Ms. Jone’s podcast is my best podcast find of 2023, and I found *many* awesome podcasts in 2023! Since I first found Playing Along, I’ve listened to nearly every episode you’ve put out and enjoyed every one of them—even the suggestions episode you and Ms. Oda did together was a great listen! Yes, it’s great fun to listen to musicians and how you all approach your work. I love jazz. I used to live 15 minutes drive from Yoshi’s Oakland and spent a decade hearing many amazing jazz musicians. But a dozen or so years ago, I moved to a rural town many hours’ drive from the nearest jazz club and I desperately miss going to live jazz performances. What I love most about “Playing Along” is the wonderful improvisational vibe, no matter the musical genre the guest favors! I’m not a musician nor do I have any musical talent. In my working life, I was a software engineer and systems analyst for over twenty years. My job often involved coordinating efforts in large projects and connecting the voice of the ultimate users of our projects’ efforts to my software-engineering coworkers. After 22 years of that, I went back to grad school in Environmental Sciences and I now teach and research in biology and how my biology research relates to research across economics, politics, engineering, and other aspects of the Environmental Sciences. The common thread throughout my working life is collaboration and helping make a space where that collaboration can take place. None of what I’ve done in my life is anything like the world of music presented by this podcast. So I also love this podcast because Ms. Jones and Ms. Oda have created the most amazing master class in collaboration I can ever imagine! Thank you so, so much for this!!!! Who would I like to hear on the podcast? I’m among the many who would love to hear Norah Jones and Bonnie Raitt playing together. Lana Del Rey would be fabulous—I first found Ms. Del Rey’s music through my students and would love to get broader sense of who she is. Hearing Norah Jones and Diana Krall would be the very best! I adored the episode with Quest Love and Christian McBride—other combos like that forming impromptu trios would be utterly amazing! And I would also love to hear Norah Jones with Jim Campilongo—I went to grammar school with Jim and would love to hear him chatting and making music with Norah! In your “suggestions” podcast, you and Ms. Oda talked about how elaborate your job producing these podcasts is. Could you do an episode that takes us inside how that production works? It might be just too wonky for most peoples’ interests, but I’d love to hear more about how you go through that process! And maybe in some future episodes, highlight some of the interesting sidewomen/sidemen you’ve played with—folks we wouldn’t ordinarily hear much about. One last thought. Have you ever done that mental game of imagining who would be sitting around your ideal dinner-party table? Norah Jones and Sarah Oda are definitely sitting at that imaginary table!

This podcast was one of my highlights last year. I hope it returns! I loved the musical creativity and collaboration and the casual banter. Thanks for all the hard work!

I love this podcast so much because I learn something new with each guest Nora duets with. Nora and her guests pull back the curtain and I discover artists I never would have known about and how talented they are, or I learn about pop/country/hip-hop/jazz history that I had not known before. I live for the nuggets of wisdom and music history they dish out. I am here for the name dropping and the exquisite musical performances. I love the relaxed vibe. Nothing is rushed. It plays out like it should. Very entertaining and worth my time.

Norah Jones is my favorite singer and it is so nice to listen to her conversations with other talented musicians! I was listening to Laufey one day and thinking: I wonder what Norah Jones would think of her music. And I came upon this show featuring the two! What a delight!

What a lovely podcast! An extraordinary musical talent talking with another, often new to me, talented person about their shared love of music. It’s a wonderful feeling I save for Sunday mornings to enhance my mellow. Thank you, Nora.

Laufey is awesome. Really talented. Norah you definitely are the coolest to get to play with all these cool people.

Nora, could you possibly interview Paul Cerra who is my favorite next to you?tom Muench Awesome podcast. I have been a fan From the start. I am an old guy. My grand daughter when to Berklee work laufley. She is amazing and the podcast is amazing. I send all you podcast to my grand daughter AC she a bassist jazz and upright. My son has had a band for years. I truly have learned so much from you. I just love your music as well as Laufley. Tom Muench

Norah is an absolute joy to listen to and has such a lovely voice ! I really have enjoyed listening to her and her guests especially the interview with Dave Grohl! Thanks so much! Cynthia Suarez

Nora’s humility, experience, and honesty lend to the best music sessions you could imagine! From Mavis to Rufus this has been such a a powerful gift. Nora is natural conversationalist! Can’t wait for the next session!

