"UPDATE: Man in the Air"

"UPDATE: Man in the Air"

Kurt Elling
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"UPDATE: Man in the Air"
Posted by Peter+Trudy Johnson-Lenz on Jun-30-03 at 02:49 PM (EST)

One-stop info source for CD (pre)orders, tickets for Aug. 23 release concert/party, and other fun stuff for delighting fans, making new ones, and creating buzz.
"Man in the Air" will be available in stores on Tuesday, July 22. Retail price: $17.98.
1. (Pre)ordering the CD: Best price is at CD Universe -- $12.59. Standard shipping (one item) -- $2.99. (Many thanks to Rick Hammond for this!)
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?style=MUSIC&pid=6070836&cart=149644527
2. Local music stores may let you reserve a copy to pick up on July 22 if you don't want to wait for shipping, but you'll probably have to pay closer to retail.
3. Tickets for the CD release concert/party are available on line:
"Poetry of Voice: Kurt Elling and Andy Bey"
Saturday, Aug. 23, 2003, 8:00 pm
Chicago Symphony Hall
Performers: Kurt Elling, Andy Bey, Stefon Harris, and The Laurence Hobgood Trio
Tickets: $30 - $60 (interactive seating diagram on line)
"Be one of the first to hear Kurt Elling perform music from his new CD, Man In The Air to be released this summer. The music features Elling's own lyrics to well-known works by Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane and other jazz greats, and is another example of why Artie Shaw calls Elling 'one of the most innovative jazz artists to come along in years.' This is also a rare opportunity to hear the brilliant Andy Bey, the legendary jazz singer whom few can match in range, style or soul."
http://www.cso.org/sat_performdetail.taf?eventid=5169
Rev already has his tickets, as does Sandra. Who else'll be there for this gala celebration?

Table of Contents

Blue Note's Upcoming Release announ..., P+T, Jun-30-03, (1)
All Is Quiet?, Jowey, Jul-01-03, (4)
all is quiet, laurence hobgood, Jul-01-03, (5)
Radio air play, P+T, Jun-30-03, (2)
Heard on the radio, P+T, Jul-16-03, (13)
Many MITA songs on the air -- hoora..., P+T, Jul-31-03, (22)
Tasty tidbits from the KE website, P+T, Jun-30-03, (3)
LH: Is there a story here?, P+T, Jul-03-03, (6)
Stories: Man in the Air -- (of cou..., P+T, Jul-09-03, (9)
Review from Sounds of Timeless Jazz, P+T, Jul-07-03, (7)
Updated prices for CD - great deals..., shopping angel, Jul-08-03, (8)
All Music Group Review (from a real..., DamonC, Jul-10-03, (10)
WOW!, P+T, Jul-10-03, (11)
Kurt's in the news at JazzTimes.com, hologram, Jul-10-03, (12)
JazzUSA gives MITA 4 stars, P+T, Jul-25-03, (14)
Positive review from Marshall Bowde..., P+T, Jul-25-03, (15)
Review by Don Williamson, JazzRevie..., P+T, Jul-26-03, (16)
Review at www.allaboutjazz.com, DamonC, Jul-28-03, (17)
"Kurt Elling: Don't Measure t..., P+T, Jul-28-03, (18)
Update: "Man in the Air" , caperkate, Jul-30-03, (19)
OK...now Im confused......., Dr.Brian K.Clardy, Jul-30-03, (20)
Update: Man in the Air , caperkate, Jul-31-03, (21)
Review in The Guardian, UK, P+T, Aug-08-03, (23)
KE's Fiery Intensity, P+T, Aug-21-03, (24)
Today's Sun Times, caperkate, Aug-21-03, (25)

Kurt Elling Forum Type: Public Moderator: admin Time Zone: EST
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Messages in this discussion

1 . "Blue Note's Upcoming Release announcement"
Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 02:51 PM (EST)

