Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Norah Jones welcomes longtime friend and collaborator Sasha Dobson to discuss her musical roots, songwriting process, and transition from jazz singer to multi-instrumentalist. The host and the guest share stories about meeting in New York City in 1999, touring with their dogs, and balancing the expectations of the jazz world with original songwriting. Throughout the episode, Sasha performs original songs like "Four Leaf Clover" and shares unreleased snippets, providing a warm, intimate look into a decades-long creative partnership.
- Collaboration is much easier and more natural when working with someone you have known and trusted for over twenty years. 4:03
- Developing as a musician often requires taking risks by performing live and working things out on gigs rather than practicing alone. 35:12
- Writing songs becomes much easier when an artist has real-life experiences and events driving their inspiration. 56:13
- Returning to jazz standards later in life can provide artists with a deep sense of confidence and rootedness. 1:11:45
Chapters
- 0:00
- 1:07Episode Introduction and Tour Dates
Norah Jones introduces the episode, announces Sasha Dobson’s upcoming shows, and shares her excitement for the new album.
- 2:39Collaborative History with Norah Jones
The hosts reflect on their long friendship, the formation of Puss in Boots, and how their musical partnership evolved over the years.
- 4:52Early Musical Journey and Jazz Scene
Sasha recounts her first experiences in jazz clubs, her relationship with her parents, and the challenges of being a female jazz singer.
- 22:33Closing Reflections and Future Projects
The episode concludes with reflections on their friendship, future collaborations, and a teaser of upcoming music and projects.
- 43:45Touring with Dogs and Personal Growth
The conversation turns to the 2009 tour with dogs, the dynamics of touring life, and how it influenced their artistic development.
- 48:58Creative Process and Songwriting Challenges
Sasha and Norah discuss the creative cycle, inspiration, the need for discipline, and how they push each other to finish songs.
- 1:04:11Podcast Intro and Sponsor Messages
The episode opens with host introductions, sponsor ads, and a brief overview of the show’s format.
- 1:05:41Sasha Dobson Guest Introduction
Host Norah Jones introduces Sasha Dobson, setting the stage for a deep dive into her musical journey.
- 1:06:23Early Influences and Songwriting Process
Sasha discusses how lyrics shaped her early songwriting and the evolution of her musical style.
- 1:07:22Neil Young Tribute and Live Performance Memories
Sasha recounts a memorable live tribute to Neil Young and the dynamics of performing with a house band.
- 1:09:24Return to Jazz and New Album Release
The conversation turns to Sasha’s return to jazz with her new album, exploring her motivations and creative process.
Highlights
- 11:35
The host and the guest reminisce about moving to New York in 1999 and meeting for the first time at Carpo's Cafe on Bleecker Street.
- 14:59
Growing up in a jazz familyinsight
The guest explains how growing up surrounded by her jazz musician parents and prodigy brother was both inspiring and intimidating.
- 22:28
The guest discusses writing her very first song, "Four Leaf Clover," and how playing guitar on the recording informed the melody.
- 31:53
Discovering the swing dance scenestory
The guest shares how getting into swing dancing in Santa Cruz made her feel cool for knowing about jazz for the first time.
- 1:06:56
Performing with Neil Youngstory
The host recalls surprising the guest with a high-stakes performance of Neil Young songs in front of Neil Young himself.
- 1:10:35
Making a jazz recordinsight
The guest explains why she wanted to record a new jazz album under her own name after years of focusing on original singer-songwriter material.
Quotes
“Yeah, she's one of my favorite, favorite, most beloved people in my life, actually.”
Unnamed speaker · 2:55 “I definitely feel like anything's possible with Sasha.”
Unnamed speaker · 3:41 “But the truth is, I learned a lot that I didn't know.”
Unnamed speaker · 4:34 “You're gonna hear a lot of beautiful songs that she wrote in this episode, as well as an old jazz standard that we recorded together.”
Unnamed speaker · 5:44 “I grew up singing these classic songs, but not really hearing the lyrics in the same way.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:06:40 “It's so funny. Do you remember when we did, um, we did music carers for Neil Young?”
Unnamed speaker · 1:06:56 “The truth is, I bet some of those guys were the same way. They just don't show it in the same way.”
Unnamed speaker · 1:12:48
Sponsored segments
- Granger 0:13–0:33
- Sasha Dobson 1:25–1:42
- Before the Moment 9:15–10:09
- Toyota 10:17–10:51
- OnDeck 10:52–11:20
- Before the Moment 41:41–42:31
- Toyota 42:39–43:16
- OnDeck 43:17–43:44
- Before the Moment 1:03:41–1:04:32
- Toyota 1:04:36–1:05:12
- OnDeck 1:05:12–1:05:40
- Toyota 1:20:08–1:21:21
- OnDeck 1:21:21–1:21:50
- Toyota 1:22:43–1:23:14
- Chase 1:23:51–1:24:20
About this episode
Sasha Dobson is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose life has run the gamut from swing dancing in Santa Cruz, to learning instruments on-the-fly in New York City.
Transcript
12,293 words · 7 speakers
Topics
- Puss in Boots
- Four Leaf Clover
- New York City
- Lincoln
- iHeart Podcast
- Steve Harvey Morning Show
- Santa Cruz
- Chic
- iHeartRadio
- One Flight Up
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