On the latest episode of the Daryl Easlea-hosted podcast M Means Music, the veteran UK music writer, DJ, and music consultant puts a holiday twist on the show’s classic format, celebrating the release of Norah Jones’ I Dream of Christmas.
The staple of the podcast series are the five M’s: Moment, Music, Modern Art, Members, and Memory. This week, Easlea applied these to two cuts from Jones’ recently released holiday album including “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” and “A Holiday For Two.”
“Norah Jones has been one of the most redoubtable singer-songwriters of the past 20 years since her debut album Come Away With Me became a global success,” Easlea explains in the episode.
“I Dream Of Christmas, is the right album at the right time – a comforting collection that explores the complicated emotions of our times and our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness.”
To add an additional perspective, the early segment of the episode highlights a quote from Jones herself in which she explains the inspiration behind taking the step towards creating her first-holiday album.
“I’ve always loved Christmas music but never had the inclination to make a holiday album until now. Last year I found myself listening to James Brown’s Funky Christmas and Elvis’s Christmas Album on Sundays during lockdown for a sense of comfort,” she says.
“In January 2021, I started thinking about making a Christmas album of my own. It gave me something fun to work on and look forward to.” And what an album it turned out to be, writing six new originals and adding seven standards to what will become a timeless selection of tunes.”
In addition to two tracks from Jones, the episode also showcases three timeless classic holiday singles from The Waitresses, John & Yoko and the Plastic Ono Band, and James Brown.