February 2011:  Swings like . . . THE GATE!

THE GATE . . . swings open at last!

The Gate features Kurt's long-time musical collaborator and pianist, Laurence Hobgood; Bob Mintzer on sax; John McLean on guitar; John Patitucci on bass; two drummers, Terreon Gulley and Kobie Watkins; and percussionist Lenny Castro.

Concord is releasing this magnificent new studio recording around the world from January 28 through March 21 to coincide with Kurt's touring dates for The Gate in the US and Europe.  Click here for a full list of countries and release dates.

Produced by the legendary Don Was (Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan), The Gate is a musical collection in which boundaries cease to exist, a sensibility enhanced by Was, who had expressed the desire to work with Elling -- an opportunity which Elling found irresistible.

Was says, "I first heard Kurt on the local jazz station and was knocked out by his exotic blend of soul, technique, intelligence and charismatic hipness. He made this diverse collection of songs his own - and we had a blast." Was calls Elling "the greatest singer I ever heard in my life."

"What Don brought to this project," said Elling, "was his love of music and musicians, and a confidence that liberated us from all concern. He's a supremely creative, loving and persuasive collaborator in the music. I think his real contribution was in really helping us play our best -- to think our most creatively, and to take the kinds of chances that were in our heads."

Check out this cool "behind the scenes" video to get a taste of this exceptional new album.

Kurt also shares his thoughts about each of its nine songs here.

Visit Kurt's website to find out more about The Gate and to listen to audio clips of Steppin' Out, Norwegian Wood, Samurai Cowboy, and Golden Lady. You'll find Kurt's irresistible lyric to Samurai Cowboy there, too.

Kurt talked recently with Mike Ragogna from The Huffington Post. In their conversation, Kurt tells us more about the first song, Matte Kudasai:

"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 relevant to me. You can't really pin down the vibe of it. Similarly, I wasn't able to pin down what I wanted to do with the piece. Thankfully, I had John Patitucci and Terreon Gully on board, and my good friend Laurence Hobgood. We were in the studio and they said, "What do you wanna do with this?" I said, "Well I'm not really sure. This is what it's about, this is how I feel about it, but you're really the experts at your instruments and you're great composers." John looked at the page for a while, thought about what we talked about, and said, "Okay, let's try this. Let's roll some tape." He just started and Terreon joined him. Everybody else fell into that arrangement with him. We never really rehearsed it, it just came out the way it came out. I can't even tell you how pleased I am with it.

Hear the haunting Matte Kudasai here.

Pamela Espeland's terrific review of The Gate is on her jazz blog, Bebopified.  She writes, "With Was as producer, The Gate is polished to a high gleam, yet except for a few studio tricks, it's a romantic, swinging, eclectic and enjoyable Kurt Elling album....There is much to hear, savor, and think about on first and repeated listenings."

She adds, "Like most real jazz artists, Elling is best experienced live, where you can see firsthand the choices he's making and the risks he's taking, his close working relationship with Hobgood, the way he uses his whole body to deliver a song."

Kurt's extended tour for The Gate begins February 4 when the KE Quartet featuring John McLean performs with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.  Catch Kurt live whenever you can.  And meanwhile, savor every minute of The Gate.

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In the spotlight:  John McLean

Jazz guitarist John McLean's twenty-five year career has included work as a performer, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, and educator.

Since completing music studies at The Berklee College of Music and the University of Miami, John has toured throughout the world, performing and recording with such artists as Kurt Elling, Patricia Barber, Randy Brecker, Mose Allison, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dave Douglas, Adam Nussbaum, Arthur Blythe, and others.

John is featured all over The Gate.  Calling him "a very accomplished and stellar guitar player from Chicago," Kurt says, "I was waiting for the right recording to come along and this is it."

John says, "Being part of The Gate was a great experience for me. I think Kurt is one of the most fearless musicians I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Having rightfully established his place through years of hard work as one of the leading figures in his field, his primary concern remains forward motion. If that's not an artist, I don't know what is."

John's 2007 recording, Better Angels (Origin Records) features his exciting septet in a program of original music and innovative arrangements of jazz classics. John Barron for All About Jazz called it "a stunning collection of original compositions and standards," adding that "John McLean is an emerging musical voice for the 21st century."

John is currently based in the Chicago area and is on the music faculties of Roosevelt University and North Central College.

Laurence Hobgood declares, "McLean is another Chicago secret weapon. He's a brilliant musician."

You'll have many opportunities to hear John play live this spring.  The Kurt Elling Quartet featuring John McLean begins their extensive tour for The Gate on February 4. For the full touring schedule, please see the Touring page on Kurt's website.

Listen to John's soulful sound on Matte Kudasai from The Gate.

Watch his extended solos on:

Samurai Cowboy at the 2010 North Sea Jazz Festival 

Matt Jorgensen's Primal Script at the 2009 Ballard Jazz Walk

The Gate
New from Concord on February 8, 2011!
 

  Short Takes

KE on the Radio

Feb 8, 9:00 pm EST: WFUV's Words & Music From Studio A. Grammy-winning jazz great Kurt Elling joins WFUV Music Director Rita Houston to talk about the release of his new album, "The Gate," followed by an FUV Live concert from Avatar Studios. Listen at wfuv.org

Feb 9, 2:00-4:00 pm EST:  WXPN's World Cafe with David Dye.  Listen on WXPN. Listen to the NPR podcast any time.

KE on Swedish Television
Kurt's segment begins at about 46:01. He recounts the fire at their hotel in Trollhättan, answers a question about his Obama condo, and then performs Norwegian Wood with the Klüvers Big Band, starting at about 52:37.

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Crazy World, the 2005 album by the Laurence Hobgood Trio, with special guest Kurt Elling, has been reissued on the Naim label. You can find it in stock at Allegro Music for 20% off and at Amazon and other fine stores.
  
Kurt loves to teach and will offer more in-person master classes in New York City as his busy touring schedule allows.  He also gives private lessons via Skype video conferencing so singers all over the planet can learn from him without traveling to New York. If you're interested in master classes or lessons via Skype, please e-mail teaching@kurtelling.com for details & to be put on that mailing list.
Kurt's newsletter archive is now available for your browsing pleasure, beginning  with the the 2009 special edition, Kurt Elling Live at the White House.