Norah Jones burst onto the scene at age 23 with her instant hit debut album Come Away With Me, which revolutionized piano-forward jazz for an entire new generation. Since then she has played sold-out concerts at New York’s Apollo Theater and Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre among many others.
Jones is an accomplished pianist and singer-songwriter who has collaborated with various artists. While she remains modest and unassuming in her approach, never boasting about her successes or disclosing details of her personal life, Jones remains humble about it all.
Background
Norah Jones was born Geetali Norah Shankar to famed sitar player Ravi Shankar and Sue Jones of New York City. At an early age, Norah relocated with her mother Sue Jones to Grapevine, Texas where she took music classes as well as joining a children’s choir.
Norah attended the University of North Texas, majoring in jazz piano and singing with the UNT Jazz Singers. However, after two years she decided that her study environment wasn’t right for her and dropped out.
She soon moved to New York, where she established a band led by guitarist Jesse Harris that released their debut album Come Away With Me which became an enormously successful hit.
Jones has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide of her debut album, Not Too Late (2007 and Little Broken Hearts (2012). Jones has earned widespread acclaim for her ability to seamlessly blend traditional jazz with pop, country and other genres of music.
Early life
As 20-somethings look towards their futures, many hope for success and fulfillment – Norah Jones has accomplished exactly this and more.
Jones moved to New York City in 1999 with the intent of realizing her dream of becoming a jazz singer. An opportunity presented itself for subletting a friend’s apartment in Greenwich Village which allowed her to pause her university studies; shortly thereafter she signed with Blue Note Records as an artist.
Her debut album, Come Away with Me, was an enormously popular debut and cemented her status as one of the decade’s top musical talents.
She has since released six more albums. Her most recent offering, Day Breaks, proves Jones to be this generation’s quintessential American artist; its sound weaving together the bedrock styles of country, folk, soul and jazz into something elegant yet restrained yet deeply emotional. Additionally she is an accomplished songwriter as well as having collaborated with some of the top musicians including Wayne Shorter, Eric Harland, Kenny Mason & Tony Mason drummers as well as Kronos Quartet cellist Jeff Ziegler.
Career
Since her 2002 debut album Come Away With Me, Norah Jones has developed an unparalleled career marked by constant exploration and evolution. Hailing from New York City, Jones’ music blends jazz, country, and pop genres into an irresistibly catchy blend that has won her fans around the globe.
Visions marks a return to her roots while pushing the limits of her sound, adding fresh funk and psychedelic flavors to her signature melodies. It marks her first release since 2021’s holiday collection I Dreamed of Christmas.
Norah is joined in this episode by legendary singer-songwriter and bassist Alynda Segarra from Hurray for the Riff Raff, as they discuss how their careers have developed as well as the power of community. Alynda performs some elegant originals as well as an incredible rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Norah is gearing up for her upcoming tour which will visit Brooklyn Paramount Theater, Carnegie Hall in Manhattan and Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison Colorado among other venues.
Personal life
Norah Jones first emerged onto the world stage with her debut album Come Away With Me in 2002, becoming an instant classic and multi-platinum success, winning five Grammy Awards that year.
Norah has successfully navigated various musical genres and found great success both jazz and pop worlds. She has performed alongside Keith Richards, Ray Charles and Tony Bennett; recorded a tribute album to The Everly Brothers with Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day; released albums of country music through Little Willies band as well as Puss n Boots group;
Norah Jones has maintained an intimate presence during her years of success, choosing not to appear on album covers or make public appearances. She lives in Brooklyn with partner Pete Remm and their two unnamed children (whose identities have never been released publicly). Norah continues working as a musician as well as making several film and TV projects in recent years.