New Album In the Works

Kurt Elling has announced that a new recording is in progress. Speaking from London, where he is on tour with his band, Mr. Elling said that the first full week of October was taken up with tracking at Avatar Studios in New York City. Mixing and editing is in progress.
“We are taking a lot of chances with this new disc, and I have a new team to help me put things together,” he said. “For the first time I am experimenting with a collaborative producer in addition to my regular creative partner Laurence Hobgood. This time we are working with a friend of mine from my Recording Academy days named Joe Chiccarelli who has helped everyone from U2 to Carole King to Turtle Island to Elton John. I’m really excited about what we’re making. I have hand-chosen each of the compositions myself, but they are really coming alive in ways I did not expect thanks to Joe and the team. I can hardly wait for people to hear what we are making.”

Guests for the forthcoming release, Elling’s first for Concord Records, include Bob Mintzer (tenor), Christian McBride (bass), Romero Lubamo (guitar), Gregoire Maret (harmonica) and the Escher String Quartet. Selections include new arrangements of compositions by Duke Ellington, A.C. Jobim, Betty Carter, Fred Hersch, Alan Pasqua, and Michael Franks. Many of these arrangements feature new lyrics by Kurt Elling.

Expect a February release in the U.S. and a may release in Europe.