Blue Note's Upcoming Release, complete with cover art:
http://www.bluenote.com/detail.asp?SelectionID=10246
Kurt Elling -- Man In The Air
With six Grammy nominations and perennial poll wins for his five Blue Note releases to date, Kurt Elling has become one of the most celebrated male jazz vocalists on the scene today and he has earned a reputation as the contemporary writer of vocalese, the art of setting words to instrumental solos.
For Man In The Air, Elling’s sixth release for Blue Note Records, the 35-year-old Chicagoan has created original lyrics for compositions by such giants as saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Pat Metheny and others close to his heart. Elling hopes that audiences will fall in love with music that he himself adores, or will rediscover some compositions they have loved and overlooked for a time.
Like Elling's previous recordings, Man In The Air is destined to set a standard for new directions in vocal jazz. In highlighting his lyric-writing abilities, Elling again proves himself to be a significant figure in the expansion of the art form. The album finds Elling working once again with long-time collaborator, pianist Laurence Hobgood as well as labelmate Stefon Harris, who has become the most celebrated vibes player of his generation. They are joined by regular Elling trio members bassist Rob Amster and drummer Frank Parker, Jr along with guests sax men Jim Gailloreto and Brad Wheeler and drummer Paul Wertico.
Kurt Elling: Vocals
Laurence Hobgood: Piano & Rhodes Electric Piano
Rob Amster: Bass
Frank Parker, Jr.: Drums & Percussion
Stefon Harris: Vibes
Jim Gailloreto: Soprano Saxophone
with Paul Wertico (Drums on Track 1) and Brad Wheeler (Soprano Saxophone on Track 1)
Tracks:
1 Minuano (vocal version)
2 In The Winelight
3 Resolution
4 Time To Say Goodbye
5 The Uncertainty Of The Poet
6 The More I Have You
7 Man In The Air
8 A Secret I
9 Higher Vibe
10 Hidden Jewel
11 Never My Love
12 All Is Quiet

4 . "All Is Quiet?"
Posted by Jowey on Jul-01-03 at 01:12 AM (EST)

I'm totally stoked about this addition to the tracklist. Please, oh PLEASE tell me it's a remake of the Yellowjackets classic(from the CD Club Nocturne). I mean, the original was phenomenal, but I'd really like to hear another take on the track, as well. Anybody got any concrete info?

5 . "all is quiet"
Posted by laurence hobgood on Jul-01-03 at 10:00 AM (EST)

jowey-
i'm particularly happy about this, too. kurt & i have been performing 'all is quiet' as a duet for some time now in live shows, usually as an encore. we got a great take of it during the recording session and it turned out to be a great closer.
only 21 days to go!
l.h.

2 . "Radio air play"
Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 02:57 PM (EST)

Earlier Rev suggested getting in touch with folks at local NPR affiliates and the like.
Checked in with Greg Gomez, musical/program director at KMHD 89.1 FM, our 24/7 jazz station in the Portland, OR metro area. (As Charles Lloyd says, anywhere you are on the planet, you can listen to KMHD on the Internet at kmhd.org.) Haven't heard back from Greg yet, but had a nice conversation with Doug Sweet, the station manager, who said that KE is highly regarded there.
Checked in with long-time Bay Area jazz DJ Jerry Dean who does a syndicated jazz program on the West Coast. He said, "Blue Note sends me all of their new releases so should be receiving it soon. I will also be playing it as soon as it arrives." His "Dinner Jazz With Jerry Dean" is on KMHD every Sunday evening.

13 . "Heard on the radio"
Posted by P+T on Jul-16-03 at 07:53 PM (EST)

Greg Gomez said KMHD (89.1 FM) got their copy of "Man in the Air" today, and "it's cool!" We heard "Higher Vibe" this afternoon, so it's on their playlist already. Yes!
After reading the Thom Jurek review, Jerry Dean commented, "Great reviews for a great vocalist!" He said he's playing a preview copy of "Time to say Goodbye" aka "A Remark You Made" on Sunday July 20th between 6pm and 7pm on KMHD. He does a weekly show, "Dinner Jazz With Jerry Dean" that's syndicated on the West Coast.
And so it begins . . .

22 . "Many MITA songs on the air -- hooray!"
Posted by P+T on Jul-31-03 at 01:50 PM (EST)

KMHD 89.1 FM now has seven (!) tracks from Man in the Air on its playlist. You can listen to KMHD 24/7 on the web at www.kmhd.org. And they take requests (wink!).
Minuano
In the Winelight
Time to Say Goodbye
Man in the Air
A Secret I
Higher Vibe
Never My Love

3 . "Tasty tidbits from the KE website"
Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 03:04 PM (EST)

"Higher Vibe"

On May 2, 2003, Damien asked here in the Forum, "Does anyone know the name and/or lyrics of the lovely Kurt song that has something like this in it: Everywhere you go / everyone you know / is alive and loved / and shining in the mind of god ? It's astounding... Thanks."
And Laurence Hobgood replied, "i'm answering because this is one case where kurt won't crow adequately about his accomplishment and it's more than deserving of praise. it's a courtney pine tune called 'higher vibe' and kurt's lyric is, in my opinion, one of his most inspiring successes as a lyricist because the tune's so simple and his lyric is perfect. (it ain't easy doin' 'simple'.) you'll be happy to know that a killer version of 'higher vibe' will appear on the new record, due out in july. l.h."
From KE's bio:
A new record, "Man In The Air", will be available July of 2003. For this new recording, Elling wrote and performed lyrics for nine Jazz compositions he believes to be modern classics. Great compositions from writers like Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Bobby Watson and Joe Zawinul all receive the Elling treatment. Writes biographer Lara Perigrinelli, "It was unavoidable: Elling ambitiously applied his literary talents to the music of Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard. By comparison, the challenges on 'Man in The Air' are subtler. Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit. Elling wrestles with themes of love, life, loss, and the indefatigable human spirit in all of their complexities without allowing himself to indulge in clichés or platitudes."(May/03) The album features intelligent, swinging performances from guest artist Stefon Harris and from Elling collaborator Laurence Hobgood.

