# Raven-Haired Chesty Long-Legged New Chanteuse from Brooklyn **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119 "2002-03-19T23:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/1 "2002-03-19T23:12:12Z")
Half Okie/Texan, half Indian (her dad’s Ravi Shankar), and a stone-cold babe. Not to mention she’s got (to borrow a phrase from a fellow doper) a hell of a set of…pipes. So, I’ve been hearing the buzz–NPR, CNN, NYT, internet jazz geeks, and I finally get a copy today. Damn, she ain’t half bad. She takes a smoky-cocktail-lounge approach to a wide array of styles and material, and pulls it off. Imagine Hank Williams Sr.'s “Cold Cold Heart” sung by, say Diana Krall or Jeannie Bryson. Vocally, she has a throatiness that reminds me of a young Eartha Kitt, along with a western (Texas/Oklahoma) accent and phrasing that adds to the ambience, and again reminds me of Eartha Kitt in its difference from the usual. I just hope she doesn’t get as commercial as Krall did, or disappear from the critics like Jane Monheit. Opinions? Dissents? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/2 "2002-03-20T13:06:49Z")
Fourteen hours, 14 views, and no replies. **Stofsky** , you’ve got me feelin’ sorry for ya. You want I should change your thread title to **Raven-Haired Chesty Long-Legged New Chanteuse from Brooklyn**? I’ve seen the feature articles ion Miz Jones in various periodicals, and I’m curious myself, but I haven’t yet heard any of her singing. And the other morning, WBGO played a cut from the new Cassandra Wilson disc, and she did a GREAT job with The Band’s classic “The Weight” (with a slide guitar and congas included in her back-up band), so THAT might be my next female-vocalist purchase. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/3 "2002-03-20T14:52:35Z")
Nora JONES? Feh. Now, Nora BAYES—she was a singer! You must get a CD of her doing “Lovin’ Sam, the Sheik of Alabam,” “Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?” and “Sally Greene, the Village Vamp.” They didn’t call her The Empress of Vaudeville for nothin’! ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/4 "2002-03-21T01:36:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Fourteen hours, 14 views, and no replies. **Stofsky** , you’ve got me feelin’ sorry for ya. You want I should change your thread title to **Raven-Haired Chesty Long-Legged New Chanteuse from Brooklyn**? > > I’ve seen the feature articles ion Miz Jones in various periodicals, and I’m curious myself, but I haven’t yet heard any of her singing. > > And the other morning, WBGO played a cut from the new Cassandra Wilson disc, and she did a GREAT job with The Band’s classic “The Weight” (with a slide guitar and congas included in her back-up band), so THAT might be my next female-vocalist purchase. \*\* Go for it. Maybe people will take some interest in some good pop/jazz. I listened to the CD a couple of more times after I posted, and I find her use of country piano licks in a cocktail setting very interesting and somehow apropos. Sometimes it’s like Floyd Cramer did an album with Billie Holliday. You can hear clips here: [CDNow](http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2112758618/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=JONES*NORAH/itemid=1499135) Anyone who can do justice to “The Weight” is on my list. Have you heard the teen-prodigy Shannon Curfman’s version? Also here: [CDNow Again](http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2112758618/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=CURFMAN*SHANNON/itemid=790969) Then again, I just bought Boston’s Greatest Hits and am listening to Loverboy at the moment, so my taste might be suspect 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/5 "2002-03-21T01:42:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stofsky \* > \*\*Go for it. \*\* Done and done. {rubbing hands with glee} ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/6 "2002-03-21T02:06:45Z")
Yeah, but did you listen to the clips? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/7 "2002-03-21T02:55:41Z")
D\*mn! She’s _cute!_ Especially when she wears her glasses! I suppose I’ll listen to her music soon enough, but my connection at home is too slow to try it right now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/8 "2002-03-21T13:06:05Z")
Listen to the clips? Hell, for eight lousy bucks, I went right ahead and ordered the disc. – Uke, watching the view count climb ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/9 "2002-03-21T13:43:34Z")
