Norah Jones - I Dream of Christmas

For two decades Norah Jones resisted making a holiday album. When she finally did, in 2021, she made one that sounds exactly like her: unhurried, soulful and quietly inventive. I Dream of Christmas arrived on Blue Note, the label that launched her, and it instantly became one of the more distinctive modern additions to the seasonal shelf.

Working with producer Leon Michels, Jones leans into the warm, vintage textures of 1960s soul and jazz records, all brushed drums, round bass, organ and horns. Her own songs carry the album: "Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)," "Christmas Glow," "It's Only Christmas Once a Year" and "A Holiday with You" feel like lost classics from a Stax or Blue Note session. The covers are equally well chosen, from a slinky "Run Rudolph Run" and a smoky "Blue Christmas" to a reverent "Christmas Time Is Here" and a closing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"

It is the holiday album for people who think they do not like holiday albums, and it rewards repeat listening long after December.

This Blue Note LP presents the thirteen-track album on black vinyl.