Introduce Yourself thread

[jle]

My name is Jeff, and I’ve been lurking on the forums off and on for quite a while now. I’ve long wanted to share a this, so here goes….

KE got me through some of the deepest, most intense pain I have ever experienced. I mean that literally. It was mid January last year; about 3 AM, and I was in the hospital recovering from hip revision surgery (that’s where they replace the worn out hip replacement). I had maxed out the dose on my morphine IV pump, and the pain was still there. I knew the night shift nurses couldn’t do anything more for me. What to do? My iPod, with most of Kurt’s albums on it. “Orange Blossoms in Summertime” – the tune that got me hooked on Kurt Elling when I first heard it on the radio at 5:30 in the morning - and “This Time It’s Love” (Live in Chicago) got me over. Then I listened to some Oliver Nelson and Alice Coltrane from House that Trane Built anthology. I didn’t need much morphine after that; the nurses remarked how little I had used when they unhooked me a day or two later.

[Audrey]

Hi,

My name is Audrey Clark and I'm from San Jose, CA. I discovered Kurt 2 and 1/2 months ago when I found out that he was playing at Yoshi's in San Francisco & Oakland. I checked out the website and was very impressed with his vocal style. I got all of his CD's within a week or so. I got to see him in Oakland and San Francisco last week and I had a great time. The band was amazing and Kurt's voice moved my soul.

I can't wait to hear more about his future projects.

Sincerely,
Audrey Clark
aka the Quiet One.

[philerskine]

HELLO everyone! I live in England (definitly not the jazz capital of the world) and love jazz.

[Cj]

Hi Everyone! My name is Cj. I'm from the Philippines.
Jazz has always been in my blood ever since I was 5 years old... i grew up listening to my dad's Frank Sinatra classics to my mother's Earth, Wind & Fire...
I've been a Kurt fan since 2004. I first heard of him from a jazz friend of mine when I was in Melbourne. He had nothing but beautiful things to say about him, and he got to watch him live. Ever since then, I had Kurt's voice and lyrics embrace me everyday, wherever I went.

I have had the privilege to meet Kurt and the rest of the quartet in the most recent Philippine International Jazz Fest. When I heard he was coming to perform, my heart skipped a beat. The organizers of the event needed volunteers to take care of the International Artists, so I stepped up along with my boyfriend who is a jazz guitarist.

I got to hang with the cats and all I had to do was make sure that Kurt and all of them were happy while in the Philippines. Not only did his voice and lyrics embrace me, Kurt Elling himself did so as well...

What an honor and a wonderful experience.

Kurt is such a wonderful man. Meeting him was one of the best things that have ever happened to me and the rest of the Jazz lovers in the Philippines.

[rory]

Hi fellow KE-enthusiasts,

My name's rory and i live in wollongong, australia. Im 15 years old and music, especially jazz, is a huge part of my life. No-one else in my family is really into music, but as the jazz scene is constantly growing in wollongong (thanks to an amazing and inspirational man named Eric Dunan), there are plenty of other jazz cats around who share my passion.

I was introduced to KE's music by a friend last year and have been an avid follower ever since. I went to see him at the Sydney Opera House this year with the friend who introduced me to KE and was absolutely blown away by the show i witnessed. Hearing Kurt singing "My Foolish Heart" live was one of the best moments of my life to date. The whole show was a spectacle to behold and i cant wait until he comes back to OZ.
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"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise: Seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho

[tarlow00]

Hello, KE fans. Glad to be here.

I just discovered this site today and I'm very happy I did. Kurt has quickly become an inspiring presence for me.

I'm a huge jazz fan, and not long ago, I'd been looking for a great male jazz singer, someone whose voice reflects not only what I like to hear, but also the intellectual and spiritual elements that resonate deep inside.

Kurt, I'd love to meet you someday, have a beer, and tell you that during difficult times, you've shown me something - through your music - about being a man. Sensitivity, strength, confidence and a questing soul... I love that in your music. Songs like "The Waking," "The Sleepers" bring tears. Something going on in my life right now has locked me into a daily give and take with "Undun."

Thank you for what you've done for me, Kurt.

Of course, when things get a little crazy, I think about being a poet who is very fond of bananas...

