Norah Jones brings new songs, eclectic covers and a winning jazz to the Academy of Music
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Singer-songwriter Norah Jones brought a gripping performance to the Academy of Music this past Saturday. Currently on her Day Breaks Tour with The Candles as her opener, she premiered an array of songs from much of her new album, Day Breaks, as well as a number of covers that compliment her style and range.
The Academy of Music is the perfect setting for Jones, allowing her jazzy vocal timbre to resonate throughout the floor and top balconies. As she opened her set with her lyrically driven “Sinkin Soon,” she set the tone for a smoky heartfelt evening of jazz and pop. Going right into a sultry “I’ve Got to See You Again,” the band paused and she sang the chorus to the background of just her piano and drums with drummer, Greg Wieczorek.
As a multi-instrumentalist, Norah switched from piano to guitar during renditions of Puss N Boots cover, “Don’t Know What It Means,” and then ended the song, “Stuck” with an encore-worthy guitar solo that transitioned right into an unexpected cover of The Grateful Dead’s “It Must Have Been the Roses.” As the second act was nearing its end, Norah gave the band a break and performed the next four songs in proper singer-songwriter fashion with just her and the piano, starting with Brian ‘Danger Mouse’ Burton-produced “Little Broken Hearts.”
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As the band finished their 17-song set with hits from their newest album, Jones shared memories of time spent in Philadelphia with the crowd, mentioning how the city played a big part in influencing her sound. Once the encore started, Jones and the band came together to the front of the stage and did an all-acoustic set of “Sunrise,” with bassist Josh Lattanzi on the upright bass, and the remaining members on back-up vocals.
As a tribute to Dolly Parton, they sang, “Creepin’ In” a collaboration with Parton from Norah’s second album Feels Like Home. As the lights went dim, they closed out the night with a cover by Hank Williams, “How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart,” followed by a standing ovation and fans throwing various flowers on stage. With so many hits, and a variety of covers to mix it up, the nine-time Grammy winner showed Philadelphia why she is still impactful 14 years after her first album, Come Away With Me. While she’s great at stepping out of her comfort zone and dabbling in other genres, she flourishes most behind the piano, playing what she’s known for…and that’s jazz.
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