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Kurt Elling
Elling may be the greatest male Jazz singer of all time. ~ Jazz Review
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July 2012: Jazz Red Hot & Groovin'
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Groovin' Through Europe
Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter with Derrek Phillips on drums
In July Kurt, guitarist Charlie Hunter, and drummer Derrek Phillips hit the road for 14 shows in Spain, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Croatia, and Scotland.
Six of those dates are in Italy, and Kurt also presents a master class in Castellammare del Golfo, Italy on July 21. Details in JULY-AUGUST Gigs below.
Kurt says, "Charlie, Derrek and I are going to be tackling and re-grooving a grab bag of R&B classics (Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway), Scofield-oriented stuff, long-ago Leadbelly blues, some old pop catalog and stuff we vaguely remember from high school (Cheap Trick, Journey). Our plan is to sweat, groove and laugh a lot."
Adds Charlie, "I've known Kurt for 15 years or so. In that span of time, he had me play on LA/CHI/NY, a Steppenwolf Theater thing he put together, and I had him on my Analog Playground record. I've always been a fan and I'm really looking forward to playing."They'll be joined by drummer Derrek Phillips. Watch Charlie and Derrek show how they put it all together during a 2011 master class.
Last weekend they did their pre-tour tune-up at Ruthie's BBQ in New Jersey, and one fan tweeted: Steve Miller's "The Joker" by Charlie Hunter & Kurt Elling live. #Mostsoulfulversionever | |
 On July 28, Kurt performs at the New Mexico Jazz Festival in Santa Fe in a very special show with Jon Hendricks. Jon will be 91 years young in September, and he's still singin' and swingin'.
The Kurt Elling Quintet plays at the Festival the next night in Albuquerque.
Kurt says, "I am so very happy to have a chance to hit with Jon again. He is the 9th wonder of the jazz world and takes me to school every time we meet up. He and (wife) Judith are beloved by my whole family and we plan to make a real reunion out of it - so watch out, Santa Fe!"
Jon Hendricks is not only one of the world's favorite jazz vocalists, but is widely considered to be the "Father of Vocalese" - the art of setting lyrics to recorded jazz instrumental standards, then arranging voices to sing the parts of the instruments. For his work as a lyricist, jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the "Poet Laureate of Jazz" while Time magazine dubbed him the "James Joyce of Jive."
Kurt and Jon have performed together many times, most recently last summer with Al Jarreau at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Watch their rollicking version of Roll 'Em Pete.
In the 2011 article, Spirits from Above: Jon Hendricks on Kurt Elling, Jon told Jazzwise magazine, "Kurt Elling is remarkable."
Hendricks first met Elling when giving a university masterclass on jazz. "I asked, 'does anybody wanna come scat with me?', and this young guy jumped up, you know, and he came running up the aisle, jumped onto the stage. I thought, who the hell is this guy? And he had all the energy that he needed -- and it was all good, there was this big smile on his face -- and I said boy, this guy's something. And so we scatted together, and after that night we were friends, and I began to nurture him and feed him everything I think he needed to have, you know. And he calls me Pops to this day. He's a sweet guy.
"When he got married I was supposed to be his best man but I was in England, so I don't know who he got to take my place. But he and his wife have done much as Judith and I did, and they love each other the same way. And his little girl is the cutest little thing like Aria, our baby, was. Life is a very beautiful thing when you look at it through marriage and family."
Don't miss their jazz love fest on July 28 at the New Mexico Jazz Festival!
