Feb 07, 2011
Singer Elling: “Powerful poetic spirt”
Every song jazz vocalist Kurt Elling hears is a potential addition to his kit-bag of covers "I think you can't avoid that as an artist," said the Chicago-based singer who is about to release The Gate, maybe his most freewheeling set of covers...
Feb 04, 2011
The Gate: Breaking through boundaries
For years, jazz singer Kurt Elling has been winning praise for his vocalese work — that is, the writing and singing of lyrics over improvised jazz solos Elling has set his own lyrics to the improvised solos of jazz giants like Wayne...
Feb 03, 2011
Jazz’s Elling scats through genres
You know it's a jazz musician talking when he says, sure, he'll be doing selections from his new CD on this promotional tour — but the CD tracks will just serve as suggestions for the live gig "Every night we're trying to find something...
Jan 30, 2011
Kurt Elling’s The Gate: From King Crimson to amen
The successor to a Grammy winner is eagerly awaited, then examined under a high-powered microscope Will it be as good Will it be better Will it be a letdown Fans of jazz singer Kurt Elling who have waited a year and a half for the follow-up to...
Jan 29, 2011
Special offer: Pre-order The Gate at a great price!
Our good friends at Concord are taking pre-orders for The Gate in advance of the Feb 8 release date And they're offering a special discount to Kurt's many fans Pre-order from Concord before the Feb 8 release date get The Gate for only $999...
Jan 29, 2011
The Gate’s Wide Open: A Conversation with Kurt Elling
Mike Ragogna: Let's talk about your Don Was-produced album The Gate It covers a lot of territory, what was the process like putting it together Kurt Elling: I had a number of compositions in mind that I wanted to get to Don approached me a...
Jan 27, 2011
First Listen: “Matte Kudasai” from THE GATE
Matte Kudasai is the opening track on Kurt Elling's new album, THE GATE Kurt comments, "Matte Kudasai" is the Japanese phrase for "please wait" There is an indeterminate poetic flavor about that composition that has always stayed with and been...
Jan 24, 2011
THE GATE: Coming February 8, 2011
The New York Times is one of numerous publications to declare that Kurt Elling is the "standout male vocalist of our time,†and The Gate, Elling's follow-up to his Grammy-winning Dedicated to You, is among his strongest albums –...
Dec 27, 2010
Kurt Elling Tops the 2010 JazzTimes Readers’ Poll
Once again, Kurt Elling has been voted best Male Vocalist in the 2010 JazzTimes Readers' Poll This is his sixth win Honorable mention this year (second, third, and fourth place) goes to Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, and Al Jarreau Thanks to...
Dec 15, 2010
Seven takes on Kurt Elling’s show in Ottawa
First, I'll convey what some of Ottawa's jazz singers thought of Kurt Elling's concert on Monday night at the Library and Archives Canada auditorium I managed to canvass six of them after the show for their thoughts: Anna Williams: "I may think...
Dec 09, 2010
Kurt Elling: “To be happy is enough”
Kurt Elling, a 43-year-old Chicago-raised New Yorker, speaks with Canadian jazz pianist and blogger Peter Hum not only about his next CD, The Gate, (to be released by Concord Jazz in early February), but also about his growth as an artist and...
Dec 03, 2010
Giving Voice to Melody
Kurt Elling discusses what he does with a sense of deep affection and devotion "Man, I just feel so fortunate to be a jazz musician at all," said the singer, composer and lyricist "I have a hard time thinking of it any other way It's such a...