A Norah Jones bootleg?!? Aw, c’mon – next thing you know they’ll be issuing boots from Diana Krall or somebody! (Hold that thought: you can bet that Elvis Costello completists are at this very moment putting together some boots of his wifey. But I digress…) At any rate, this is an outstanding Jones showcase not only for its excellent FM broadcast sound but also because it features a number of tunes not available on the chanteuse’s official releases, notably covers of Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” Gram Parsons’ “She,” Hank Williams’ “Cold Cold Heart” and the Gary Goffin/Carole King composition “No Easy Way Down.” Another unusual cover is "Sleepless Nights," a tune done by scores of musicians over the years (including Parsons when he was with the Burritos, and The Everly Brothers); a version of it previously appeared as a Japanese-only bonus track for Jones.)
The KCRW material hails from Jones’ most recent promotional tour (she did the Parsons tune during her “World Café” NPR stop too, and it's a must-hear) while the first WTUV segment is listed on the station’s website as being her first-ever radio appearance! Intimate and appealing stuff.
Nice 4-page booklet and 2-sided tray panel with lots of color pics of Jones (both stock and live) make it all the more appealing. --OSWALD
