“There are versions of Sam Cooke's ‘You Send Me’, Carole King's ‘So Far Away’ and Paul Simon's ‘An American Tune’ that will go down as some of the finest ballad interpretations this awesomely equipped vocalist has ever recorded.” – John Fordham, The Guardian
Kurt Elling, arguably the greatest jazz singer of his generation, has appeared in the Twin Cities on a number of occasions in the past six-plus years, and his return visits are always eagerly anticipated. His use of scat and vocalese, his original lyrics for such masterpieces as Coltrane’s “Revelation,” and his interpretations of such great instrumental works as Dexter Gordon’s sax solo on “Body and Soul” have put him at the creative apogee of modern jazz artists. Through 2012, his full output of nine albums have earned an unprecedented nine Grammy nominations, including 2009’s Grammy-winning Dedicated to You. He’s topped the Downbeat Poll for Best Male Vocalist for each of the past 13 years, and he’s won a long list of others and awards. Now touring in support of his latest Concord release, 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project, our eager anticipation will be rewarded when Kurt Elling and his quartet visit the Dakota Jazz Club, October 23rd.
Kurt Elling
Citing key influence as Mark Murphy, John Hendricks and Frank Sinatra, Elling is best known for his scat, vocalese, and a variant informally known as “rant.” Says Elling, “Ranting is an informal term a friend of mine came up with for improvised melodies coupled with improvised lyrics. Sometimes there is no melody - just an improvised story or ‘open thought process.’” Many qualities make Kurt Elling the musical equivalent of a gold medal Olympian gymnast, leaping across intervals with his four-octave range, shifting meters as well as dynamics and pitch as if it is all a ball of vocal silly putty. He has ultimate control of his own instrument (his voice), sliding up and down like a melodic slinky toy, splattering rounds of notes like machine gun fire, filling space like a horn soloist.
In the past few years, Elling and his trio have toured with the great tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts and the string quartet, ETHEL. With Watts, Elling has celebrated the collaboration of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, leading to the Grammy-winning recording, Dedicated to You. Elling went back to the studio with a titanic cast to record The Gate, released early in 2011. Produced by Don Was whose credentials are more rock/pop oriented, Elling puts his unique interpretative spin on the music of King Crimson, Joe Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the Beatles, as well as giving new meaning to Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock. In the words of Emily Cary (Washington Examiner), Elling “soars to heretofore improbable levels of jazz vocalese.”
But it’s not all touring in support of recordings for Kurt Elling. Among his diverse projects include a recent tour with seven-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, joined only by drummer Derrick Phillips, in a pared-down setting that provided a “little bit more room for me to make my own notes happen," Elling says. He’s also performed with big bands, with pianist Fred Hersch, and with John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet in recent years. In December, he will be recording with the WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne, Germany; in 2013, he will be touring with Tommie Smith and the Scottish Jazz Orchestra.
The Band
Based in Chicago, guitarist John McLean has built his career over 25 years as a performer, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader and educator. As a highly regarded guitarist, he has toured and/or recorded with a star-studded list of artists, including Kurt Elling, Mose Allison, Dave Douglas, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Patricia Barber, Randy Brecker, Arthur Blythe, and many more. Noted the Chicago Reader, “No jazz musician in Chicago can more quickly electrify a tune or galvanize an audience...”
Clark Sommers is a Grammy-winning bassist steeped in the jazz tradition. The Chicago-area native studied with Ahmad Jamal’s longtime bassist, James Cammack. Sommers has performed all over the world and is featured on more than 40 albums with renowned artists such as Kurt Elling, Cedar Walton, Ernie Watts, The Mighty Blue Kings, Marilyn McCoo, Marvin Hamlisch, Kevin Mahogany, Peter Bernstein, Michael Weiss, Ira Sullivan, Frank Wess and Charles McPherson, among others. "Clark Sommers rings true and honest in tone. The golden color pours a solid foundation to the timber of the group.
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Like the Brill Building, Kurt Elling is a vast treasure chest of musical wonders, unfettered by genre if ultimately cushioned in jazz traditions Missing his show would be like missing an opportunity to breathe fresh air. His upcoming two sets at the Dakota give us two chances at musical rejuvenation.
The Dakota Jazz Club is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Sets at 7 and 9 pm; www.dakotacooks.com
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