6 . "LH: Is there a story here?"
Posted by P+T on Jul-03-03 at 03:39 PM (EST)

Laurence, is there a cool story behind the title song "Man In The Air"? We know you wrote the music and Kurt did the lyric. Which came first?
As noted above, Lara Perigrinelli wrote, "Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit."
We love hearing your stories and explanations. Thanks!

9 . "Stories: Man in the Air -- (of course) it's Wayne Shorter!"
Posted by P+T on Jul-09-03 at 08:25 PM (EST)

From the Blue Note website:
As Kurt Elling knows, being a jazz singer in the truest sense requires skill at any number of interrelated roles. Not only does it take vocal mastery in musically swinging terms, but stretching beyond into the realms of bandleading, composing, arranging, and writing poetry. To this list, he has also added the role of musical matchmaker. For Man In The Air, Elling’s sixth release for Blue Note Records, the 35-year-old Chicagoan has created original lyrics for compositions by such giants as saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Pat Metheny and others close to his heart. By putting pen to paper, taking to the studio, and incorporating these works in his riveting live performances, Elling hopes that audiences will fall in love with music that he himself adores, or will rediscover some compositions they have loved and overlooked for a time.
The album provides a rare showcase for his lyric writing, featured on ten of the album’s twelve tracks. A six-time Grammy nominee, Elling has already earned a reputation as the contemporary writer of vocalese, the art of setting words to instrumental solos. As early as his debut recording Close Your Eyes (1995), these texts had assumed epic proportions. It was unavoidable: Elling ambitiously applied his literary talents to the music of hard-hitting, monster improvisers like saxophonists Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard.
By comparison, the challenges of the repertory on Man in the Air are subtler. Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit. Elling wrestles with themes of love, life, loss, and the indefatigable human spirit in all of their complexities without allowing himself to indulge in clichés or platitudes.
“Yes, there’s romance, but it’s not just romance,” says Elling of Metheny’s “Minuano,” the opening track. “The lyric has the sense that you could turn around and meet her on the next corner. But it’s more than just, ‘Wow, she’s a knockout.’ It’s a much more transcendent experience—like, ‘Now I understand that love really shares something of the divine—that two people come together because they recognize something of God or of their other half or whatever you may call it. They have the possibility of sharing a divine essence together.’ And, for once, to have a more joyful feeling of anticipation, as opposed to the anxiety of wondering when she’s going to come.”
Even reflection on bittersweet, hard won experience tends toward a hopeful outlook, benefiting from what Courtney Pine refers to as a “Higher Vibe” in his tune of that name. “Time to Say Goodbye,” originally Joe Zawinul’s “A Remark You Made” from Weather Report’s classic Heavy Weather, and “A Secret I,” renamed from Hancock’s “Alone and I,” deal with loss in a way that moves beyond pathos. In letting people go, Elling professes that love is never left behind. It always remains a part of you, regenerates, and begins anew.
By now, much has been said about Elling’s transformation from graduate student at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School to jazz vocalist. Although the lyrics often reflect Elling’s heavy philosophical training, they come together organically. “I don’t sit down and say, ‘Oh, this music sounds like that experience,’” he explains. “It’s the other way around. I hear something musically. And if I say, ‘Wow, what is that about?’ then it’s an exploration. Little micro-chromosomes of a lyric might start to assemble just from repeated listening. Often it’s not until I’m maybe halfway through that I know what it’s really about. It’s an ecstatic, Eureka sort of experience.”
Such was the case with the album’s title track, a collaboration with Elling’s longtime musical collaborator, pianist Laurence Hobgood. After thinking that perhaps the lyrics were about scientist Stephen Hawking or a meditating guru, Elling eventually realized that the “Man in the Air” was about another unworldly character, Wayne Shorter. His presence is evoked throughout the album by Elling’s selection of material and in the sense that there is much more happening in the music than initially meets the ear.
The story of Coltrane’s “Resolution” from A Love Supreme also resulted from progressive revelation as inspired by the sheer chutzpah required to attempt lyricizing one of jazz’s most revered works. Back in rapid-fire text mode, it opens with an invocation to the Gods, then tells of an encounter between a witness and a priest watching the kaleidoscopic river of time swirling on the edge of the universe, in the place where all things end. The track is a virtuosic statement on all levels.
Other songs include an economically worded, Hancock-inspired blues titled “The More I See You;” Bob Mintzer’s “All Is Quiet” (which Elling previously recorded for The Yellowjackets album Club Nocturne); Bobby Watson’s melodically challenging “Hidden Jewel”; the Grover Washington hit “Winelight”; and “Never My Love,” an aperitif first recorded by the Association. Not above poking fun at himself and his own literary ambitions, Elling includes a single, unbridled attempt at levity smack in the middle of the record: “The Uncertainty of the Poet,” which Elling heard on a recording by the vocal group Chanticleer. Elling, who began singing in his father’s church choir when he was in third grade, combines his fondness for choral singing with a fascination for multi-tracking. He kids, “I still like to listen to a lot of a capella choral works.” He laughs. “And then, I like to perform them.”
As Elling is abundantly aware, performing such challenging music is only viable with the help of incredible supporting musicians, in this case members of his regular trio: Hobgood, bassist Rob Amster, and drummer Frank Parker, Jr. “I really rely on my rhythm section,” he states, eager to give credit where credit is due. “They’re invaluable. I’m one of the fortunate few to actually have a band where we really know the ins and outs of each other’s thing.” This is the sixth album that Elling and Hobgood have co-produced. Guests include fellow Chicagoan Jim Gailloreto; former Elling album alums Paul Wertico and Brad Wheeler; and Blue Note labelmate Stefon Harris.
Elling and his trio continue to play every Wednesday night at Chicago’s historic Green Mill. In July 2002, Elling launched a vocal summit titled “Four Brothers” at Chicago’s Park West Theater, featuring himself and fellow heavy hitters Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, and Kevin Mahogany. A tour for the group is currently in the planning stages. In addition to his other pursuits, Elling is currently writing a play, working on a screenplay, and serving as national trustee of the Recording Academy, a position he hopes will help increase the profile of jazz at the top echelon of the industry.
Like Elling’s previous recordings, Man in the Air is destined to set a standard for new directions in vocal jazz. In highlighting his lyric-writing abilities, Elling again proves himself to be a significant figure in the expansion of the art form. “This was such a hard record to make,” he says, “because it was so challenging to have the lyrics fit—not only from a writing standpoint, but from a delivery standpoint, from a performance standpoint, and to make it feel relatively artless so that people can’t hear how hard I’m working. That’s truly difficult.”
http://www.bluenote.com/artistpage.asp?ArtistID=3431&tab=1

