Rickie Lee Jones

Millions were introduced to Rickie Lee Jones via her hit single “Chuck E.’s In Love,” a slinky hipster valentine, but those who dug into her 1979 self-titled debut album discovered that Ms. Jones offered more than flirtatious beatnik jive. Her serious intentions as a vocalist and composer are evident throughout these tracks, produced with care by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman. Jones’ persona — by turns coy, street-smart and vulnerable — is delineated in lyrics filled with evocative slang and visionary poetry. She’s an especially deft story-teller, catching the pathos of a down-and-out mother in “Night Train” and the charm of neighborhood con-men in “Easy Money.” Her jazz-drenched vocal style and innate sense of swing make her words jump, swoon and bite. Tracks like “Young Blood” and “Danny’s All-Star Joint” are musical caffeine jags alive with nervous fun. Edgier tunes like “Coolsville” sketch the dark side of bohemia. And her ballads — particularly the heart-melting “Company” — are rich with uptown elegance. Throughout, Jones inhabits her world of penny-ante hoods and sass-slinging chicks with such authority that you can’t help but be drawn in, too. A genuine singer/songwriter classic.

With her expressive soprano voice employing sudden alterations of volume and force, and her lyrical focus on Los Angeles street life, Rickie Lee Jones comes on like the love child of Laura Nyro and Tom Waits on her self-titled debut album.