DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Norah Jones easily moved among musical styles in her concert Saturday night at the Blaisdell Arena.

Jones wins converts
with successful blend

Norah Jones kept her distance from the crowd in the Blaisdell Arena on Saturday, but one young man got lucky.

It was the final date of Jones' "Feels Like Home" tour, and Tommy "a k a Rocket" Clement approached the stage several times trying to give the reclusive multi-Grammy winner a puakenekene lei. Finally, Jones noticed Clement talking earnestly with one of the security guards and allowed him to approach.

"I love these things," Jones exulted moments later, clearly enjoying the fragrance. Unlike many artists, who wear a fan's offering for a few moments at most, Jones kept the lei on for the rest of the show. Clement was stoked, and his night improved even more when guitarist Adam Levy tossed some picks to the crowd. Clement came up with one for his girlfriend.

Jones' one-hour, 45-minute concert was a romantic evening for many other couples in the crowd, and an impressive performance for all. Advertising executive Dennis Christianson, a guy with recording credits of his own, confessed afterward that he had gone to the show "a minor fan, but I'm now a major fan." Don Ho, one of the few concertgoers invited to meet Jones in her dressing room, spoke approvingly of "her great left hand (on piano)" and said he heard hints of Earl Grant's classic technique in her work. Fan Brenda Nuding summed it up perfectly in hailing Jones as someone who "can sing anything from country to jazz to rock to pop."

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Norah Jones commanded the stage at both the piano and electric keyboard.

For those who know Jones only from a song or two off her two hit albums -- "Come Away with Me" and "Feels Like Home" -- the biggest surprise might have been the ease with which she and her musicians moved so easily and smoothly across boundaries that many ambitious musicians stumble over. She opened and closed with introspective songs from "Come Away with Me" but displayed her command of heavier and rootsier styles as well. Slide guitar and snare drums gave several selections an organic country-blues feel, and when Lee Alexander switched from acoustic bass to electric solid-body bass guitar, Jones showed that she sings rock well, too.

Jones switched from a Yamaha concert grand piano to an electric keyboard several times, and delighted the crowd by coming out from behind the instruments to sing near the front of the stage. She slipped her shoes off early in the show to give the crowd a brief demonstration of what she remembered from an afternoon hula lesson.

"I know you've seen better," she said as the crowd applauded. Pictures of the moment are probably already up on the blogisphere; the show was photographed almost from start to finish by fans who'd brought conventional cameras and camera-cell phones. Clement was apparently the only one who thought to bring a lei, but several other fans bellowed their "love" to her from the depths of the arena.

Most of the crowd soaked up the music and applauded their favorite songs and instrumental solos enthusiastically but remained seated until the show was almost over and Jones asked them to stand and dance to the music. Long velvet drapes and seven large, retro-style lamps added to the feeling that Jones was in a lounge rather than an arena. Clear concert sound and moderate volume levels -- no earplugs needed -- were two more plusses in an excellent production.

And, for all her oft-mentioned shyness and proven reluctance to meet fans or do interviews, Jones was an articulate and engaging entertainer. She could probably have said nothing more than "thank you" and the crowd would have loved her, but she connected on a more meaningful level when she talked about her music and said it was great to be performing for an English-speaking audience after a lengthy swing through Asia -- "You understand 'thank you' ... and it's nice to know that if I tell a stupid joke and you don't laugh, it's because the joke isn't funny."

Not that she had to worry. Her story about appearing on "Sesame Street" and meeting Elmo after she was stood up by the letter "Y" was well written and nicely delivered, and the humorous aspects weren't forced.

The show was beautifully paced and balanced as well. The foundation was Jones on piano or keyboards, backed by the men of the Handsome Band -- bass, drums and two guitarists -- but there were plenty of interesting variations. On one song it was just Jones' voice and two guitars; on another it was Jones on piano backed only by drums. A female backing vocalist/flautist joined in on others.

It was from start to finish a marvelous musical journey through genres that don't always coexist successfully. No disrespect to Cassandra Wilson, but anyone who thinks Jones is merely Wilson redone for a younger generation isn't paying attention. Jones has her own thing going, and she is one of those rare acts as good in concert as she is on record.

And yes, she won me over, too.