7 . "Review from Sounds of Timeless Jazz"
Posted by P+T on Jul-07-03 at 09:06 PM (EST)

Sounds of Timeless Jazz, July 2003
MAN IN THE AIR
KURT ELLING
When a composer/musician needs inspiration or a fresh idea, many of them say a prayer to the MAN IN THE AIR or just drop their pens onto a blue notebook. Some dip their pens into some blue ink, or savor the blue notes from some of the most awesome jazz recordings on the planet! In a split second their muses come to visit and the tones, colors, and forms seem to take shape for what they’d like to create. That type of creative process may have been what brought about vocalist Kurt Elling’s latest release for Blue Note titled MAN IN THE AIR. On this, he re-inks John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, and Courtney Pine, among others, adding his vocalese to the music of “Resolution,” “Minuano,” “Time To Say Goodbye,” “A Secret I,” and “A Higher Vibe.” Kurt Elling meets success on a new level with his convincing lyrics for “In The Winelight” - the instrumental made famous by Grover Washington, Jr. The vivid lyrics Elling uses in this story definitely sets the same type of mood the contemporary jazz saxophonist laid on millions of his fans back in the early 80s. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for “Resolution.” Despite its greatness as an instrumental, several jazz vocalists have attempted adding vocalese to it. Some have failed artistically, some have succeeded politically, but none seem to have attained the same level of spirituality in their interpretations that John Coltrane had ascended to when he wrote it as the second part of his four-part paean to God titled A LOVE SUPREME. “Alone and I” – a song originally written by Herbie Hancock about two symbolic people that experience the loss of each other, gains another title even though Elling chooses to use Hancock’s original title in the body of the song! It’s somewhat confusing when you delve deeper into its new meaning as “A Secret I.” Elling’s lyrics to Courtney Pine’s “Higher Vibe” works note for note. Furthermore, the song feels as if Kurt Elling experienced some sort of transformation in a peaceful way and makes the listener a part of that experience. For the most part, Kurt Elling’s poetry comes together in very thought-provoking vocalese that adds another aspect to the already powerful music. Top picks: “Man In The Air,” “Higher Vibe,” “In The Winelight.”
http://www.soundsoftimelessjazz.com/pages/618619/index.htm

8 . "Updated prices for CD - great deals galore"
Posted by shopping angel on Jul-08-03 at 11:42 AM (EST)

Amazon.com has just lowered its price on "Man in the Air" to $14.99 (a savings of $2.99 or 17%), and it's still eligible for free shipping on orders of over $25. So buy two with free shipping for $29.98.
Or get two from CD Universe for $12.59 each, with $3.99 shipping (2 items) for $29.17.
A great deal either way!

