Now that the Great Norah Jones Scare has passed—i.e., the freight of unrealistic expectations that followed in the wake of gargantuan sales of her debut album and instant stardom—we can see Jones for who she really is: not a diva, not a superstar, but a talented artist with a wonderfully distinctive voice, an appealing style, still-developing songwriting skills, and room to grow, particularly as a performer. Jones' Not Too Late CD was still fresh at the time of this June 2007 appearance on the Austin City Limits TV show, accounting for 10 of the 18 songs here (which also include the hits “Don't Know Why” and “Come Away With Me”). Gone is any suggestion that Jones is a jazz artist (a misnomer in the first place, mostly due to her being signed to the venerable Blue Note imprint); if anything, Jones' newer music fits somewhere under the broad Americana banner, melding country, soul, New Orleans swagger, and straight pop (“Not My Friend,” one of the best tunes from Not Too Late, comes on like some cabaret chanson). The band is subtly supportive, and the guest shots by trombonist J. Walter Hawkes and singer-guitarist M. Ward (Zooey Deschanel's partner in the duo She & Him) are welcome—but the sheer ebullience that Dolly Parton brought to Live in 2004, Jones' previous DVD release, is sorely missed. As it is, the relentless mid-tempo vibe gets a little numbing; and though you'd think that Jones would be a more seasoned performer by now, she's not. Filmed in high definition and presented in DTS 5.1, this sure-to-be-popular concert is recommended, overall. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Norah Jones: Live From Austin, TX
(2008) 76 min. DVD: $19.98. New West Records (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 5
Norah Jones: Live From Austin, TX
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