Hit Parade x Broken Record: "Norah Jones Begins Again"
Podcast: Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Host: Chris Molanphy (Hit Parade), Justin Richmond & Don Was (Broken Record)
Guest: Norah Jones
Date: January 3, 2025
Episode Overview
This special crossover episode features Slate's Chris Molanphy introducing a "Broken Record" interview with acclaimed singer-songwriter Norah Jones. Hosted by Justin Richmond and co-hosted by Blue Note Records President Don Was, the conversation dives deep into Norah Jones’s musical origins, creative process, the unlikely beginnings of her career, her genre-defying artistry, and her recent album "Visions." Norah offers insights into her childhood in Texas, musical influences, songwriting quirks, and shares live performances and stories from her years with Blue Note, marking the label’s 85th anniversary.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Beginnings & Early Influences
[06:09 - 11:48]
- Growing up in Grapevine, Texas, Norah describes her childhood as "bouncing around" several schools and even briefly living in Alaska.
- “Grapevine…It's just, I think, strip malls and chain restaurants and it's got one of the biggest malls in Texas. It's quite the suburb.” – Norah [06:25]
- Early music exposure through church choir, marching band (“band nerds”), and a key saxophone teacher who encouraged her to pursue jazz piano locally.
- “They had a synthesis ensemble… The teacher encouraged us to all write songs, and we actually put out a cassette tape.” – Norah [12:07]
- Influences included everything from Paula Abdul to MC Hammer to Digital Underground.
- Norah felt somewhat outside typical racial and cultural categories in Texas, often mistaken for Mexican or Black.
- “People never really knew what I was...but I never encountered any negativity from it. Just nosiness.” – Norah [10:14]
2. Jazz Roots & Schooling
[11:49 - 15:40]
- Attended Dallas’s Arts Magnet high school (alumni: Erykah Badu, Roy Hargrove), majoring in jazz piano but struggled with classical standards.
- Cited key influences: Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, Sarah Vaughan.
- Emphasized the importance of technical foundations but cherishes individuality:
- “Some of my favorite voices are imperfect or weird or whatever they are, but they embody themselves.” – Norah [32:14]
- Early gigging at a Dallas Italian restaurant where she began singing and playing piano together.
3. Moving to New York & Songwriting Evolution
[19:01 - 26:46]
- Dropped out of University of North Texas after classical jury failures and headed to NYC.
- Immersed herself in New York’s vibrant music scene: jazz clubs (Smalls, Tonic), singer-songwriter venues (The Living Room).
- First tried songwriting in a high school synth class but felt awkward. NYC friends’ inspiration led her to try again, especially after getting a guitar from her mom and writing “Come Away With Me.”
- “I wrote ‘Come Away With Me’ one night and then I started writing songs.” – Norah [23:08]
4. Breakthrough & Blue Note Records
[26:48 - 36:46]
- Serendipitous A&R meeting, via her bass player's connection, led to a showcase for Blue Note president Bruce Lundvall.
- Brought a three-song demo with a jazz standard, NY session, and a Jesse Harris original.
- Bruce's pivotal question: “What do you want to be, a jazz singer or a pop singer?” – [27:59]
- Norah declared jazz but expressed she wasn’t consciously thinking in genres.
- Describes her vocal consistency and learning by mimicking greats but eventually finding her own voice.
- Casting as Billie Holiday in high school Black History program discussed as a formative experience [29:07].
5. Recording “Come Away With Me” & Industry Pressure
[32:29 - 41:41]
- Wanted Craig Street (Cassandra Wilson’s producer) for her debut, inspired by “New Moon Daughter.”
- Described recording marathons, label's initial rejection of the album, and ultimate inclusion of “Don’t Know Why” demo as the lead single.
- Arif Mardin’s involvement brought comfort and subtle guidance; anecdotes about simplicity and authenticity in takes.
- “He wasn't trying to put me in a box...it was just the stuff that makes melodies, you know, the stuff that we needed to hear.” – Norah [41:43]
6. Navigating Sudden Fame & Personal Boundaries
[49:24 - 55:14]
- Described the “whirlwind” post-Grammys—massive media attention, exhaustion, complicated family dynamics (reunion with father Ravi Shankar, connection to half-sister Anoushka Shankar).
