Album: …Featuring
Artist: Norah Jones
Release Date: Nov. 12
Label: Blue Note
Grade: B+
Norah Jones has returned to the airwaves in all of her bluesy glory. Her newest album, entitled …Featuring, is a collection of 18 duets and collaborations with some of the biggest stars in the music industry.
While Jones is best known for making her own music, on her latest release, she is just a guest vocalist on other artists' songs. These might not be Jones' songs, but her voice is the cornerstone to all of the tracks featured on …Featuring.
Collaborators on the album range from Willie Nelson to Ray Charles to Talib Kweli to OutKast. Somehow, Jones has managed to collect some of the biggest superstars in the music industry on one quality compilation album that doesn't start with "Now…That's What I Call Music."
Possibly the most astonishing aspect about the album is the versatility displayed by Jones. Hitting every genre from jazz to country to hip hop, Jones shows an amazing sense of flexibility. Moving from country to hip hop without missing a beat is no easy feat, and she really showcases her amazingly dynamic voice.
Standout tracks on the album include "Soon the New Day," a collaboration with Talib Kweli, and "Here We Go Again," Jones' Grammy-winning duet with the great Ray Charles.
The content of the album spans Jones' entire career from her early 2001 recordings all the way up to current material, allowing the listener to sense her development as an artist in a single album.
Overall, …Featuring is a well-constructed and quality album. Whether you are in the mood for mellow jazz or you just want to listen to something good, …Featuring is exactly what you are looking for.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
