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Kurt Elling
The most influential jazz vocalist of our time -- JazzTimes
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November 2011: Klüvers Big Band Tour & Giving Thanks
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My dear friends,
Thanks for your continuing enthusiasm and support. Thanks for being open to what we do - for sticking with us, really listening to us, and for really believing in what we're trying to do. Thanks for coming out and showing up and being present with us and the music. That's the real gift we share together. My hope is that each of you has more things in your life to be thankful for than you can put into words and that the gifts and blessings of your lives are overflowing. Stay tuned - there's much more to come! KE |
The Kurt Elling Quartet with the Klüvers Big Band
Kurt and the band are having a fantastic time playing with the Klüvers Big Band from Aarhus, Denmark!
They did two shows at the famed Green Mill in Chicago and then went on to Birdland, "the jazz capital of the world," in mid-town Manhattan for a six-night residency, playing two shows a night.
Tuesday, November 1, they'll be at Blues Alley in Washington, DC for two shows, and they finish up at the historic Wilbur Theatre in Boston on November 2, which is also Kurt's birthday.
SPECIAL STUDENT DISCOUNT: Tickets for the Wednesday show at the Wilbur Theatre in downtown Boston are $10 off -- when purchased at the Wilbur box office with a student ID.
Press response has been very enthusiastic!
JazzTimes declared, "In the first set of a six-night/12-show run at Manhattan's Birdland, each evening featuring a different guest artist (on this night, saxophonist Miguel Zénon), Elling reaffirmed why he's attained mainstream success: His bravura performance, supported by Denmark's Klüvers Big Band, was a thriller."
Said the Ottawa Citizen, "With the schedule Kurt Elling keeps and the energy he expends on stage, you have to wonder how he does it. He takes your breath away. It's almost scary the way he leaves it all out there. As you watch him, you're happy you're at the 8:30 p.m. show because it doesn't look like he'll have anything left for 11. Backed by the 15-piece Klüvers Big Band, with Jens Klüver as the conductor-artistic director, Elling churned through eight numbers in a high-energy 90 minutes, delivering highlight after highlight."
"At Birdland, Elling also had special guests join him every night: Miguel Zénon, Lew Tabackin, Ravi Coltrane (twice), Robin Eubanks, and Stefon Harris. Friday's special guest was Eubanks. He and his trombone turned in a beautiful cameo during the second half of the set. Elling also had his own band with him: Laurence Hobgood (piano), Clark Sommers (bass) and Obed Calvaire (drums)."
The Klüvers Big Band has been posting photos and short videos from the tour, which is the first time many of them have visited the United States. Check out the Klüvers Big Band USA Tour page on the Aarhus Stiftstidende (local newspaper) website. It's in Danish, but the photos and videos speak for themselves in any language.
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Kurt celebrates his 44th birthday at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston November 2nd.
His many fans and friends worldwide wish him the jazziest of birthdays!
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Kurt is all over the radio dial
Recently Kurt has also done radio interviews about the Klüvers Big Band tour, his upcoming projects, and much more. Listen:
WBGO: Kurt was live in the studio for an hour with Michael Bourne on WBGO. Bourne also played these tunes from The Gate: Matte Kudasai, Blue in Green, Steppin' Out, Norwegian Wood, and After the Love Has Gone. Check it out!
WBUR: Kurt Elling Sings His Way Through Boston - a great interview with Anthony Brooks of WBUR 90.9. Special treat: "Steppin' Out" with Kurt and the Klüvers Big Band from the 2011 North Sea Jazz Festival.
PRI's The World: Adeline Sire talked with Kurt and Jens Klüver on PRI's The World. The program is a co-production of WGBH/Boston, PRI, and the BBC World Service. Bonus: Watch short clips of Kurt & Jens eating Danish & taping this interview on the Klüvers Big Band/USA tour page.
WECB: In another fun interview Lydia Liebman spoke with Kurt about his upcoming gig in Boston on her broadcast, Reeds & Deeds II.
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Kurt is DownBeat's Male Vocalist of the Year for 2011!
