Christmas album news: Norah Jones

Multiple Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/pianist Norah Jones has made her first-ever holiday album with I Dream Of Christmas, featuring seasonal favorites and originals. It will be released October 15 on Blue Note Records and can be pre-ordered now on vinyl, CD, and digital download.

“I’ve always loved Christmas music but never had the inclination to make a holiday album until now,” Jones says in a statement. “Last year I found myself listening to James Brown’s Funky Christmas and Elvis’s Christmas Album on Sundays during lockdown for a sense of comfort. In January 2021, I started thinking about making a Christmas album of my own. It gave me something fun to work on and look forward to.”

The album’s opening track, Norah’s original “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” is available to stream or download now. 

“When I was trying to figure out which direction to take, the original songs started popping in my head,” she explains. “They were all about trying to find the joys of Christmas, catching that spark, that feeling of love and inclusion that I was longing for during the rest of the year. Then there are all the classics that have that special nostalgia that can hit you no matter who or where you are in life. It was hard to narrow down, but I picked favorite classics that I knew I could make my own.”

Jones takes on The Chipmunk’s “Christmas Don’t Be Late” by David Seville (aka Ross Bagdasarian) as well as “Winter Wonderland,” “Christmas Time Is Here” and others.

I Dream Of Christmas was produced by Leon Michels, and sports Brian Blade on drums, Tony Scherr and Nick Movshon on bass, Russ Pahl on pedal steel guitar, Marika Hughes on cello, Dave Guy on trumpet, Raymond Mason on trombone, and Michels on saxophone, flute, percussion, and more.

Track listing:

Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones) (Norah Jones)
Christmas Don’t Be Late (Ross Bagdasarian)
Christmas Glow (Norah Jones)
White Christmas (Irving Berlin)
Christmastime (Norah Jones/Leon Michels)
Blue Christmas (Billy Hayes/Jay W. Johnson)
It’s Only Christmas Once A Year (Norah Jones)
You’re Not Alone (Norah Jones/Leon Michels)
Winter Wonderland (Richard B. Smith/Felix Bernard)
A Holiday With You (Norah Jones)
Run Rudolph Run (Johnny Marks/Marvin Brodie)
Christmas Time Is Here (Lee Mendelson/Vince Guaraldi)
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (Frank Loesser)