I thought this was a thread about Lou Reed. ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/10 "2002-03-21T14:05:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Listen to the clips? Hell, for eight lousy bucks, I went right ahead and ordered the disc. > > – Uke, watching the view count climb \*\* Good call, Uke. Hell, how often do you get to hear slide guitar and accordion on a cocktail-jazz album? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/11 "2002-03-21T15:05:51Z")
She’s gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/12 "2002-03-21T15:18:53Z")
Hmph. I still say she’s no Nora Bayes: [http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/4196/index16.html](http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/4196/index16.html) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/13 "2002-03-21T15:53:11Z")
Nora Jones is going to be the cover story for _JAZZIZ Magazine_ in June or July, I think. It’s a national jazz oriented mag targeted at consumers and is, coincidentally, the magazine that I work for. My editor has been raving about her for months now, ever since we did a short piece about her a while back, but I haven’t listened to her CD yet, as his taste is somewhat suspect. But now that I’ve seen some more recommendations from you guys, I’ll give a listen. And I’ll get my copy of the CD for free! HA! And good call on the thread title, Uke. Sex sells! Although, to be honest, at first I read it as her having a hairy chest. ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/14 "2002-03-27T13:42:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Listen to the clips? Hell, for eight lousy bucks, I went right ahead and ordered the disc. > > – Uke, watching the view count climb \*\* Not to revive a dead thread (well, maybe just to apply the defibrillator), did you get your copy yet? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/15 "2002-03-27T14:11:39Z")
NO I DID NOT, and thanks for rubbing it in…god damn USPS. I COULDA just walked down to the corner and bought the god damn thing at th’ store, but noooooooo…I had to be all clever and avoid the ninety-two cents of sales tax. With any luck it’ll show up today or tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/16 "2002-03-27T21:54:19Z")
Yeah, and I think I paid all of 9 bucks here in the sticks. Lemme know what you think when you hear it. I sent my dad the URL for the clips, and he said he wasn’t impressed, though he liked that dead chick from DC whose name I can’t recall. I’m counting on some support here from the musicarati on the board. ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/17 "2002-03-28T00:07:26Z")
First off, thank you very kindly for this thread stofsky. I listened to a few of those clips this morning and picked up a copy of the CD on my way home tonight. I’m loving it. Norah has one of the most haunting voices I’ve heard in a long time and while the way it’s used on this album may be a bit understated by my tastes, the wealth of nuance and inflection snags my soul like a fish hook. I will defiantly be looking forward to subsequent releases and any local concert dates. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/18 "2002-03-28T00:57:22Z")
Intriguing. I can’t say I’m blown away but she shows a restraint in her smoky, laid-back vocals that a few of our modern day divas could learn from. She certainly blends folk, country, blues and jazz well into her style. The CD may be worth picking up just for _Turn Me On_ or _I’ve Got To See You Again_ alone. Since the OP mentioned her, I thought I’d say that Jane Monheit sets me on fire. I saw her perform a few tracks live on TV about six months ago and ran out to buy her CD [Never Never Land](http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1172628098/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=MONHEIT*JANE/itemid=1179977). She’s not Ella Fitzgerald reincarnate that I heard one critic say but she’s wonderful just the same. Oh, and she’s pretty chesty, too! Also, allow me to further hijack this thread to plug one of my all-time favourite singers, Cassandra Wilson. I think [Blue Light 'Til Dawn](http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=800636395/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=WILSON*CASSANDRA/itemid=461072) is one of the best vocal jazz albums of the '90s. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/19 "2002-03-28T01:30:58Z")
I demand photographic evidence of the exisistance of the Chanteuse. Translation: Pictures, gimme pictures! ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119/20 "2002-03-28T01:43:21Z")
[Jackpot](http://www.norahjones.com/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raven-haired-chesty-long-legged-new-chanteuse-from-brooklyn/99119.md?page=2)