For all her quirkiness and eccentricity as an artist and performer, the one thing that distinguishes Rickie Lee Jones [b. 1954-] from other artists is her storytelling ability through song. It could be a piano line, a turn of phrase, a breathy vocal affectation, a slipped reference, or a dropped hint of vulnerability, even a simple pause in delivery; but whatever it is, her performances are thoroughly unique to her. She has a certain way of being at ease on stage, confident in her ability without being overly self-conscious in the result. Her quirks are her strength, her openness a necessary connection to the audience. That’s not to say it’s a seamless presentation. It never is. It can be messy, even off-putting in stages, but it is uniquely hers to give.

It is also her subject matter. Ms. Jones writes (and seeks out) songs about life’s outsiders, usually characters who are not always sympathetic, though her intentions are to illustrate some universal connection even to the most unsavory aspects of human behavior. So her characters, with their faults and personal failures speak for all of us, even the most supposedly well adjusted. Everyone’s demons are just a hair breath away from becoming known.

And, within her catalog there is one album that remains as mysterious, enchanting, and painfully poignant years later among all others. Girl at Her Volcano was released in 1983 as a 10-inch EP by Warner Brothers after her early successes (Rickie Lee Jones (1979) and Pirates (1981)) and before The Magazine (1984).

[I didn’t hear it at the time; it was a few years later around 1985. The relationship didn’t survive but the album remains in my collection. And, it’s still one I return to from time to time. It was an instant hit with me, a shot to my emotional solar plexus even, and it has stayed there all these years.]

Girl at Her Volcano is virtually impossible to find on CD in most stores, and only exists as a Japanese Import which will cost some serious coin (in the neighborhood of 20 to 36 dollars), but it’s a necessary addition for any serious fan of Ms. Jones. You can still find the vinyl or cassette release from time to time but the CD is well worth hunting down.

The album is a hybrid release, a mix of live in the studio and other live tracks; an early rarity release in her career. Its focal point is the mix of standards and originals slightly outside her repertoire at the time, but amazingly held together by her performance throughout.

The centerpiece for me is her cover of Walk Away Renee, a 1966 hit for The Left Banke, with an instrumental introduction (Letters from the 9th Ward). It is absolutely jaw-on-the-floor killer; an interpretative classic with raw power and emotionalism. The vulnerability is palpable through the speakers. It is a moment of rare artistry within an album of serious artistic moments. [The only other version I’ve heard this good emotionally is one by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens also has a nice way with this one as well.]

To listen to Girl at Her Volcano is to be mesmerized. The performance is, at times, too revealing, the song selection painfully beautiful and true, and it seemingly only gets better as it ages.

The musicians support and stay with her at all times (some additional overdubs were used as well) but the beauty of the performance is Ms. Jones’ vocal and her ability to be within the tone and tempo of her material: alluring, vulnerable, a bit sloppy, but also resilient and resolute. She is indeed a jazz artist here, in every sense of the word. Beyond the questions of genre or specificity, this is music and performance with a challenge to the audience: be in the moment with me or perish.

Girl at her Volcano is an overlooked gem in her catalog; more than likely due to its lack of availability. It is superb within its flaws. The truthfulness of it wins out time and time again; its flaws a large part of its beauty and art (five stars).

Tracks
1. Lush Life (B. Strayhorn)[live at Perkins Palace, Pasadena, CA, 4/17/82]
2. Letters from the 9th Ward/Walk Away Renee (R.L. Jones/Brown/Sansone/Calilli) [studio, 3/1/83]
3. Hey Bub (R. L. Jones)[studio, 1/20/83]
4. My Funny Valentine (Rodgers/Hart)[live at the Roxy, Los Angeles, CA, 4/18/82]
5. Under the Boardwalk (Resnick/Young) [studio, 3/8/83]
6. Rainbow Sleeves (T. Waits) [studio, 12/4/78]
7. So Long (N. Larsen/L. Hall) [studio, 12/4/78]
8. Something Cool (B. Barnes)[live at Theater Carre, Amsterdam, 9/3/79]*
*Bonus track, Japanese CD or cassette only.
Total Time: 30:51
Produced by Rickie Lee Jones

Musicians
Rickie Lee Jones (piano, synthesizers, vocals), Michael Ruff (Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, vocals), Nathan East (bass), Reggie McBride (bass), Art Rodriguez (drums) Dean Parks (guitar), featuring
“So Long:” Neil Larsen (Fender Rhodes), Earl Dannar (oboe)
“Walk Away Renee:” Michael Fisher (percussion), Michael Boddicker (synthesizers)
“Under the Boardwalk:” Victor Feldman (percussion, marimba), Lenny Castro (congas, triple scale), Leslie Smith, Michael Ruff, Arno Lucas, and Sal Bernardi (vocals)
“Rainbow Sleeves:” Randy Kerber (piano), strings arranged by Johnny Mandell
Other strings arranged by Nick DeCaro.
Horns: Chuck Findley (trumpet), Larry Williams (saxophone), Earl Dannar (oboe)
Live Tracks:
“Lush Life:” (Michael Ruff, Reggie McBride, and Tony Braunagel)
“My Funny Valentine:” (Michael Ruff)
“Something Cool” (Neil Larsen, Lenny Castro, and Lyle Mays)

[This review is part of an occasional series on "Blasts from My Past."]

Sources
www.rickieleejones.com, www.myspace.com/dutchessofcoolsville

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Romancing