Nora Jones ready to begin again

NINE-time Grammy-winner singer songwriter Norah Jones will release Begin Again (via Blue Note / EMI Music Australia) on April 12.

The release is a collection of singles that gathers seven eclectic songs Jones has recorded over the past year with collaborators including Jeff Tweedy and Thomas Bartlett.

Jones, the daughter of the late Sitar maestro and Indian classical music icon Ravi Shankar, has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

Begin Again, which is available for pre-order now, will be released on 12-inch vinyl, CD, and as a digital album.

The new song Just a Little Bit was produced by Jones and features her on vocals, piano, and organ, along with Brian Blade on drums, Christopher Thomas on bass, Dave Guy on trumpet, and Leon Michels on tenor saxophone.

Last year, following the 2016 release of her acclaimed album Day Breaks — and the extensive promotional campaign and world tour that accompanied it — Jones quietly returned to the studio with the sole intent of following her muse down creative pathways without any expectations or boundaries.

Reveling in the joy and spontaneity of music-making with a true spirit of openness, Jones remembered she got together with various friends for brief, largely-improvised sessions to collaborate and experiment.

“I felt inspired to record and try different things,” Jones said.

“The idea was to make it quick and fun and easy and low-pressure. It’s a great way to collaborate with other people.”

Jones said she was very open and had no real expectations as far as direction.

Norah Jones will perform at the Byron Bay Bluesfest on April 19.