When Jones took the stage to mild cheers and whistles from the mixed-age crowd — everyone from teenagers and septuagenarians in love to folks in between represented last night — one might have thought the excitement strangely minimal.

But once Jones sat at her piano and gently offered the opening chords of "Turn Me On," it was clear the gathered would be hers as long as she wanted. Wearing a low cut black camisole, a multi-colored skirt, a variety of bracelets and the shyest of smiles, Jones let her music do the talking most of the night.

The stage was compacted with crushed red velvet curtains, keeping Jones and her band close and the arena as lounge intimate as possible. Large, kitschy '70s-patterned lamps hung above each musician. Cool-colored lights and spots were used to moody effect.

With only two albums under her belt — "Come Away With Me" and 2004's 4-million-selling "Feels Like Home" — Jones culled liberally from both for her 90-minute set. The result was musical nirvana for the adoring crowd, most of whom appeared to have committed the lyrics of every track on both albums to memory long before last night.

Blessed with an altogether unique and sensuous singing voice often eerily world-weary for someone so young, Jones, 26, is at her best when mixing a variety of genres. A little bit of blues here, a touch of jazz there, and a pinch or two of country, eclectic pop and standards. All of it goes into a slow-cooking musical stew hewing near the mellower side of Americana.

No one would accuse Jones of being the world's most lively stage performer, but songs like "Creepin' In" and a delicious cover of Tom Waits' "The Long Way Home" showed off a sweet and swinging, light-hearted side of her personality.

Her between-song patter with the audience was limited, but always endearingly goofy. At times, some of it was even pretty funny.

Jones joked about writing songs "on a stinky tour bus," sparing the audience of her hula skills " 'cause I know you've seen better," and playfully showed off a recent fascination with "Napoleon Dynamite" quotes.

Though as pitch-perfect as her studio work, Jones' voice came off more tastily rough-hewn live. With ample musical experimentation, the evening's highlights were many.

"What Am I To You" was done with a slightly rockin' alt-country flair. A cover of Bob Dylan's "Going, Going, Gone" was turned in nicely bluesy and matched with a wonderfully growly "In The Morning."

Her repertoire was so well-selected and delivered, even a warm pianoless version of "Don't Know Why" with Jones walking the stage backed only by bass, guitar and spare percussion didn't get the biggest applause.

The Handsome Band, for their part, had more than just good looks going for them. And Jones — clearly uninterested in proving hers a solo show — never treated her talented players as mere back-up. Former Pretenders guitar ace Robbie McIntosh gracefully switched between electric and acoustic instruments; his best moments coming whenever offered a tasteful solo slide opportunity or mandolin turn.

The rest of the band — bassist Lee Alexander, guitarist Adam Levy, drummer Andrew Borger and backing vocalist/flautist Daru Oda — were all given ample moments to shine solo, as well.

Still, it was Jones who'd filled all the seats last night. And she admirably delivered in offering the crowd everything they'd waited so patiently for so long to hear live.

Was she worth the wait? Just ask anyone who went and wait for the insider quotes, "Nice!" and "Cool!"