Norah Jones - Day Breaks (BLUE NOTE)

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

Sultry vocalist and pianist Norah Jones latest recording Day Breaks is cleverly disguised as a singer-songwriter album with roots in pop and jazz, divided between originals and sharply selected covers.It’s clever because her previous recording dates have deliberately strayed from these roots but now she has dangled the musical lure out to welcome back any disillusioned fans that may have become disloyal from those previous musical meanderings to deliver an album of depth and resonance.There’s a bluesy cover of Neil Young’s Don’t Be Denied -a real highlight-that winds up evoking her first big hit Come Away with Me. Ms Jones then follows that up with the dense nocturnal rhythms of Day Breaks playing piano with a fluid keyboard touch alongside Wayne Shorter on soprano sax and members his trio,Brian Blade( drums) and John Patitucci (bass).They are outstanding on the tracks - Horace Silver’s Peace and Duke Ellington’s African Flower, and it’s on these that her jazz roots flourish and come to fruition. Throughout the album she sings with more depth and resonance than ever before.Such a sense of quiet adventure gives the record depth but what gives it resonance are the exquisitely sculpted original Jones’ songs that feel as elegant as Songbook standards. Day Breaks is a testament to Norah Jones’ ever-evolving musicianship

Barry O’Sullivan