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Review and photos by Frances Sealy Rickie Lee Jones mentioned early in her show, "There is a cardinal rule in show business that dictates to never tell people what you've done wrong because they might not have noticed. In case I do anything wrong, I'm going to apologize now, a head of time, for anything that might go wrong."Rickie Lee Jones spent her 64th birthday in Tucson on November 8 conducting her own party. A crowd of faithful fans could not have been happier during the near two-hour intimate concert. The stage was sparsely set with two musicians, a piano in the rear and her acoustic guitar. She was decked out in a black pantsuit and her classic brown beret. She immediately started singing an a capella version of The Beatles' song "When I'm 64." It was a charming way to start the show. She quipped after the song, "I'll never get to sing that song again." Jones was ready to celebrate her birthday with the fans. She recalled her 50th birthday, " I thought it was all over. My view has changed. " Jones' songs conjure mind pictures that tell stories of Americana at its best. Songs like "Last Chance Texaco," "Young Blood," "Coolsville," and "Living It Up" are fine examples of Jones' streetwise characters and legendary songwriting. "Chuck E's in Love" is most likely her most famous song to the general public primarily because it has gotten so much radio play. It is a jazzy, upbeat pop song. It is a song that Jones is expected to play. This striped-down version still delights. Jones started to perform Neil Young's "The Last Trip to Tulsa" when she stopped and said, "This is a song I listened to. I didn't write it. It was one of a few that Young has written from a woman's point of view. Back then it seemed to matter to me." She has tantalized fans with covers of the American songbook. Her sense of timing and unique phrasing always gives classic songs a fresh new attitude. Jones has released several albums of classic material. A fan yelled out a request for "Under the Boardwalk" an original hit by The Drifters from 1964. Jones had been hiding the fact that she has had a bad cold but she wanted to perform the show. She responded, "Yeah like I'm going to be able to do that tonight. Thanks for asking though." She did perform "An Irish Lullaby" and "Tennessee Waltz" instead. Jones revealed that she has been recording new music over the last month in New Orleans. "It will be all cover songs. It's been really rewarding and we have the overdubs left to do. In a week, we'll be done. It's the old way of doing it and also the cheapest way of doing it. I'd like to jump in the water tonight and sing one of the songs that will be on the record. There's no sharks in here is there?" The song was Julie London's "Cry Me a River." Cliff Hines on guitar and Mike Dillon on vibraphone, bongos and cymbals were the rest of the band. They added Jazz-tinged improvisations to Jones music that gave the sound authenticity true to the original recordings. There was no set list. The show is always a complete surprise for the Hines and Dillon. They had to be ready to pick up cues from Jones as to what is the next song. It is done so well that the audience is clueless. This seemed to be the most personal Rickie Lee Jones show we've experienced. Maybe this was related to her birthday. The staff at the Fox theatre had covertly obtained a birthday cake unbeknownst to Jones, The fans had already sung "Happy Birthday" to the singer earlier in the show. Jones started the piano portion of the show and had lamented how no one sent her birthday cards. Soon after, the theatre manager presented Jones with a birthday cake. Needless to say, she was surprised and delighted. On the subject of cake, Jones remarked, "For a while I thought the main reason I got married was so I could eat the cake. I just wanted the cake. I didn't care what happened afterward as long as I could have a big wedding cake. But that's another story. We'll tell that next time. I'm having a lot of fun now." When the show was over, Jones left the cake on stage for the fans to devour. Jones is still with us and she can still seduce us with her great talent in a live performance. |
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1. When I'm Sixty-Four
(The Beatles cover) 2. Weasel and the White Boys Cool 3. Young Blood 4. The Last Chance Texaco 5. Road Kill 6. Tell Somebody (Repeal the Patriot Act) 7. It Must Be Love 8. It Takes You There 9. The Last Trip to Tulsa (Neil Young cover) |
10. Chuck E's in Love 11. Happy Birthday 12. We Belong Together 13. Coolsville 14. Living It Up 15. An Irish Lullaby 16. Tennessee Waltz 17. Cry Me a River (Julie London cover) 18. Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive |
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