Articles of the Month

CD Review - Come Away With Me, by Norah Jones

Along with Canadian Rock Star Avril Lavigne ? proud of you ? and a few others, Norah Jones has grabbed 5 Grammy nominations this year. You know, there has been so much buzz about her lately, including the incredible number of her album sold. She now has become an officially phenomenon. You might wonder why her CD has had so much wonderful reviews from renowned critics. Yet, I should not attempt to give you the reason why right at the beginning. Music is sometimes better explained with a story rather than a logical reasoning, you see. So let me begin with a little story I like to call, "Journey to the funeral in L.A."

After blowing off a chance to meet my "#2 grandma" in Norwalk, suburban city outside L.A., I was extremely sad and upset to learn that I had to go to her funeral. Since my family decided to get there by car, my parents and I took turns and drove all the way to L.A. from Vancouver. As a die-hard music lover, I cannot drive without music, but this time it was different: I really did not know what to listen. My feelings were still very raw, yet I didn't want to emphasize on that feeling and make my mother. Well, the story goes like this. In 1960's, a 15-year-old girl from war-torn Korea comes to America to study. Caught up with an affair, her uncle decides to kick her out. She is left in the street without any place to go during her first month in a foreign country. A single mother of 16-year-old high school dropout offers her place to stay and cares for her for 3 years without charging the girl a single penny. This single mother who managed her life as a waitress leaves a successful restaurant to her family, and the poor little girl now lives happily with her family in Vancouver. And you might have guessed it, but, yes, the little girl in the story is my mum.

Imagine driving through endless desert of California and ever mountainous region of Oregon with this in mind. Pressure was on me to help my mum to get through this, while at the same time to make the trip not depressing. Then Ms. Jones rescued me. Her music was soothing, calm, but colourful. Her voice was like obituary of Ms. Virginia Lee Layman who was full of life and kindness. Not even once, no one asked to change the music ? no, we did not feel the need for it. We could celebrate her life, and grieve over the most generous lady in the world through the music.

That's what you'll get out of her music. You can relate your life or your loved one's life to her songs. Each song is just like a work of art painted with brilliant artistic talent that gently flows throughout. She brings a new perspective to you every time you listen to her. If you can't understand what I mean, try this. When you are on the road, just pop her CD into the CD player and look outside for a while. You'll then see what I have been trying to say.