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Once again, Kurt Elling has been named Male Vocalist of the Year in the DownBeat Critics Poll and in its Readers Poll. It's a clean sweep!
The 76th Readers Poll results were just announced and will be featured in the December 2011 issue of DownBeat. Critics Poll results were announced earlier.
This is the sixth year Kurt has topped the DownBeat Readers Poll, winning in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, and now 2011. He's won the top spot in the Critics Poll twelve years in a row, ever since 2000.
As always, hearty congratulations, Kurt!
Vote today in the JazzTimes Readers Poll
Choose your favorite artists and releases from 2011 in the annual JazzTimes Readers Poll. Voting closes November 15. The results will run in the January/February 2012 issue of JazzTimes.
Kurt has been named JazzTimes Readers' Poll: Male Vocalist of the Year six times, in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010. Let's make it seven!
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Kurt Elling with Laurence Hobgood, and featuring John Patitucci, John McLean, Bob Mintzer, Terreon Gully, Kobie Watkins, and Lenny Castro. Produced by Don Was. 
Watch the behind-the-scenes
video and listen to Don Was
talk about The Gate, Kurt, and the band.
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 Short Takes Have you heard Kurt's performance of Woody Guthrie's "Peace Pin Boogie"? It's is a tongue-in-cheek look at the rewards of being politically correct. 
Kurt is one of 14 artists on the new 429 Records release, Note of Hope: A Celebration of Woody Guthrie, based on the words and writings of the great American master. v
What Is The Beautiful? The Claudia Quintet +1 with special guests: Kurt Elling & Theo Bleckmann 
Bandleader/percussionist John Hollenbeck has set Kenneth Patchen poems to music in the new album, What Is The Beautiful?
Listen to Kurt's inspired performance of "Job." Perfect for these times of high unemployment. |
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| NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Gigs |
November 1, 2011
TWO SHOWS Kurt Elling Quartet featuring the Klüvers Big Band
Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC
November 2, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet featuring the Klüvers Big Band
The Wilbur Theatre
246 Tremont St
Boston, MA
Special student discount: $10 off with student ID at the Wilbur box office only
November 5, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Epic Terrace
Via Nino Bixio, 47
Milazzo, ITALY
November 7, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Moravia Music Fest
Kino Scala
Moravské námestí 3
Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC
November 8, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Savoy-Teatteri
Kasarmikatu 46-48
Helsinki, FINLAND
November 9, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Live @ Forum
Leverkusen Jazz Festival
Am Büchelter Hof
Leverkusen, GERMANY
November 10, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Vilnius Congress Hall
Vilniusstr. 6/16
Vilnius, LITHUANIA
November 11, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Stockholm Concert Hall
Hötorget 8
Stockholm, SWEDEN
November 12, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
30th Festival de Jazz San Juan Evangelista
Colegio Mayor Universitario San Juan Evangelista
Madrid, SPAIN
November 16-19, 2011
EIGHT SHOWS Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Jazz at the Bistro
3536 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO
December 3, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
Science Center Theater
Montgomery County Community College
340 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA
December 4, 2011
Kurt Elling Quartet with John McLean
KJazz 88.1 Presents: Jingle Jazz
El Rey Theatre
5515 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
Coming up!
In January Kurt and the band take The Jazz Cruise from January 29 through February 5. The ship leaves from Fort Lauderdale, FL and sails to to Aruba, Curaçao, and Half Moon Cay & back.
Kurt's upcoming gigs in 2011-12 are on the Touring page on his website. That's where you'll always find the most current information. Check there often, as new dates are always being added.
To bring the KEQ to a stage near you Kurt and Laurence are on the road about 200 nights a year. They only perform where they've been invited and they don't get to set their own itinerary. To hear Kurt and the band play in your city, region, or country, please ask your favorite jazz clubs or festivals to book them through Kurt's new booking agency, IMN (International Music Network). Thank you! |
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Your Moment of Elling . . .
My intention is to try to balance the world
a little bit more
in the direction of love,
in the direction of compassion and tolerance.
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