Album of the Day

A singer-songwriter who can bring the spirit of beatnik jazz to a variety of musical styles, Rickie Lee Jones has always known her way around “Coolsville.” After working the Los Angeles club scene for a few years in the mid-1970s, a demo tape earned Jones a deal with Warner Bros., and producers Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman pulled out all the stops for her self-titled debut. RICKIE LEE JONES features some of the city's top jazz session players (along with Dr. John, Michael McDonald and Randy Newman) and Jones' songs put them to good use - “Young Blood” was a Top 40 hit and the breezy “Chuck E.'s In Love” reached #3. A Platinum-selling success, the collection also brought the performer four Grammy nominations (including a win for Best New Artist), and RICKIE LEE JONES' colorful sketches of L.A. characters and dives remain irresistible.