Rickie Lee Jones gets some new 'Kicks' with old tunes

Rickie Lee Jones' forthcoming album Kicks, due out June 7 via her own label OSOD (other side of desire)/Thirty Tigers, spans two decades (1950s-70s) of pop, rock and jazz. It was previewed by “Lonely People,” which arrived at radio last month. The song is available as an instant grat track with the purchase of the pre-release of the album.

The connection between 1970s rock and '50s jazz was no leap for Jones. “It is all part of what I heard growing up,” she says. “The radio played everything. 1960’s AM radio was the primordial zone for our musical life today. As a kid I heard R&B, country, rock, and the most sophisticated singer-songwriters of the day forming their genre. Radio was a college education for a budding musician because these songs are all playing on my internal radio all the time, it’s not a stretch for me to put them together on an LP. Really, I just love to sing.”

Kicks was created entirely in New Orleans, using local musicians, mixers and studios. Produced by Jones with her bandmate, vibraphonist Mike Dillion, it features 10 songs (see track listing below). The album cover is by artist Peregrine Honig.

Track listing and original artist/release date:

“Bad Company” (Bad Company, 1974)
“My Fathers Gun” (Elton John, 1970)
“Lonely People” (America, 1974)
“Houston” (Sanford Clark, 1964; made famous by Dean Martin, 1965)
“You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You” (Russ Morgan, 1944; made famous by Dean Martin, 1960/1964)
“Nagasaki” (Ipana Troubadours, 1928; most famous by Benny Goodman Quartet, 1952)
“Mack The Knife” (Louis Armstrong, 1956; made famous by Bobby Darin, 1958)
“Quicksilver Girl” (Steve Miller Band, 1968)
“End Of The World” (Skeeter Davis, 1962)
“Cry” (Ruth Casey, 1951; made famous by Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads, 1951)