10 . "All Music Group Review (from a real human critic)"
Posted by DamonC on Jul-10-03 at 12:04 PM (EST)

... this one's from a real human reviewer (and should offend nobody). ;-)
From Thom Jurek of AllMusic.com.
review of Man in the Air : http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70307101246&sql=A5v60tr8tkl6x ,
General KE overview : http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll ,
Patiently waiting for MITA,
/Damon

11 . "WOW!"
Posted by P+T on Jul-10-03 at 05:57 PM (EST)

Thanks, Damon! What a GREAT review! And from an excellent reviewer, too.
We hope this is the first of many with such high praise.
For the record: "Thom Jurek has been a music writer and cultural critic for over 20 years. He serves as a primary critic for the All-Music Guide and their website, www.allmusic.com. His work has appeared in Creem, Rolling Stone, Spin, Musician, NME, Sounds, Raygun, Touch & Go, Maximum Rock 'n' Roll, Motor Booty, The Canadian Journal of Political & Social Theory, and many other publications internationally. Jurek was senior arts and cultural affairs editor at Detroit's Metro Times from 1990-1996."

12 . "Kurt's in the news at JazzTimes.com"
Posted by hologram on Jul-10-03 at 06:12 PM (EST)

Check it out - the wave begins.

14 . "JazzUSA gives MITA 4 stars"
Posted by P+T on Jul-25-03 at 10:59 AM (EST)

JazzUSA.com - August 2003
Kurt Elling
Man In The Air
(Blue Note - 2003)
by John Thompson
Here is a guy that is loaded with chops as a vocalist. After hearing him sing once, you will always recognize his unforgettable voice, similar to Bill Withers, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday. On this release, Elling displays his usual talents of extraordinary voice and pitch control, as well as great music support.
The musicians backing Elling are Laurence Hobgood(p/Rhodes), Rob Amster(b), Frank Parker Jr.(d/perc), Stefon Harris(v), Jim Gailloreto(ss), Paul Wertico(d), and Brad Wheeler(ssax). The music here contains several styles, tempos, and arrangements, plus some surprises. For example, the track "In The Winelight" is a sultry, finger- poppin' version of the Grover Washington Jr. hit "Let It Flow(for Dr.J)." The music played on "The More I Have You" is Miles Davis' "All Blues," performed in 4/4 time, with a groove.
The title tune, "Man In The Air" has a mellow fusion feel, especially with the presence of Hobgood's Rhodes electric piano. "A Secret I", beautifully peformed with a tasteful solo by Harris and superb vocals by Elling, and Coltrane's Resolution" are the more straight jazz songs. The most interesting song for me is "Minuano," which starts out sounding like "Ave Maria," then going into a 6/8 serious jazz feel with cool solos.
Tracks like "The Uncertainty Of The Poet" and "Higher Vibe" threw my groove for a loop. There is really good music, really good Elling, and something for all Jazz fans and maybe even classical music enthusiasts. 4 stars

15 . "Positive review from Marshall Bowden, PopMatters Music Critic"
Posted by P+T on Jul-25-03 at 02:54 PM (EST)

There's a long, very positive review of MITA by Marshall Bowden on the PopMatters website. Here are the first two paragraphs. You can see the whole thing (recommended!) at:
http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/ellingkurt-man.shtml
There are two schools of thought on Kurt Elling. Both sides tend to agree that Elling is a talented interpreter of songs in the jazz style, and that he possesses a certain skill when it comes to scat and to vocalese. One side, however, laments Elling's affinity for beat poetry, his über-hipster image, and his vocalese rants, which are often peppered with spiritual and philosophical themes carried over from his time in divinity school. The other side finds precisely these features of Elling's work most fascinating and worthy of praise, and declares him the best and most talented male jazz singer working today. On his last Blue Note album, Flirting with Twilight, the singer put aside these elements and delivered a fairly straightforward recording of ballad standards. That album was widely praised as a step forward for Elling, heralding a new maturity in his work. Elling's newest release, Man in the Air, is directed toward the group of listeners who adore his lyrical flights of fancy, beat hipster poetry, and high flying ideas.
Man in the Air highlights Elling's skills as a lyricist, as he offers lyrics to a number of his favorite jazz compositions, many of them contemporary. There are some virtuoso performances, but there are also some remarkably gorgeous and emotionally charged lyrics to compositions by Pat Metheny, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, and Courtney Pine. Themes that emerge in Elling's lyrics include love, loss, the power of the human spirit, and the spark of the divine. For example, his lyrics to Pat Metheny's 6/8 romp "Minuano" are about meeting a new love interest, quite possibly the love of one's life, but they are much more than romantic love poetry, emphasizing the divine nature of love, and the recognition of the divine in another. "Already been as high as Kathmandu / Willing to go as far as Timbuktu / Nowhere's too far away / I may catch up with you today / Maybe today we'll make our getaway", he sings, double tracking his voice on the chorus's second repetition, and you can feel yourself soaring up there with him. Brad Wheeler keeps the listener up there with a gorgeous solo, bolstered by Paul Wertico's chattering rim accents and Laurence Hobgood's powerful, blocky chords. Similarly, on "Higher Vibe" there's a sense of spiritual optimism that carries over into the lyrics and the enthusiasm in Elling's vocal delivery.

