Blog
Sep 13, 2011
Aretha Franklin steals the show at Monk Institute anniversary gala
There were rambling moments and unnecessary stage turns during Monday's gala celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater But every minute of the 31 / 2-hour program was...
Aug 30, 2011
Kurt Elling: Special Delivery
It's well known that many of the great black jazz vocalists—Ernestine Anderson, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Al Jarreau—got their start singing in church Which makes perfect sense: Thanks to its rich gospel tradition, the...
Aug 18, 2011
Jazz review: ‘Joni’s Jazz’ at the Hollywood Bowl
Going into Wednesday's show at the Hollywood Bowl exploring the meeting point between jazz and Joni Mitchell's recordings between 1974 and 1979, it was hard to escape the idea that both sides of the evening could be considered acquired tastes,...
Aug 18, 2011
Live Jazz: Joni’s Jazz with Herbie Hancock and an All-Star Ensemble at the Hollywood Bowl
Jazz has always attached itself to the popular musical idioms of the day, from Tin Pan Alley to the Beatles and even (gasp) hip hop But Wednesday night's concert at the Hollywood Bowl highlighted a reverse aspect, Joni Mitchell's mid-seventies...
Aug 16, 2011
Hollywood Bowl concert focuses on Joni Mitchell’s jazz side
'She's got a special way,' Herbie Hancock says of the singer-songwriter He's on the 'Joni's Jazz' bill with Wayne Shorter, Kurt Elling and many others An eclectic group will assemble onstage Wednesday night at the Hollywood Bowl to riff on the...
Aug 02, 2011
The Gate and the Intersections of Jazz
Jazz musicians are music fans too—a seemingly simple statement, but one many of us, particularly genre purists, often forget or ignore Singer Kurt Elling and his frequent collaborator, musical director Laurence Hobgood, are refreshing...
Jul 13, 2011
Kurt Elling: The Gate
It's amazing how small age differences can impact on the music that resonates in our youth—experiencing it after the fact being so different than living in its time For 43 year-old vocalist Kurt Elling, the music that reached his young,...
Jun 30, 2011
Kurt Elling in Ottawa: A memorable performance
Since emerging in the mid-1990s, Chicagoan Kurt Elling has grown into one of his generation's finest jazz singers An astute interpreter of standards, as well as a clever lyric adapter of instrumental music by everyone from Pat Metheny and Lyle...
Jun 28, 2011
Kurt Elling in Toronto: A night to remember
On Monday evening, fans had a few hard choices to make among the headliners At Koerner Hall, award-winning Dee Dee Bridgewater paid tribute to Lady Day Meanwhile at the Enwave Theatre, Kurt Elling took to the stage before an equally...
Jun 28, 2011
Kurt Elling: A voice that carries
One of the challenges in putting together a festival program is matching artists and venues, and Monday's show by singer Kurt Elling at the Enwave Theatre was an absolutely perfect pairing Not only was the hall the right size, big enough for...
Jun 28, 2011
Kurt Elling On Top of His Game at the Toronto Jazz Festival
The Enwave Theatre was filled to the rafters Monday night for a powerhouse performance by American vocalist Kurt Elling and his quartet Elling burst onto the international jazz scene in 1995 with his debut release on Blue Note Records, Close...
Jun 26, 2011
Kurt Elling shines with inexhaustible, room-filling voice
Kurt Elling gave a blockbuster of a performance on Sunday night, thrilling listeners in the packed National Arts Centre Studio with his seemingly inexhaustible, room-filling voice and dramatic songs that swept from one emotional extreme to the...