Whenever I listen to Norah and her amazing guests talk about their experiences with music, or better, perform together, often for the first time, I feel like I’ve been let in on a special creative happening. I come away inspired and excited to learn more about the guest artist or something that was discussed during the session. Norah is a love to her guests and a profoundly talented singer, songwriter, and musician. It’s my favorite podcast these days.

Listening to Norah and her guests play on a whim (more or less) is great. Fun to hear musicians I’ve admired out of their comfort zone. Bonus points for mentioning my dog Scrappy on her email episode!

Norah is such a music geek and very humble. Some of the finest conversations come out of these creative collaborations, and such great artists playing with her. To date my favorite has to be Questlove/McBride for many many reasons. First of all the immediate energy created by McBride and Questlove’s long relationship seemed to put Norah at ease, and the long drummer talk Questlove gave while they’re all playing….man. Every episode gave me an appreciation for each artist weather I knew who they were or not. It’s obvious why Norah has been successful, and I can’t say enough good. It’s gold.

No celebrity gossip nonsense, just a fun celebration of music. It’s wonderful to hear people who have mastered their art making music together.

Really enjoyed the conversation and music with Dave Grohl. Shame about the editing in a few spots.

What a lovely podcast!

There really just nothing like it. I love how kind and generous Norah is as an interviewer and as a musician (and probably as a person!). There is a perfect mix of talk and playing music, but the music is so powerful and inspiring. Getting folks in a room to make music together will never get old. I also love the variety of musicians that the podcast brings to it. Lastly, I really just love hearing Norah play and sing in her distinctive and soulful voice and her perhaps under-celebrated, piano playing. Kudos to you all and keep on playing along.

Wonderful conversations about music, life & collaboration! Plus, so many great songs and artists to listen to & discover! Love, love, love this. It’s my new favorite.

Such an intimate way to hear musicians jam and talk about their work! I’d love to hear angel olsen and badbadnotgood on the show ♥️

I loved this podcast until recent episodes have so many random and sporadic ads throughout that are so jarring. There is no natural transition and they often come right in the middle of Norah and her guest's exchange. This would be a 5 star podcast but for the totally disruptive ads now.

Love this pod but the ads on a recent episode were so numerous and placed so awkwardly within the episode it totally broke the mood and vibe. Please place them in a block to be less intrusive.

This was one of my favorites until they dramatically increased the frequency of the ads, placing them throughout the show instead of at one or two specific points. It makes the interviews difficult to follow.

The podcast feels new and comfortable at the same time. It gives you a chance to reset. It feels like home🙂

Norah is charming! Best part of the show is how lovely it always sounds when she plays a song with the guests. No rehearsal!

I so loved the Robert Johnson you all did!! Oh my lord, Mickey’s opening was …no words to describe. That episode was a musical party.

What a soothing listen! As a lifelong fan of Norah Jones and of music in general, this podcast is such a gift. I especially loved the episodes with Anushka Shankar and Andrew Bird! Fingers crossed for episodes with Gregory Alan Isakov and Dave Grohl? 😊🙏🏼

Nora is not just a very talented artist but also a very nice warm person and it shows in the podcast.

Merely listening to Norah and her guest jam and play music would be worth the price of admission alone. This podcast has introduced me to many new musical artists, and allowed me to get to know them with a relaxed and personal conversation. My one note is that Norah is still a bit unpolished as an interviewer/host. This is a less refined, impromptu conversation, but most of Norah's Q&A consists of her repeating the guest's words back to them and adding "That's so interesting," I know that this will improve as the show continues.

I am so happy I found this podcast. When I do my long 8 mile walks picking up trash on our local bike/walk trail I listen. I’ve been a fan of Nora’s since forever and as I learn more about Nora and her guests, hear their music together and enjoy their laughter I’m more impressed each time. Thank you and just don’t ever stop. You are so very very talented. I’m telling everyone to listen.

I love that I get to listen to one of my favorite artists and get to know more about her personality too. I’m already a big fan of her art and her voice and seeing her harmonize and collab on the spot is magical!