16 . "Review by Don Williamson, JazzReview.com"
Posted by P+T on Jul-26-03 at 03:11 PM (EST)

Here's another great review, this time by Don Williamson, JazzReview.com
The whole review is at:
http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=5126
First two paragraphs:
Review: Single-handedly, Kurt Elling has reinvigorated the art of vocalese, and popularized it, as no other singer, male or female, has in decades. With unpredictability, intellect and a sense of adventure, Elling’s treatments of songs that we think are definintive turn out to be subject to further interpretation after all, as Elling finds hidden gems within the music that escaped us through past repetition. And Elling’s talents are varied. He can croon as it so moves him, as he did most especially on This Time It’s Love, or he can scat with individuality and cliff-hanging daring as he did throughout much of Close Your Eyes.
On Elling’s latest CD, Man in the Air, though, he withholds the obvious romance, poetry, street-corner story-telling like “Rent Party,” or tongue-twisting scatting for a more serious, and a more subtle, endeavor: writing the lyrics to some instrumentally performed compositions that just beg to be sung. And now they are.

17 . "Review at www.allaboutjazz.com"
Posted by DamonC on Jul-28-03 at 07:05 AM (EST)

More good stuff.
/Damon
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/r0703_147.htm
...
"A Man in the Air is a solid, cohesive piece of artistry and vocal virtuosity. Not Elling's seemingly inevitable masterpiece, but an inexorable step in that direction, and one of the finest vocal CDs of the year"
~ Dan McClenaghan

18 . ""Kurt Elling: Don't Measure the Limbs," by RJ LeDuke, AllAboutJazz.com "
Posted by P+T on Jul-28-03 at 09:57 PM (EST)

Another excellent article/review/interview, this time by R.J. LeDuke, AllAboutJazz.com. It's 11 pages, and Bill Traut says, "It's probably the most complete interview of Kurt I've ever seen."
Read and savor the whole article at:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=507
Very brief excerpt:
"Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon. When we love a woman we don't start measuring her limbs."
--Pablo Picasso

At a time when the music scene in the United States is in a funk, and the recording industry, suffering from limping sales figures, tends to be conservative -- particularly in the realm of jazz –- it isn't easy to find records on major labels that take a different turn.
Enter Kurt Elling.
Elling is a singer who has always taken chances in his relatively brief career. His rise to the top of the jazz vocalist heap in that short time, as poll winner and regular Grammy nominee, has been worthy of note. It's remarkable because he takes a lot of chances. Yes, he sings the standard repertoire with style and strength. But he does his own thing and it has garnered him critical praise and a strong following.
At a time when it seems like nearly everyone is releasing albums of familiar standards, Elling is poised release what perhaps, from top to bottom, is his most innovative CD. "Man in the Air," produced with his august collaborator and pianist Laurence Hobgood, is a work of art. The compositions are by the likes of Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, John Coltrane, Bobby Watson and Bob Mintzer, but each has a lyric from the mind and pen of Elling. There's also one Elling original and a Hobgood/Elling collaboration.
It may be a bit of a gamble, because art too often these days takes a back seat to things conservative. But Elling is unconcerned. He's confident in his direction and eloquent about his feelings. He knows that as an artist, he must continue to move and grow. The lyrics he has amassed for "Man in the Air" show more of Elling as dreamer, observer and poet, facets he has showed glimpses of in the past. And it works. Elling has a right to be confident.
"People need a broad variety of possibilities. Since music is endless, and presents an endless number of possibilities, a number of directions to be explored -- turns in the road, if you will -- it’s somebody's responsibility to hit all of them," he says. "There's somebody for every possibility, I guess. I need to make what I need to make. And I have been very, very fortunate that I have been able to do the kind of records that I've done, to be on Blue Note, to have their backing. It's an extraordinary gift, in this day and age, to have such dedicated music industry professionals as the people I get to work with at Blue Note."
Elling has immense vocal chops, a great style on standards and ballads, and the sense of adventure of a tightrope walker. In concert, he's elegant and compelling. The passion he has for his art is apparent. He's got style and flair. He has an ego, but devotes himself to the best expression of the music. His working band, featured on the CD, and augmented by some saxophones and the vibes of Stefon Harris, is a tight working group in which Elling is just another member, even if certain songs take him to the outer limits, feature him as the acrobat. It takes guts and it takes ego to do what he does. He has enough of those qualities, but not in obnoxious overabundance.
... continued . . .