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In the spotlight: Charlie Hunter
As a young guitarist growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Charlie Hunter was looking for a way to stand out in the '80s. His primary influences were jazz great Joe Pass and the fluid Tuck Andress (of the guitar/vocal duo Tuck & Patti), both six-string guitarists who were adept at blending bass notes into their standard guitar melodies to make themselves sound like two musicians at once. But Charlie wanted to take it one step further, and set out to find an instrument on which he could simultaneously function as both a guitarist and a bassist. For his self-titled 1993 debut CD, Hunter played a seven-string guitar for the duality effect. But on his 1995 release, Bing, Bing, Bing!, Hunter unveiled his custom-made Novax eight-string, the guitar that finally allowed him to realize his capacity. Since 2006, Charlie has played a custom-made, seven-string guitar made by Jeff Traugott. He is widely considered the authority on the seven and eight-string guitar, and continues to stun audiences with his ability to simultaneously bust out tasty bass parts, melodic leads and swinging rhythms. Hunter has previously recorded for the venerable Blue Note label, Concord, Ropeadope and others. His recent independent venture is steered by his motivation to release music that most inspires him. Critics have touted his genius technique, but it's his profound artistic sensibility that propels his original music.  Charlie says, "A huge part of what I do is rooted in old blues and soul. My playing is not a 'licky' thing. It's not a 15-minute uninterrupted string of eighth notes over something that's unnecessarily very complex. It's feeling the time. It's saying something. Everything has to work together rhythmically."I'm trying to deal with time and the groove. That's my daily quest. To connect with the audience in a deep way, not an intellectually sadistic way. I don't believe in pandering. You have to come from your honest place."Hunter's signature style of writing and performing has secured his place as one of today's great guitarists. Watch Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola play Liza at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis, June 22, 2012. And check out this video interview with Charlie from May 10, 2011.
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Kurt Elling: 2012 Male Vocalist of the YearOnce again, the critics have chosen Kurt Elling as the top male vocalist in the 60th annual DownBeat Critics Poll!
Kurt has been named the DownBeat Critics Poll Male Vocalist of the Year for thirteen consecutive years, from 2000 through 2012, and was also awarded Talent Deserving Wider Recognition the preceding four years, from 1997 to 2000.
Frank Alkyer, DownBeat's publisher, remarked,
"This is one of our most exciting polls in years-not just because of its historic nature, but also because of some incredible, record-breaking artistic recognition.
"For our 2012 poll, 186 critics from around the globe voted, making this the largest voting turnout in the poll's illustrious history. The DownBeat Critics Poll is the most comprehensive poll in the jazz world. Its results show more than 1,000 artists or acts receiving votes in 62 categories, shining a spotlight on every style and every instrument in jazz."
Coming up soon: Voting in the DownBeat Readers Poll. Details on where and how you can vote will be available by mid-July on the DownBeat website. | |
Kurt Elling: Jazz Journalists Association
2012 Male Singer of the Year
The Jazz Journalists Association has named Kurt Elling its Male Singer of the Year! This is Kurt's eighth JJA Jazz Award. He previously won in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Other nominees for 2012 Male Singer of the Year were Freddy Cole, Giacomo Gates, and Gregory Porter.
The sixteenth annual JJA Jazz Awards ceremony was held June 20, 2012 at the Blue Note in New York. It was hosted by WBGO's Josh Jackson, who was also honored with this year's Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for Broadcasting, and by Angelika Beener of Alternate Takes.
Again this year, the JJA Jazz Awards were live tweeted on the Internet, and satellite parties were held in thirteen cities, all celebrating those who make and document jazz at the highest levels of excellence.
The complete list of winners is here.
Voting for the Jazz Awards for achievements starts with the JJA's professional members being asked to submit up to three nominees in each category. Nominees accumulating the most votes are finalists; ties in some categories result in fewer or more than five nominated finalists. Finalists are voted upon by JJA professional members in a second round to determine Awards winners.
The JJA presents all its Awards as an assertion that informed, professional, independent coverage of jazz across genre is vital to the preservation and promotion of contemporary music, for new and established audiences alike.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and especially to Kurt!
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Grammy nominated!
The Gate
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
Kurt's brand new album, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project, will be released in September in the United States and a little later internationally. It's his tenth album and the fourth for Concord. Musicians include Laurence Hobgood, piano; Clark Sommers, bass; Kendrick Scott, drums; and John McLean, guitar. It celebrates the music of the Brill Building, the most famous music address in the world. Stay tuned for news, clips, interviews, and more as we get closer to the drop date.
Where & when did you first hear Kurt? What turned you on to Kurt's amazing music? When did the magic happen? Kurt's fans on Facebook are sharing their stories. Join in the fun!  Please help us get to 20,000 fans ("likes") on Kurt's Facebook page by the time 1619 Broadway is released in September!   Just before The Gate was released, Kurt had 10,000 fans on FB. Surely we can get up to 20,000 now. Join us and invite all your jazz-loving friends. We're currently at 18,735 and counting.... In June Kurt played at the Blue Note Tokyo with the Bob Mintzer Big Band. 