I’ll be honest, prior to hearing her on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, I hardly knew who Norah Jones was. But Conan’s admiration for her made me decide to check out this podcast. Most of what I listen to is history and science, so I didn’t anticipate being IMMEDIATELY enamored of her and her guests. Norah’s genuine love for he friends and what she does is heartwarming. Her voice is seductive (not necessarily in a sexual way) and she chooses such interesting guests. In a scant few episodes she had introduced me to musicians I may otherwise not have heard of, and given me a new appreciation of one I already liked (Mavis Staples).

Amazing podcast that became an instant favorite. The episode with Rodrigo Amarante is mesmerizing.

Wish I was talented enough to able to be on this podcast.

Playing Along has great potential to be a big hit as a pod. It reminds me of that great long-time NPR show Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland. That show ran for 30+ years, and she attracted guests such as Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, Diana Krall, and…Norah Jones. Norah Jones has the personality to make the show a big success. I like her mix—if it continues past the early days—of stars and lesser known musicians of great talent. I think a stronger trend toward musicians who know the theories and techniques behind what they do will make for more interesting conversations. Not that they want to have a discussion on suspended 7ths, but sometimes understanding why a tune is powerful or catchy can be very interesting to the audience. In moderation. If you’re a fan of music and how or why it works, this is the show for you. I enjoy it.

Norah, whether you’re singing, or talking, you’re voice is beautiful and I can listen to you all day ❤️❤️❤️

This is such a treat. Tom Waits and you discussing "Long Way Home," et al would be...well, one can dream. Thanks again for the show!

I’ve been listening to podcasts every day for the last 5 years. This is the first time I’ve ever been moved to write a review. It is equally as powerful for music fans as it is for professional musicians like myself. The Mavis episode…I’ve heard Mavis interviewed many times over the last 20 years. This is by far the best. The most personal, unguarded, uplifting and genuinely beautiful. I give much of the credit to Nora, whose musicianship is just so outstanding. Their mutual adoration for each other can be heard not just in the gushing words, but this effortless harmony connection. Both have such incredible harmony skills and a soul delivery of everything they sing. As an interviewer Nora is a natural. The conversation flows so well into the songs that the listener never touches the ground. And, when it was over I felt, “I just got to experience that.” So thank you, Nora. -LM

Like a hug from my Grandmother!! It makes me feel so happy. It’s like you’re getting to sit in a cozy studio and watch 2 old friends reminisce and play together. Amazing. And Norah Jones always sound like a straight up angel singing! she makes me tear up and smile happy smiles at the same time. She’s a fantastic interviewer, funny and beyond charming!! We need more feel good like this in the world. Thank you.

I love Nora’s music, her laid back casual style with other musicians and her podcasts! Thank you Nora for being you!

It honestly takes me back to listening to Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz and I love it so much.

Amazing dope unique you favorite song. Dope awesome music great stuff

Love this. Norah, your soothing voice is so therapeutic. Doctors should prescribe this podcast to treat anxiety. Just lovely. -Kristina

In the spirit of Marian McPartland’s “Piano Jazz” radio show, Norah and her guests mix interesting conversations with beautiful, stripped down musical collaborations. Keep them coming, Norah!

Can’t believe I just stumbled upon this. Perfect for a lonely Sunday evening, so down to earth, sweet, and refreshing. Felt like I was really there, sitting and listening.

This makes me so happy, my heart is so full listening to this podcast!

Norah again illuminates us with her kindness..

We get to hear amazing singers and song writers perform along side one of the best. So far every episode has been inspiring, joyful and musically rich.

I listened to the Mavis Staples episode first and was just absolutely delighted. Norah asks such insightful questions. I love how Mavis was just having a conversation with Norah and when she would start to praise Norah, Norah would thank her and then flip the conversation back to Mavis. If Norah decides to call her music career quits (May that never happen!) she could easily turn into interviewer! Can’t wait for more episodes!

This podcast feels so good to listen to. It is everything I need to escape and catch a bit of lightheartedness. It makes me feel warm. I am learning so much! I had never heard of Tank and the Bangers before, but now I can’t turn them off! I am having fun and learning so much about Norah and her guests!

This first episode with Jeff Tweedy was warm, comforting, and especially informative. The music, duets, and dialogue also nice to hear.

I LOVE this podcast. I’ve always been a NJ fan and I especially love her collaborations. This podcast is pure creativity. The Tarriana episode is my favorite. Can it get better than that? Probably. Can’t wait to continue listening.