19 . "Update: "Man in the Air" "
Posted by caperkate on Jul-30-03 at 08:31 AM (EST)

Dear P & T et. al, You asked who is coming to the concert, besides yourselves and Rev. I am deserting my lakeside home in Nova Scotia, Canada to partake of Chicago's splendours, including the concert -- of course!Yes, it's crazy but a free airline ticket helps.
Haven't been in Chicago for 15 years so am eager to see it again. But I'm most jazzed about the concert!
Got the CD yesterday (released up here yesterday) and it is in heavy rotation chez moi. Hope all is well where you are....
PS Is there going to be a party per se that night...or just a festive atmosphere? Whatever...I'll be happy.

20 . "OK...now Im confused......."
Posted by Dr.Brian K.Clardy on Jul-30-03 at 03:01 PM (EST)

I got my ticket for the concert a few weeks ago.....is there a PARTY TOO????? If so are those tickets separate?
HELP!!!!!!

21 . "Update: Man in the Air "
Posted by caperkate on Jul-31-03 at 12:13 PM (EST)

Don't mind me, Brian...I just remember that the initial shindig was called a "CD launch/party" but it was, I believe, in the smaller (right?) surroundings of Park West. Now, it's in a much grander venue so...I don't know what's up. It was probably just wishful thinking on my part! But I don't know for sure...
But it certainly would be great if there WERE a party, wouldn't it?
Stay cool in these dog days, Cath.

23 . "Review in The Guardian, UK"
Posted by P+T on Aug-08-03 at 01:55 PM (EST)

Kurt Elling: The Man in the Air
3 stars (Blue Note)
John Fordham
Friday August 8, 2003
The Guardian, UK
Kurt Elling is one of the most technically dazzling vocalists in jazz today - yet he is none the less a more perplexing artist than might be suggested by the swathes of spontaneous sound he cuts through almost any materials.
This is Elling's sixth Blue Note disc, and perhaps his most personal: he has set his own lyrics to a variety of famous contemporary-jazz instrumentals, by composers including Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane.
Elling's fierce, wailing eruptions of sound come about as close as jazz vocalists ever do to Coltrane's tenor-sax explosions, and his account of the saxophonist's famous Resolution is as sensational here as it is in Elling's live shows - a steel-hard soliloquy, constantly leaping registers and changing tone colours.
By contrast, the singer's control at low volumes and his graceful shifts between a whisper and an edgier, soulful sound, somewhere between Sinatra and Stevie Wonder, are remarkable too, particularly on In the Winelight. And Joe Zawinul's striking ballad Time to Say Goodbye (which will leave Weather Report buffs misty-eyed) has imaginative input from excellent pianist Laurence Hobgood and from Stefon Harris's vibes.
But in the end, the higher-plane portentousness of some of Elling's lyrics, coupled with the predominantly slow and rather pontifical atmosphere, leaves Man in the Air (yep, I reckon he's who you think he is) with rather less substance than it thinks it has.

24 . "KE's Fiery Intensity"
Posted by P+T on Aug-21-03 at 11:53 AM (EST)

*Great* article/interview in today's Chicago Sun-Times! The reporter talked with KE just after the Borders concert last Friday.
See the whole swirling, pulsing, energetic, vibrating, shining thing at:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-elling21.html
Vocalist brings a fiery intensity to hipsters' musical haven
August 21, 2003
BY MIKE THOMAS Staff Reporter
Chicago Sun-Times

He digs cats. The tongue-bathing, purring, skulking kind, but most especially the ones who wail and blow and riff and sting, who sweat and strain, magnified and dignified beneath spotlights and klieg lights and soft lights, who snatch a room like sharks on chum and won't let loose till last notes sizzle, fizzle, till lookers-on are awed, wowed, dumb with delight.
They schooled him well, such cats, let him in, whispered wisdom, showed him how, spurred him on, and soon talent-in-the-raw was talent-not-so-raw, talent honed and nipped and tucked, buffed to a high shine, growing ever shinier, for to rust unburnished, writes the poet, is dullsville, numbsville. Also, it is this: an up-yours to all those who came before, those who formed and informed this man and his music. The music of Coltrane and Parker, of Ellington and Sondheim, of Brubeck, Hendricks, Murphy, Von Freeman.
And the man is Kurt Elling...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sidebar:
Elling's musical favorites
***Wayne Shorter, "Night Dreamer"
***John Lee Hooker, "Live at Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison)"
***Renee Fleming, any recital
***King Crimson, "Discipline"
***Duke Ellington, "Live From Newport"
***Bach and Beethoven, any double violin concerto
***Mark Murphy, "Bop for Kerouac I and II"
***Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, any title
***Miles Davis, the "My Funny Valentine" concert
***John Coltrane, "Crescent"

