Not Too Late [Digipak] by Norah Jones (CD, Jan-2007, Blue Note Records USA)

Compared to Norah Jones' previous albums, "Not Too Late" is a serious progress in one important aspect: Norah's vocal technique has quite seriously improved and her singing posibilities are wider - particularly in low registers and sotto voce parts; the differentiation of dynamics in her performances makes this record much more attractive. She was frequently accused of having limited means of vocal expression, which was - looking back to her charming first recording - not totally without sense, although a wise simplicity, refinement and truthfulness of that first album as well as unusual Norah's voice timbre earned it a well deserved attention. I used to say, that I value her higher as a pianist, than a vocalist. With "Not Too Late" this is changing - there is a visible amount of work invested in her self-improvement in a weak spot, and this is the feature of a true artist. "Not Too Late" for some people can seem monotonous at first, but I think it's much more internally logic, than previous albums, and even listening to it 6 times a day for the last two weeks hasn't been boring at all (for me of course); on the contrary - it reveals still new aromas, like sniffing a very good wine, which leads not to a quick consumption of a gallon to get drunk as quickly as possible and have a terrible hangover afterwards (like with most contemporary leading recording companies' products created by their marketing departments), but to slow tasting, sipping, sniffing once again, with a full conscience, that we deal with something of real value. The last thing, but not the least, is lyrics of the kind, that in Poland is frequently called "a sung poetry". Summing up - a great pleasure, with typical for Norah Jones wide knowledge of American musical heritage, from which she draws much inspiration - with a special bow towards people like Tom Waits. Inspiration certainly doesn't mean copying - it means the attitude. Now I'm going to go and push "play" button once again - the "Not Too Late" is constantly inside my player.