Press

14.01.2010 - Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada

Norah Jones Rocks with Sennheiser and Neumann

Nine-time Grammy winner and superlative vocalist and songwriter Norah Jones is currently on a promo tour in support of her fourth studio album, The Fall, with dates at the David Letterman Show, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, among many others. The Fall is a rock ‘n roll departure from Jones’ earlier, more jazz-inspired work, and gets its organic, gritty sound from collaborators, most notably producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Modest Mouse). But Jones’ ethereal voice has not changed, and it is still easy to get wondrously lost in the space between each spellbinding breath. To convey that indescribable quality, FOH engineer Brett Dicus continues to rely on Neumann’s incomparable live vocal microphone technology, with a backline of Sennheiser wired microphones and wireless personal monitors to keep the band sounding their best.
 

Norah Jones performing on Late Night with David Letterman in support of her new release, The Fall.  (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Depending on the acoustical circumstances, Jones sings into a Neumann KMS 104 cardioid or a KMS 105 super-cardioid. Both microphones deliver the signature Neumann studio sound with the robust handling required for a live performance. “Above all else, the most critical sound reinforcement tool that we bring with us to every date is Norah’s Neumann vocal microphone,” said Dicus. “She’s been using some variant of a Neumann microphone or a Neumann capsule with a Sennheiser RF transmitter for almost all of her touring career. On those rare occasions where we’re asked to use something else, we miss the studio-quality high-end and lifelike sibilance that we get ‘out of the box’ with the KMS 104/105.”    Sennheiser e 935 wired vocal microphones provide pick-up for all backing vocals, and Sennheiser’s classic MD 421 delivers robust electric bass. Dicus’ drum sound relies on a collection of Sennheiser evolution 900 Series microphones. He explained, “A Norah Jones show requires consistent tone quality. Transparency is very important because we cannot hide behind loud guitars or screaming fans. Every nuance of each musician’s performance is equally important to both the music and the sound reinforcement. With a typically busy tour day and many issues

competing for our attention, we rely heavily on the performance of our tools. Neumann and Sennheiser consistently deliver.”
 

Several of Jones’ musicians use Sennheiser wireless personal monitors for hassle-free performance. Monitor engineer Russ Wilson remarked, “Sennheiser belt-packs are ideal for performance because of their size and weight. Their small form factor and light weight allow easy integration into any wardrobe choices, plus Sennheiser wireless monitoring has always been ideal for Norah and her band, both in terms of tone and reliability. And Sennheiser’s support staff have been extremely helpful around the world in maintaining consistent RF performance.”
 

After a winter respite, Jones and her band will kick off a 36-city tour in early March.
  

The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of over €385 million in 2008. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, around 55% of whom are in Germany. Sennheiser has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA, and is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).
 
Download press release:
press_release_210110.zip (409 kB)
 

You can find all the latest information on Sennheiser by visiting our website at www.sennheiser.com, or by contacting:
 

Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Mick Whelan
Manager Global Relations
Tel.  +1 (952) 564-1658
mick.whelan@sennheiser.com