Rating: Summary: Norah's shining moment Review: Norah Jones may not have the keyboard proficiency of Dianna Krall nor the polished vocal range of Sade but she has what the others don't have - eight Grammys. Whether the Grammy was a one-hit-wonder glitch or a confirmation of her talents is a moot issue.What is obvious in this New Orleans performance is her artistry -- no embellishments, just simplicity and grace. Norah exudes femininity which is sometimes hard to convey in a jazz setting; her voice, oftentimes soulful and melancholic, comes across intimately in Lonestar, Bessie Smith, The Painter Song and the surprise encore Tennessee Waltz. Her now familiar "Don't Know Why" and "Come Away with Me", performed live, are enough reasons for having this DVD. In the musical world where artistic integrity are often compromised, it is nice to have for more than a 'brief shining moment' a lone star like Norah Jones.
Rating: Summary: I love Norah but... Review: Norah Jones is an amazing artist. Her songs are lyrically beautiful and the way she sings them stuns me every time I listen to her CD. That said, I was disappointed when I watched her DVD, Live in New Orleans. Her perfomance was relaxed and laid back, something that I have come to expect from her, but it just seemed too structured. I was hoping to get more of a feel for Norah's personality but all I got was a replay of her CD. She did very little in terms of jamming, which is a staple in jazz/blues. The songs seemed like they were staight off the sheet music. Any group of musicians could have pulled off the same performance. There were brief moments when I thought she might come out of her shell more but I was disappointed there as well. In contrast, I recently bought John Mayer's DVD, Any Given Thursday, and his quirky personality and humor shone through. I was hoping for a similar showing from Norah. Honestly, I think you can get the same appreciation for Norah's music and artistry from her CD. The 4 added songs were nice and definitely well done but probably not enough for me to actually buy the DVD, if I had it all to do over again. If you already have the CD, you might as well just listen to it again. If you don't have the CD, go out and buy it, it is worth all the accolades and praise heaped on it. The DVD, unforunately, is just not worth the extra [$$] or the hour that you spend watching it.
Rating: Summary: Product ? Review: Pre-dating the massive success of her excellent album, Norah seems lacking in confidence. Her phrasing is slurred, and her manner often seems anxious and uncertain. It is not a great performance - cf Krall's recent DVD of her Paris show. None of the songs from the CD are bettered live. However Norah is a major 'new' talent, and the DVD shows her in a small concert setting that her deserved success will now preclude. Its best seen as an interesting document of her early career. If that's how you approach it you wont be disappointed. But if you don't have the CD get it instead. I don't know what control Norah had over the release of this DVD, but let's hope she is given the space and time to develop without pressure to release 'product'.
Rating: Summary: Good, but could be better Review: After hearing so much about Norah Jones (largely due to the recent infatuation the music industry seems to have with her), I picked up this DVD. As a first exposure to Norah's music, I liked the soothing, understated mood of the group and the song selection. I wonder what it would be like if Norah released some more of her own content, although the "classic" material is deserving of more attention. My only complaint, again based on first impressions, is that Norah seems a little too passive, almost tired, at the beginning of the show. A little more energy wouldn't hurt the performance, although it is still enjoyable. The DVD itself is a little underwhelming, at 67 minutes and few "special features," it makes a good budget-priced DVD, and is good for those who (like myself) want to hear what all the Norah Jones buzz is about. The picture and sound quality are excellent, and really help transport the viewer into the House of Blues atmosphere. However, on my 5.1 system, I had to turn down the bass in order to hear Norah's mellow voice over the accompaniment. All in all, a good performance and DVD, but I honestly expected better of an artist who has received so much critical acclaim. However, the potential is certainly here for Norah to become a truly great performer.
Rating: Summary: where's Kylie? Review: Somebody told me that Kylie Minogue would make a guest appearance on this DVD. Wow, were they wrong. Instead, it's the overrated Norah Jones, a five time Grammy winner singing superbland jazz-countr-folk-pop garbage that works if you're 12 and under. This DVD is bad beyond belief. Get it only if you have insomnia.
Rating: Summary: Fantasic show, highly promising new artist Review: What a fantastic disc. An hour-long concert in the House of Blues, a pretty small venue, showcases Norah Jones and the ability of her and her band to stretch out slightly on songs that appeared in compact form on her debut CD. This band, working with fairly subdued material with loads of depth, hints that they understand how to jam and create excitement that you may have thought impossible from such material. The band is impeccable but there are influences that seem to point to the Grateful Dead in some of their stretches, or, various Blue Note-signed bands of the past. You can hear every note from every instrument without any mistake. The show leaves the listener wanting more. I only wish Norah had exploded into the mainstream with about 5 albums under her belt - it's going to be painful waiting for her catologue to build. Meanwhile, if you have any suspicion that you like her music, you should get this. She is only going to get even better with time. And I'm hoping that the stretching out showcased here continues even further in that direction.
Rating: Summary: The Brutal Vigor of Snorah Jones. Review: She's just as boring as ever in this new DVD. Granted, it's somewhat a testament to her talent, as she is able to smoothly lull listeners to sleep live just as well as on CD. But the material is just as flat and the style is just as draining. The most impressive thing about it is the fact that the soundman's mixes didn't have to be altered at all in the transfer to a market-ready product. Now that takes talent.
Rating: Summary: The best is yet to come Review: This young lady is blessed with raw talent and I can't wait to see her evolve (mature) into a refined and polished performer. The sound, video and production of the dvd is first rate and Norah performs in a laid back, confident style. She is very comfortable with her audience and they connect. The only thing missing in her performance is the depth and soul that comes only with some life experiences that she is far too young to have yet acquired. I'm perfectly willing to let her enjoy her youth, but the best is yet to come.
Rating: Summary: Music This Good Should Have 16:9 DVD NOT 4:3 Review: Great DVD, good sound, but I was dissappointed that the video was 4:3...needs to be WIDESRCEEN not Full Screen... Other than this this is a great DVD!!! Really enjoyed it! Alex
Rating: Summary: As good as being there in person Review: I was lucky enough to be at this concert in person after my girlfriend took me there for my birthday and I have to say that it is as good as being there. We had a great time and Norah is quite amazing.
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