` sound offers something for everyone. Her music features not only jazz and soul, but is flavoured with sounds from different genres such as pop, folk, and even a little bit of country.

Jones is unusual not only because of her unique sound, but the fact that she is a mere twenty-three-years-old. Jones, the daughter of famous sitar player Ravi Shankar, was born in New York on March 30, 1979, but spent most of her years in Texas with her mother, Sue. Although music runs in her blood, Jones was more influenced by the diverse sounds of her mother's music collection than her father's music career.

Music made such an impression on Jones that she decided to attend Booker T. Washington's High School for the Performing and the Visual Arts where she developed her natural talent even further. By the mid-nineties, while still in high school, Jones was winning awards. In 1996 she won the Down Beat Student Music Awards for Best Jazz Vocalist and for Best Original Composition. Jones also won Best Jazz Vocalist a second time in 1997. Jones continued her musical education by studying piano for two years at the University of North Texas.

After venturing to New York City for a summer that turned into a permanent move, Jones found herself dropping out of school to pursue her passion for music. Most would agree that the move was one of the smartest decisions she could have made. Jones soon found herself in a band comprised of herself, Lee Alexander, Jesse Harris, and Dan Reiser. In 2000 the group approached the famous jazz record label, Blue Note Records, with a demo. Blue Note seems an interesting choice for Jones and her band as jazz is not the only sound that Jones brings out in her music. But Blue Note Records boss Bruce Lundvall was reportedly so impressed by the demo that he signed Jones on the spot. Lundvall`s decision has turned out to be a huge success, as Jones` album has been on Billboard Magazine's "The Billboard 200" chart for a whopping 33 weeks, peaking at number 6, which is utterly amazing for a new artist.

Signing with Blue Note opened doors for Jones. Suddenly she found herself with the option of having legendary producer Arif Mardin work on her debut album. Mardin is known for his work with such artists as Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Willie Nelson, and Dusty Springfield, just to name a few. Jones had also worked with producer Craig Street earlier which produced several versions of songs that appear on the album.

The album features two original compositions from Jones, including the title track "Come Away With Me." Other songs included on her album are by band mates Lee Alexander and Jesse Harris who can definitely hold their own in the song writing department. Jones also includes some interesting choices for a "jazz" artist. Jones covers "Cold Cold Heart," by classic country crooner Hank Williams, perhaps influenced by her upbringing in Texas. Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," also appears on the cd. Arguably the best song on the album is Jones' cover of "Turn Me On," by J.D. Loudermilk, yet another country singer, although Jones` version comes out more blues than country.

Spanish audiences following Jones` career will be glad to know that Jones will be stopping in Spain for two concert dates on her European tour. Catch Jones in Barcelona on November 5th or in Madrid on November 6th. Although not as well known in Europe as in America, raw talent such as Jones` sells out venues quickly, so make sure to get your tickets soon.

The upcoming concert in Madrid