Rickie Lee Jones, new label and new album on the way!

[Sweet Jane 61]

Veteran vocalist Rickie Lee Jones has signed with New West Records, which will release her next album, "The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard," on Feb. 6. The 13-track collection took life after Jones contributed to a separate spoken word album inspired by the teachings of Jesus and conceived by author/photographer Lee Cantelon.

Using the track she recorded for that album, "Nobody Knows My Name," as a jumping-off point, Jones hit the studio with producer Rob Schnapf, Cantelon and guitarist Peter Atanasoff. "It seems that the real story of Jesus is lived over and over again in each generation but no one ever recognizes the Christ that walks among us," she says.

Songs earmarked for "Sermon" include "Elvis Cadillac," "Circle in the Sand," "Where I Like It Best," "7th Day" and "Nobody Knows My Name." Jones also contributed on bass and guitar.

"Sermon" is the follow-up to 2003's "The Evening of My Best Day," Jones' lone album for V2. It will also be available in a two-disc edition featuring higher resolution audio mixes, a DVD chronicling the recording sessions and 256K MP3 files for easy transfer to portable digital players.

For now, the lone dates on Jones' tour schedule are a Dec. 2-3 stand in Pioneertown, Calif., and a Dec. 18 show in Santa Barbara, Calif.

I love Rickie! I have since the 70's. She is very unique and a forgotten talent.