4/5
Visions Of Norah
Back in the Budokan, exactly one week after the 'Rock Invasion' of alternative rockers, the Smashing Pumpkins, we returned to see Norah Jones in Tokyo for the first time in almost three years, coming out of COVID. The perfect pianist played this beautiful and traditional Tokyo 1964 Olympics gymnasium the last time she was here, and we still have a Jones for Norah, like many of the tour tees from then that popped up amongst the lime green seats under the Japanese flag in the auditorium's rafters. A little different from the 'Mellon Collie' that came last week, Norah came out draped in midori and colour schemes from her last Grammy winning album (the 'Visions' of last March with El Michels Affair). But using light like Japan's own Sakanaction, at Yokohama's K-Arena last month, we really felt the warm glow on stage for her signature 'Sunrise', or the rich red wine drenching the hearts yearning for the epic encore of her classic closer, 'Don't Know Why'.
This weekend, Norah Jones will headline the 2025 Blue Note jazz festival in Tokyo's Ariake Arena. Bringing back memories of ordering her 'Day Breaks' (what an album) mocktail whilst seeing OutKast Andre 3000 play with a flute at Tokyo's beautiful Blue Note jazz club. Ne-Yo, Take6, Tower Of Power, Daichi Miura and many more will take part in this fond festival, but Miss Jones is the main attraction. And this may have been the first leg of her trip, which will afford Jones the opportunity to see many of the sights and sounds of Japan, but this was anything but a warm-up set. In a year of Jack White taking the Toyosu Pit and Haim headlining Fuji Rock with Vampire Weekend, The Hives and more, Norah brought the calm to the stage as we headed to the fall, like her classic album. Or tracks from 'Little Broken Hearts', like a new version of 'Happy Pills', 'Before The Fall'. Opening the show, with all eyes getting butterflies, she performed her 'What Am I To You' single off her sophomore set 'Feels Like Home', Jones was backed by a beautiful band, including her Puss N Boots supergroup member Sasha Dobson.
This had us wanting sounds off of their 'Sister' set, like we wanted the 'Jolly Jones' "la-la-la-la's" of her 'I Dream Of Christmas' album. Hey, this may be the fall, but September is even earlier than last time's October. Besides, wanting for tracks you may not hear in a deluxe discography is like complaining about not everyone showing up for your birthday party. We should have been more than happy with what we got. Hearing new cuts for the first time in Japan was 'Paradise', like the 'Running' single, or 'I Just Wanna Dance' sweet song that sounds even better live (check the VevoStudio take, like her new 'Summertime Blue(s)' with John Legend). 'Rosie's Lullaby' had me in 'Not Too Late' memories from my 20s of an old love with the same name. And the absolute diamond classic 'Come Away With Me' and one of the most beautiful lyrics of all-time ("come away with me, and I'll never stop loving you") truly moved the crowd with her signature live piano arrangement of this that has become Jones lore. Norah even broke out some compelling covers of Minnie Ripperton's iconic 'Les Fleurs' and Tom Waits' wonderful 'Long Way Home' after the encore turned us back on. The former not even being part of her prepared set list. Now, that's visionary. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Set-List Picks: 'I Just Wanna Dance', 'Rosie's Lullaby', 'Don't Know Why'
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