May 01, 2008
Kurt Elling: Emissary of Imagination; Ambassador of Possibility
Why was this such an incredible live music experience What makes this man seem prophetic and his music seem magic Kurt Elling is one of a rare breed of musicians whose complete mastery of their instrument has dissolved all technical barriers to...
May 01, 2008
Kurt Elling Jazz & Symphony: Ellingant!
Last night's concert, presented under the auspices of the Sydney Symphony's Kaleidoscope 2008 season was a lesson in breathtaking virtuosity: from Elling himself, who has a prize, precision instrument; the Lawrence Hobgood Quartet (at it's...
Apr 25, 2008
KEQ with Symphony in Australia
Kurt Elling and the Laurence Hobgood Trio opened new musical vistas during their recent Australian tour, playing two wonderful nights with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in the iconic Sydney Opera House The lush, swinging orchestral...
Feb 20, 2008
A Quirky Night for Quirky Romance
At first blush the stage at the Allen Room on Friday night appeared to be set for seduction Soft lighting (Check) Simmering groove (Check) Slow drift of headlights in the background, along Central Park South (OK, sure) And finally Kurt Elling...
Jan 09, 2008
Kurt Inspires at IAJE
The 35th annual International Association of Jazz Educators conference in Toronto focused on "New Visions for New Times" In addition to his stellar performance with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Kurt presented the keynote address,...
Dec 06, 2007
BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR “NIGHTMOVES”!
Nightmoves - Kurt Elling's compelling 2007 Concord Jazz debut has been nominated for the Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy! Extended congratulations to Kurt's producer Joe Chiccarelli for his Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) nomination More news...
Oct 14, 2007
Kurt Elling: This cat can scat!
He's an all-time jazz great and has friends in very high places – but can Kurt Elling make us fall in love with vocal improvisation and its eccentricities Kurt Elling is giving musical directions to the Klüvers Big Band in Aarhus,...
Jul 12, 2007
Act 3: Kurt Elling Works to Balance His Drive for Artistic Innovation with His New Family Life
Kurt Elling had a right to enjoy a moment of satisfaction As he introduced his band to a packed house at Chicago's Park West, he got to the Hawk String Quartet, which was positioned over his left shoulder toward the back of the stage "It...
Jul 11, 2007
DownBeat’s Male Vocalist of the Year
DownBeat's critics have spoken, and once again Kurt Elling is their choice for Male Vocalist of the Year! Kurt graces the cover of DownBeat's August 2007 issue, which also features a fine piece by Jason Koransky, DownBeat's editor,...
Jul 09, 2007
The future of jazz singing? You decide.
With pretty much the whole profession of jazz singing suffering today, it is great an anomaly like Kurt Elling can ply his trade and not only make a career out of it, but excel at it and possibly become the catalyst for bringing the art back...
Jun 30, 2007
The Jazz Journalists Association honors Kurt with its highest award
For the fourth time since 2000, Kurt Elling has garnered the best male jazz singer award from the prestigious Jazz Journalists Association Congratulations, Kurt!!!! He's in excellent company once again "Two icons of avant-garde jazz —...
Jun 13, 2007
Positive changes for Kurt Elling
JAZZ SINGING IS a woman's world Whether it's the pop jazz (or jazzy pop) of artists such as Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Jane Monheit and Lizz Wright, who've had some crossover success, or more purely jazz singers such as Dianne Reeves and...