Norah Jones, one of the hottest artists in music, is performing free in Clearwater.
By ANGIE GREEN
Published June 8, 2003
CLEARWATER - She's hit the top of the music charts in the United States, Australia, Iceland, Taiwan and South Africa. Her jazzy coos can be heard constantly on radio stations around the country.
So much so, her debut album, Come Away With Me took away every single Grammy it was nominated for this year - all eight of them.
And. She's. Coming. To. Clearwater.
Norah Jones, the 23-year-old pop-jazz darling who has captured the hearts of millions with her soulful hits, will perform live at Coachman Park on Wednesday - for free.
The buzz around town is that Jones may pull in the largest crowd Coachman Park has ever seen.
"She is the hottest artist out there," said Camille Reyes, marketing manager at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Her colleague, Bobby Rossi, who is the director of entertainment, agrees.
"She's the darling of the music industry," Rossi said. "The public has fallen in love with her." Ruth Eckerd Hall is one of the producers of the event. City officials, along with Verizon Music Festival, have been planning the concert for months.
"We are really, really excited about this," said Garry Brumback, assistant city manager. "It's a great honor to have her after her recent success at the Grammys."
At the Grammys in February, Jones won Album of Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist. Her album, which was released last year, has sold more than 10-million copies worldwide, according to her label, Blue Notes Record.
So just how, exactly, is Norah Jones coming to Clearwater to give a free concert?
According to Rossi, Verizon works with Festival Productions, a New York City-based production company, and likes to bring free festivals to the Tampa Bay area.
Verizon contacted Ruth Eckerd Hall for a possible summer festival in June.
Ruth Eckerd Hall jumped on it. It would be a perfect time to bring in Jones, who Ruth Eckerd had been trying to bring for a year. But Ruth Eckerd Hall is being renovated.
So the city was called. Officials agreed to provide the place.
Now, it's show time.
Jones's rise has been classified as a word-of-mouth, grass roots effort with strategic marketing. Before her album was released, she played small clubs in New York City and was mostly talked about within jazz circles.
But once her album broke, her CD didn't just stay in the jazz market.
Her sultry, melodic tunes have captured the ears of listeners young and old. Her "moody little record" (as she described her CD to Rolling Stone magazine) has the right mixture of musical genres to make her a cross-over artist, music critics say.
"She has a CD you can't say no to," said Randy Wynne, program director for WMNF-FM 88.5 in Tampa, which has been playing Jones' album since last year. "It's a little bit jazz, a little soul, little bit folk and a little country. It's a very tasteful CD," he said.
Wynne said the station has been promoting Jones' concert for weeks.
Some jazz critics have rejected the idea that Jones is a pop-jazz singer.
But whatever the magic is to her potion, Jones draws crowds. Of all ages. Of all types. The 2,500 reserved seats in Coachman Park are nearly sold out and the Texas-raised artist has nearly 50 performance dates ahead this summer. Clearwater is fourth on the list.
"She appeals to a lot of people," said Christopher Porter, editor of the Maryland-based jazz magazine, JazzTimes. "A 20-year-old in college to a 50-year-old James Taylor fan are buying the album."
The city's director of Parks and Recreation, Kevin Dunbar, says he anticipates concert attendance to be 15,000, which is the park's capacity. "It's a free concert and she's such a welcomed name," he said.
A metal fence with one or two entrances will enclose the park. Dunbar encourages concert-goers to bring a chair or blanket.
"There should be plenty of room," he said. Artist Gillian Welch, a country-roots flavor single act, will open for Jones' at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.
"It will be a beautiful experience for everyone who comes," Rossi said.
As for the outdoor, laid-back venue, Rossi said Jones is very pleased with the setting. It's her style.
