Come Away with Me is the debut album of pianist and singer Norah Jones, released February 26, 2002 on Blue Note Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at New York City's Sorcerer Sound Studio and Shokan's Allaire Studios in 2001. Although genre classification has been disputed, Jones' mellow style and playing on Come Away with Me is recognized as contemporary jazz.

The album's critical and commercial success was a breakthrough for Jones in 2002. It reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart and several jazz charts, while it's four singles became mainstream hits. As sales figures and certifications indicate, Come Away with Me sold over 2 million copies by the end of the year. The album also topped many critics' "albums of the year" lists and gathered major music awards in the process, including eight Grammy Awards. Following initial sales, Come Away with Me was certified diamond by the RIAA on February 15, 2005 having sold over 10 million copies in its first three years of release.

Reception

The genre of Come Away with Me was the subject of much debate, especially within the vocal jazz community. Many artists held that because Norah Jones made few changes to the original melody and rhythm of the covered tracks, such as "Turn Me On" and "The Nearness of You", that the album did not qualify as jazz, which entailed some degree of interpretation and improvisation. Still, the presence of accomplished jazz musicians Bill Frisell, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, and Sam Yahel, as well as the complex and sophisticated jazz-influenced compositions of Jesse Harris, gave the album an overall jazz feel. Critics have viewed the music of Come Away with Me as a blend of vocal jazz and acoustic pop with soul and country music overtones.

Success

Despite genre classification disputes over the album, Come Away with Me's unique combination of jazz, folk, and soul, as well as Jones's fresh voice, caught the attention of consumers and critics alike. The album sold approximately twenty million copies worldwide and won five awards at the Grammy Awards of 2003, including "Record of the Year", "Album of the Year", and "Song of the Year" for "Don't Know Why". Although she was happy about her success, Jones felt bad about sweeping the Grammy Awards. In an interview for 60 Minutes, Jones told Katie Couric:

I felt like I went to somebody else's birthday party and I ate all their cake. Without anybody else getting a piece. That's how I felt.|Norah Jones|cquote

Upon initial release on February 26, 2002, Come Away with Me had a slow progression up the charts. However, it eventually gained a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on August 22, 2002. It went on to sell over seven million copies over the next year, and on February 15, 2005, was certified as a diamond record by the RIAA. Other issues of the album, including a Canadian bonus DVD version, followed in response to the album's initial success.

Track listing

1. "Don't Know Why" (Harris) – 3:06
2. "Seven Years" (Alexander) – 2:25
3. "Cold Cold Heart" (Williams) – 3:38
4. "Feelin' the Same Way" (Alexander) – 2:57
5. "Come Away with Me" (Jones) – 3:18
6. "Shoot the Moon" (Harris) – 3:56
7. "Turn Me On" (Loudermilk) – 2:34
8. "Lonestar" (Alexander) – 3:06
9. "I've Got to See You Again" (Harris) – 4:13
10. "Painter Song" (Alexander, Hopkins) – 2:42
11. "One Flight Down" (Harris) – 3:05
12. "Nightingale" (Jones) – 4:12
13. "The Long Day Is Over" (Harris, Jones) – 2:44
14. "The Nearness of You" (Carmichael, Washington) – 3:07

Personnel

Musicians

Name	Instrument
Norah Jones	piano, electric piano, vocals, Wurlitzer
Lee Alexander	bass
Brian Blade	percussion, drums
Kevin Breit	acoustic guitar, electric guitar, National steel guitar
Rob Burger	accordion, pump organ
Bill Frisell	electric guitar
Jesse Harris	acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Adam Levy	acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Dan Rieser	drums
Adam Rogers	guitar
Jenny Scheinman	violin
Tony Scherr	acoustic guitar, slide guitar
Kenny Wollesen	drums
Sam Yahel	Hammond organ

Additional personnel

Producers	Norah Jones, Arif Mardin, Jay Newland, Craig Street
Engineers	S. Husky Höskulds, Jay Newland
Assistant engineers	Mark Birkey, Dick Kondas, Brandon Mason, Todd Parker
Mixing	Arif Mardin, Jay Newland
Mixing assistant	Todd Parker
Remixing	Jay Newland
Mastering	Ted Jensen, Mark Wilder
A&R	Brian Bacchus, Chris Cofoni, Bruce Lundvall, Eliott Wolf
Assistant	David Swope
Production coordination	Eden White, Shell White
Product manager	Zach Hochkeppel
Creative director	Gordon Jee
String arrangements	Arif Mardin
Art direction	Jessica Novod
Design	Jessica Novod
Photography	Joanne Savio

Chart history

Album

Chart (2002)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers	5
U.S. Billboard 200	1
U.S. Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums	1
U.S. Billboard Top Internet Albums	1
Canada Top 100 Albums	1
Chart (2003)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums	3
Australian ARIA Albums Chart	1
Chart (2004)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz	1

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Peak position
2002	"Come Away with Me"	Canadian Singles Chart	2
2003		Adult Top 40	21
2002	"Don't Know Why"	Adult Contemporary	4
		U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40	8
		U.S. Billboard Hot 100	30
		U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	32
		U.S. Billboard Top 40 Tracks	21
2003		U.S. Billboard Top 40 Adult Recurrents	1
2004	"Turn Me On"	Canadian Singles Chart	10

Certifications

Chart	Certification	Sales	Weeks
U.S. Recording Industry Association of America	Diamond	10,300,000+
Europe IFPI	7x platinum	7,000,000+
United Kingdom BPI	7x platinum	2,432,714
France IFPI	2x diamond	1,627,800+	106
Canada CRIA	Diamond	1,000,000
Germany IFPI	2x platinum	600,000+
Australia ARIA	9x platinum	630,000+	106
Brazil ABPD	Platinum	250,000+
Netherlands NVPI/Megacharts	3x platinum	240,000+	104
Argentina CAPIF	5x platinum	200,000+
New Zealand RIANZ	11x platinum	165,000+	94
Denmark GPF	3x platinum	90,000+	115
Switzerland Media Control	2x platinum	80,000+	132
Poland OLiS	7x platinum	7,000,000+	65
Sweden GPF	Platinum	60,000+	106
Austria Media Control/IFPI	2x platinum	60,000+	101
Mexico Amprofon	Gold	50,000+
United World Chart Media Traffic	11x platinum	22,000,000+

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year	Winner	Category
2003	Come Away with Me	Album of the Year
		Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
		Best Pop Vocal Album
	"Don't Know Why"	Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
		Record of the Year
		Song of the Year

References