For more on me, check out http://starlowski.stumbleupon.com/public/. Cheers!
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Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

[karina]

Hi, I'm Karina from Luxembourg. I am not very well-read when it comes to jazz; I have some all-time favorites, but never really followed what was happening on the jazz scene. I only discovered Kurt Elling's music a couple of months ago, when I stumbled on an article about contemporary jazz vocalists. I looked up some of the names on the internet and ended up on this site – great site by the way. I liked what I heard (that's an understatement), bought Nightmoves and Flirting with Twilight, and now I'm hooked. I went to Amsterdam last week to see the band live, and had a great time.

Thank you, Mr. Elling, for your writing. I love words, I love stories and I love the way you tell them. Thank you for your music. It can bring tears to my eyes or give me goose bumps, but often when I listen to it – especially when I drive home after a stressful day at work – I find myself with a grin on my face: it's so beautiful it just makes me happy. I extend that thank you to the whole band of course, especially Mr. Hobgood.

I am very much looking forward to meeting other KE-enthusiasts from all over the world here.

PS. English is not my mother tongue, so as much as I love words, I may still misspell or misuse them. Sorry.

[mjstone323]

Greetings!

I'm a huge fan of music - have done a lot of singing, both jazz and classical - and have a real appreciation for any singer who not only has great musicianship but great communication as well - so difficult! - and Mr. Elling definitely fits this description! I kept hearing him on KCSM and every time I'd think, as I was hearing him, "Who IS this guy? Oh my god, I'm in love!" So now I'm a confirmed fan and will be able to recognize him immediately Such a beautiful, distinctive tone; such spot-on, sunshine-sweet intonation, such filling the lyric with emotional truth. He is really successful at riding the line between intimacy and objectivity. And his musicianship, the range of power and delicacy of his delivery, is truly awe-inspiring.

One thing that's driving me a little nuts - I heard Kurt performing "The Island" (Começar de Novo) a few months back on the way to work (it's a little hard to drive with tears of joy welling up in your eyes, let me tell you) and I want to purchase a recording - but I can't seem to find it! None of the albums I'm finding on Amazon seem to list it as a track. Can someone please tell me where I can find this? The thing is - this piece could be cheesy *so easily* - and KE manages to make it - well, sort of what I think it's supposed to be about - like a long, successful lovemaking session I want to play this for my boyfriend so he can hear what I keep going on about!! (not that there aren't other pieces that demonstrate his brilliance! but, you know, the love-making...)

Please let me know if you know where I can find this recording! Thanks

[AnnikaJonsson]

I am a great fan!

[Rev]

[Schattenkind]

Hello!
I'm Annika from Germany and I do love Kurt Elling's music so much! I listen to it every day.

[scribe114]

Hello there,

Name is Shafi, I live in Michigan after living in Chicago for a couple of years. Been to see Kurt a few times already in the last year four shows in Chicago and the "Dedicated to You" concert in Ann Arbor.

Favorite KE songs.

Esperanto
Night Dreamer
Where I Belong
Dedicated to You

Songs I am hoping are on the next studio recording.

Steppin' Out
Golden Lady
Tumbleweed

Like to sing a little myself, been working on Night Dreamer and Esperanto to upload to YouTube. Got Esperanto down, Night Dreamer is coming along.

[PianistsBro]

Hi all--

This is cool: just on this page, we have KE fans from NY, California, the UK, the Philippines, Australia, Washington, Luxembourg, Germany and Detroit! To which I can add Hamilton, Canada.

I'm a Kurt fan, but in my case it's sort of by extension...my brother (a jazz pianist and singer/songwriter) got me into first jazz as a genre, then Toronto's JazzFM radio station, then several individual artists, among them KE. My bro and I have had the pleasure of catching Kurt in concert twice, once (necessarily "abridged" among many other artists) at the 2007 Jazz Lives concert in Toronto, then again (a full-length show this time) in December '08 at Toronto's since-closed Diesel Playhouse.

I'm not a musician (my bro got all that ability for this generation of our family), but I do enjoy singing. One of my favourite voices from the past, partly because he often sang in my range, is that of Johnny Hartman. Consequently I'll be acquiring Kurt's latest at my earliest opportunity: today's best reinterpreting yesterday's best. Oh, and of course I'll be needing to get two copies...else my own will disappear in the direction of my brother's place...

Cheers all

Steve Tournay

[chalky]

glad to be part of a group with such good taste. I've been a fan of Kurt and Laurence for 6 years now and always can't wait for the next time. Their generosity on the stage and off are second to none. Last time I saw them was in NYC this summer with Ernie...WOW. Keep it up! Chalky

[Lekica]

Hi
My name is Lejla and I am from Sarajevo
I have been a Kurt Elling fan for 3 years. Great to discover this official page and forum.
L.