Kurt Elling

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Among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists, Kurt Elling has been the DownBeat Critics Poll “Male Jazz Vocalist of the Year” for the past twelve years. The New York Times declared “Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time.” He is also a Grammy winner, and every record Elling has made has been Grammy nominated. His rich baritone spans four octaves and features both astonishing technique and emotional depth. His command of rhythm, texture, phrasing and dynamics is more akin to the skill set of a virtuoso jazz instrumentalist than that of a vocalist. His repertoire includes original compositions and modern interpretations of standards, all of which are springboards for inspired improvisation, scatting, spoken word and poetry.

“Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling,” said the Washington Post. “With his soaring vocal flights, his edgy lyrics and sense of being on a musical mission, he has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz.” Elling has served as the Artist-in-Residence at both the Singapore and Monterey Jazz Festivals. He has written multi-disciplinary works for The Steppenwolf Theatre and the Obama Administration’s first state dinner featured Elling in a command performance.

Elling is a renowned practitioner of vocalese, the writing and performing of words over recorded improvised jazz solos. Considered the heir to jazz pioneers Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure and Jon Hendricks, Elling has written and performed lyrics to the solos of Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. Through Elling incorporating references from writers such as Rilke, Rumi, Neruda, and Proust into his work, the late great poet and Bollingen Prize winner Robert Creeley was moved to write, “Kurt Elling takes us into a world of sacred particulars. His words are informed by a powerful poetic spirit.”

Elling is currently at work on his next project, “1619 Broadway,” a tribute to the Brill Building, the most historic music address in the world. His latest album, The Gate, produced by the legendary Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan), features inspired interpretations of songs by The Beatles, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Stevie Wonder.

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REVIEWS

The standout male vocalist of our time
The New York Times

Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. With his soaring vocal flights, his edgy lyrics and sense of being on a musical mission, he has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz.
The Washington Post