The stunning singer and lyricist Kurt Elling has been voted Best Male Vocalist in the Down Beat Critics' Poll and the Jazz Times Readers' Polls every year since 2000. All six of Elling's Blue Note albums including the last, Man in the Air, were nominated for Grammy Awards. There is already a buzz around Nightmoves, a collection of introspective pieces on his new label Concord Records. We have a preview from Kurt's set at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Elling's expressive, flexible baritone with a four-octave range can fly over horn lines, caress a love song, or recite poetry. You'll hear him do it all.
Kurt Elling sang in choirs and vocal groups from an early age. At college in Minnesota, he began listening to Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, and other jazz giants. While doing graduate studies in philosophy and ethics at the University of Chicago Divinity School, Kurt began sitting in at jazz clubs.
He met pianist Laurence Hobgood, and they established themselves at The Green Mill in Chicago, still their home base. Kurt credits Laurence as a major factor in their success. Robert Amster is the bassist, and Willie Jones III the drummer.
CREDITS
Music mix by JazzSet Technical Director Duke Markos, with assistant Yujin Cha. On-location help from Mark Barrie and Casey Wolfram of Big Mo Recording.
Thanks to Sean Costello, Program Manager Kevin Struthers, and Artistic Director Dr. Billy Taylor at the Kennedy Center.
Writer is Jill McManus, Recording Engineer Ginger Bruner at KUNV Las Vegas, Producer Becca Pulliam, Executive Producer Thurston Briscoe III at WBGO Jazz 88.3 in Newark and wbgo.org.
Thanks to Thea Joselow, NPR Online, for the web presentation.
Copyright 2007 WBGO