Norah Jones at Budokan, October 18th 2022

 

Before this show the only time I went to Budokan was in December 2013. It was for a tribute concert that used to be held annually to commemorate the date of John Lennon’s death. My wife got free tickets and we sat at the very last row of this immense venue. I remember lots of Beatles and Lennon’s covers performed by J-Pop artists most of them unknown to me. At the end of the show I did see one of the most electrifying performances I’ve ever seen. Yoko Ono was already octogenarian, minute in size, barely over 150 centimeters; but her magnetism and electricity was palpable at that last row of seats. I haven’t seen many performers that could command a stage like she did that day. 

This time I got better seats, still balcony but not last row. There were also for another female performer that I think in time will acquire a similar legendary status. Norah Jones came to Japan after a five years absence, a pause presumedly expanded due to the current pandemic. She played three dates at Budokan, one in Osaka, one in Nagoya and one in Sendai. This was the last show of the tour. 

She has had quite a unique career. Her first album is the second biggest selling debut album of all time, behind Appetite for Destruction. It’s also the second biggest seller of the past twenty years after Adele’s 21. Unlike other artists within this realm of extreme popularity, she never compromised her style and stuck to her guns. Her jazz with country affections sound has been refined through the years. Her songwriting chops solidified. Her forays into guitar rock a la Neil Young make her stand out among the so-called easy listening pack. It was quite a sight to see her rocking out center stage with a Fender Jazzmaster while wearing the type of sequin outfit you’ll mostly associate with Dinah Washington or Betty Carter.  

She came to promote her latest album released during the pandemic, Pick Me Up Off the Floor. The tour was also a 20th anniversary celebration for Come Away With Me, the aforementioned record that put her on the map. She brought with her an excellent opening act. Rodrigo Amarante, co-leader of one of the biggest bands from the nineties in Brazil, Los Hermanos. He played material from his solo records as well as his theme song for the series Narcos. Like lots of other Brazilians performers do, he chose to render these with just an acoustic guitar and his voice. Even with the lights on his tunes were strong enough to provide the required entrancing atmosphere to get us ready for the main act. 

About thirty minutes later Norah Jones’ posse walked in. The amazing group of musicians that completed the quartet that took these familiar tunes to the stratosphere. Brian Blade on drums, Chris Morrisey on bass and Dan Iead on guitar and pedal steel. They started with the ominous intro to Just a Little Bit, a truly haunting tune that stands out in her discography for its somewhat somber build up to a climax and its thunderous Massive Attack-like bass line. The build up was enhanced with Norah Jones joining her comrades on stage. She was received with thunderous applause and sang from center stage with no instrument in hand. A magical moment.

She then moved on to the grand piano and played I’m Alive from her latest album, a song she co-wrote with Jeff Tweedy from Wilco. Followed by quite possibly the two most loved songs from her sophomore album Feels Like Home: What Am I To You? and Sunrise. She then broke out an outtake from the Come Away With Me sessions, the darker in tone Something is Calling You. Probably not included in her debut due to its less upbeat mood. Another introspective tune came next, It Was You. With its Memphis Hi Records vibe it closed up this sublime start of the set.

Jones then strapped on the guitar and moved center stage. She got to explore the heavily reverb sound she seems to be very fond of, exchanging licks with Iead. Almost turning Little Broken Hearts and Rosie’s Lullaby into psychedelic nuggets, expanding them in length. It was then back to the piano for another song of the latest album, Say No More, followed by one of my favorites of the evening, Tragedy. This song got one of the most energetic receptions from the audience. How was this not a big hit at the time of its release?

There was a bit moment of miscommunication between Morrisey and the rest of the band. He picked up the wrong instrument for the following song, Happy Pills. Jones informed us that it was an update to the setlist, presumably a different song was supposed to be played.  The upbeat tune lead up to the soulful Carry On and Jones took another expressive solo that was received with wide applause. Not a lot’s been said about her prowess behind the keys. Unlike some of the previous bands she has toured with, this one has a definite more jazz oriented flavor, enhanced with Blade’s nifty approach to the art of drumming. Jones stands her ground among this outstanding group of musicians and more. It felt like a meeting between the best of two worlds, I was reminded of the Tony Bennett albums he recorded with Bill Evans.

As a matter of fact the whole show’s atmosphere was that of a jazz club performance, including the silver glittery curtains in the background that you’ll usually associate with this kind of setting. All done extremely tasteful. They managed to convey this mood in this big scale arena, keeping it authentic and engaging throughout the whole set.

After inviting Rodrigo Amarante to perform Falling, the main set closed with a trio of songs. Young Blood and two back to back songs from her landmark debut. The title track Come Away With Me and an epic rendition of Nightingale. The musicians left  and came back to a stage tinted in blue lights to play the song that will close the whole tour, the pretty much anthemic Don’t Know Why.

Norah Jones is definitely underrated. Her overwhelming initial success pigeonholed her music as background songs for coffee shops and what not. Nothing further from the truth. She’s not afraid of experimenting and expanding the palette of her songs, turning her already accomplished polished studio productions into whole different beasts, vibrant, full of life in a live setting. And what can be said about that voice. Without a doubt one of the best. I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to think of her as a future legend. The show went way beyond my expectations.  

Thank you for reading. Please follow me on Twitter for updates at @ConcertTokyo. You can also click the Like button and get notifications at The Tokyo Concert Experience on Facebook.