They performed "All Is Quiet," a beautiful Bob Mintzer composition and arrangement, with Kurt's lyrics. Listen and enjoy! July 14, 2012 is Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday. As part of the centennial celebration, bassist Rob Wasserman collaborated with 14 artists on Note of Hope, an album of Woody's words set to music. 
Kurt's funky performance of "Peace Pin Boogie" is a tongue-in-cheek look at the rewards of being politically correct.
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| JULY-AUGUST Gigs |
July 6, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter 32º Festival Internacional de la Guitarra de CórdobaGran Teatro de Córdoba Avenida del Gran Capitán, nº 3 Córdoba, SPAIN July 7, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Ahoy - Hudson Stage North Sea Jazz FestivalRotterdam, THE NETHERLANDS July 9, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Prague PromsZofin Garden Palac Zofin Slovanský ostrov Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC July 10, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Christian's Kirke KirkehaveStrandgade 1 Copenhagen, DENMARK July 11, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Tones on the Stones FestivalAntica Rocca di Arona Arona, ITALY July 13, 2012Dr. John Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Jazzopen StuttgartOpen Air Bühne am Mercedes-Benz Museum Stuttgart, GERMANY July 14, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Avantgarde Jazz Festivalex. TDR Obala Vladimira Nazora Rovinj, CROATIA July 15, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter MusiCamDo Jazz FestivalChiostro del Convento San Domenico Piazza dei Costanti Camerino, ITALY July 18, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Arena dello Stretto - FREE!Lungomare di Calabria, ITALY July 19, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Taormina Jazz Festival - FREE!Public Gardens (Villa Comunale) Via Bagnoli Croce Taormina, ITALY July 20, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Castellammare Jazz FestivalPiazza Castello Castellammare del Golfo, ITALY July 21, 2012Kurt Elling Master Class
Castellammare Jazz Festival & WorkshopsPiazza Castello Castellammare del Golfo, ITALY July 22, 2012Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Montalcino Jazz & Wine Festivalcortile del Castello Banfi Montalcino, ITALY July 23-24, 2012TWO SHOWSKurt Elling & Charlie Hunter Trio Salon Elegance Edinburgh Jazz & Blues FestivalGeorge Square Edinburgh, SCOTLAND July 28, 2012Kurt Elling and Jon Hendricks New Mexico Jazz FestivalLensic Performing Arts Center 211 W. San Francisco Street Santa Fe, NM July 29, 2012Kurt Elling Quintet New Mexico Jazz FestivalOutpost Performance Space 210 Yale SE Albuquerque, NM August 4, 2012Kurt Elling Quintet Music at Gretna 2012Mt. Gretna Playhouse Pennsylvania & Carnegie Avenues Mt. Gretna, PA August 5, 2012Kurt Elling Quintet Newport Jazz FestivalFort Adams State Park Harrison Avenue Newport, RI August 5, 2012John Hollenbeck's Claudia Quintet + 1 featuring Kurt Elling and Theo Bleckmann on vocals Newport Jazz FestivalFort Adams State Park Harrison Avenue Newport, RI August 10, 2012Kurt Elling and the Barcelona Jazz Orchestra Jazz in Marciac 2012Chapiteau Chemin de la Sape Marciac, FRANCE August 13, 2012Kurt Elling with the Kaba Orchestra Oslo Jazz FestivalDen Norske Opera & Ballett Kirsten Flagstads Plass 1 Oslo, NORWAY August 22, 2012Private event - by invitation only
Kurt Elling Quartet Randlords 41 De Korte Street Braamfontein, SOUTH AFRICA August 24, 2012Kurt Elling Quartet Joy of Jazz - Dinaledi StageMary Fitzgerald Square, Henry Nxumalo Drive Newtown Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA August 25, 2012Kurt Elling Quartet Joy of Jazz - Bassline10 Henry Nxumalo Street Newtown Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA
Coming up!
In September, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project will be released in the United States, with the European and other international release dates coming a bit later. Stay tuned for much more news!
Kurt's upcoming gigs in 2012 and 2013 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 (by people who write checks!) 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 . . .
We're here, and it's not about money or winning...
it's just about souls having a good time.
Every night we're trying to find something new
in the music. That's what jazz is really about.
Jazz mirrors and reminds us
of the fact that we are ALIVE!
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