- Her strategy for coping: maintaining boundaries, saying "no" when needed, preserving artistic integrity.
- “I was just very rigid in what I didn't want…that’s not a musical reason.” – Norah [54:29]
7. Songwriting Process & New Album (“Visions”)
[56:39 - 60:04]
- Recounts the story of writing “Come Away With Me” late at night, jotting it down in a notebook with chord numbers (no recorder/cell phone at the time).
- New album “Visions” born from pandemic-era “liminal time” creativity and collaborative, low-pressure sessions with producer Leon Michels.
- “He would play drums and I would play piano… it just felt so good.” – Norah [59:45]
- The influence of early morning or late-night ideas, and the joy of no-strings-attached, spontaneous recording.
8. Collaborations, Live Performance, and Musical Growth
[60:51 - 69:49]
- Discussed the special chemistry with drummer Brian Blade, Blue Note collaborations (playing with Wayne Shorter, Jason Moran, etc.), and the spiritual practice of truly listening in music.
- “They don't really play until they have something to say… it's perfect entrance, you know. It's right.” – Norah on Wayne Shorter/Brian Blade [66:19]
- Doesn’t conceptualize albums in terms of genre ("not thinking, let's do a jazz album"), but focuses on what feels organic and inspiring.
- Live performances still provide moments of discovery:
- “It’s where you get that feeling…from high school, where you're just like, oh my God, music is so fun.” – Norah [68:57]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Finding Her Unique Voice:
- “I can kind of be myself, and I don't have to imitate Ella or Sarah Vaughan…they embody themselves.” – Norah [32:14]
- On Sudden Stardom:
- “My picture was on the cover of the New York Post next to Saddam Hussein’s picture. It said, hunt and Destroy…and then the New York Post the next day had a picture of my apartment, and it said how much rent I paid.” – Norah [50:21]
- On Studio Wisdom:
- “Do the melody at least once before you start messing with it.” – Norah, on arranger Arif Mardin’s advice [43:45]
- On Chasing Authenticity:
- “If you can't do it for the right reasons, you'd walk away.” – Don Was describes Norah [51:41]
- “I don’t think I would want it to be like my first record ever again. That was just too much.” – Norah [52:53]
- On the Joy of Playing Live:
- “It's where you get that feeling that from high school, where you're just like, oh, my God, music is so fun…” – Norah [68:57]
- On Song Craft:
- “Whatever method works for you, right?” – Norah, referencing Keith Richards’s note-taking for songwriting [57:03]
- On Brian Blade:
- “He listens more than anyone I've ever played with...the music just feels so alive.” – Norah [61:16]
- Norah's Spontaneous Performances:
- “Paradise” (live in-studio performance) [71:21 – 74:44]
- “Heartache” by Lowell George (impromptu cover) [78:09 – 80:33]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- Norah’s Texas Roots & Early Music: 06:09 – 11:48
- Jazz High School & Influences: 11:49 – 15:40
- Songwriting Awakening in NYC: 22:24 – 23:31
- Meeting with Blue Note & Bruce Lundvall: 27:17 – 28:59
- Recording and Label Politics: 32:29 – 41:43
- Navigating Fame & Artistic Boundaries: 49:24 – 55:14
- Birth of “Come Away With Me”: 55:18 – 56:39
- Making "Visions": 58:07 – 60:07
- Live Studio Performance (“Paradise”): 71:21 – 74:44
- Discussing Aretha Franklin, Piano Playing: 75:22 – 76:44
- Cover of “Heartache” (Lowell George): 78:09 – 80:33
Tone & Final Thoughts
The episode is relaxed and conversational, filled with laughter and candid moments. Don Was and Justin Richmond create an open space where Norah shares generously, reflecting on her roots, self-acceptance, and creative evolution—never shying away from honest recollections about the turbulence and wonder of sudden fame. The interplay between Norah, Don, and Justin is respectful, warm, and music-geek joyous, revealing both the discipline and the spontaneity behind Norah’s enduring stardom.
This episode is a must-listen for longtime Norah Jones fans, Blue Note enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the intersection of jazz, pop, authenticity, and the music industry.