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25 . "Today's Sun Times"
Posted by caperkate on Aug-21-03 at 01:47 PM (EST)

"UPDATE: Man in the Air" Posted by Peter+Trudy Johnson-Lenz on Jun-30-03 at 02:49 PM (EST)
One-stop info source for CD (pre)orders, tickets for Aug. 23 release concert/party, and other fun stuff for delighting fans, making new ones, and creating buzz. "Man in the Air" will be available in stores on Tuesday, July 22. Retail price: $17.98. 1. (Pre)ordering the CD: Best price is at CD Universe -- $12.59. Standard shipping (one item) -- $2.99. (Many thanks to Rick Hammond for this!) http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?style=MUSIC&pid=6070836&cart=149644527 2. Local music stores may let you reserve a copy to pick up on July 22 if you don't want to wait for shipping, but you'll probably have to pay closer to retail. 3. Tickets for the CD release concert/party are available on line: "Poetry of Voice: Kurt Elling and Andy Bey" Saturday, Aug. 23, 2003, 8:00 pm Chicago Symphony Hall Performers: Kurt Elling, Andy Bey, Stefon Harris, and The Laurence Hobgood Trio Tickets: $30 - $60 (interactive seating diagram on line) "Be one of the first to hear Kurt Elling perform music from his new CD, Man In The Air to be released this summer. The music features Elling's own lyrics to well-known works by Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane and other jazz greats, and is another example of why Artie Shaw calls Elling 'one of the most innovative jazz artists to come along in years.' This is also a rare opportunity to hear the brilliant Andy Bey, the legendary jazz singer whom few can match in range, style or soul." http://www.cso.org/sat_performdetail.taf?eventid=5169 Rev already has his tickets, as does Sandra. Who else'll be there for this gala celebration?

1 . "Blue Note's Upcoming Release announcement" Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 02:51 PM (EST)
Blue Note's Upcoming Release, complete with cover art: http://www.bluenote.com/detail.asp?SelectionID=10246 Kurt Elling -- Man In The Air With six Grammy nominations and perennial poll wins for his five Blue Note releases to date, Kurt Elling has become one of the most celebrated male jazz vocalists on the scene today and he has earned a reputation as the contemporary writer of vocalese, the art of setting words to instrumental solos. For Man In The Air, Elling’s sixth release for Blue Note Records, the 35-year-old Chicagoan has created original lyrics for compositions by such giants as saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Pat Metheny and others close to his heart. Elling hopes that audiences will fall in love with music that he himself adores, or will rediscover some compositions they have loved and overlooked for a time. Like Elling's previous recordings, Man In The Air is destined to set a standard for new directions in vocal jazz. In highlighting his lyric-writing abilities, Elling again proves himself to be a significant figure in the expansion of the art form. The album finds Elling working once again with long-time collaborator, pianist Laurence Hobgood as well as labelmate Stefon Harris, who has become the most celebrated vibes player of his generation. They are joined by regular Elling trio members bassist Rob Amster and drummer Frank Parker, Jr along with guests sax men Jim Gailloreto and Brad Wheeler and drummer Paul Wertico. Kurt Elling: Vocals Laurence Hobgood: Piano & Rhodes Electric Piano Rob Amster: Bass Frank Parker, Jr.: Drums & Percussion Stefon Harris: Vibes Jim Gailloreto: Soprano Saxophone with Paul Wertico (Drums on Track 1) and Brad Wheeler (Soprano Saxophone on Track 1) Tracks: 1 Minuano (vocal version) 2 In The Winelight 3 Resolution 4 Time To Say Goodbye 5 The Uncertainty Of The Poet 6 The More I Have You 7 Man In The Air 8 A Secret I 9 Higher Vibe 10 Hidden Jewel 11 Never My Love 12 All Is Quiet


	4 . "All Is Quiet?" Posted by Jowey on Jul-01-03 at 01:12 AM (EST)
	I'm totally stoked about this addition to the tracklist. Please, oh PLEASE tell me it's a remake of the Yellowjackets classic(from the CD Club Nocturne). I mean, the original was phenomenal, but I'd really like to hear another take on the track, as well. Anybody got any concrete info?


	5 . "all is quiet" Posted by laurence hobgood on Jul-01-03 at 10:00 AM (EST)
	jowey- i'm particularly happy about this, too. kurt & i have been performing 'all is quiet' as a duet for some time now in live shows, usually as an encore. we got a great take of it during the recording session and it turned out to be a great closer. only 21 days to go! l.h.

2 . "Radio air play" Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 02:57 PM (EST)
Earlier Rev suggested getting in touch with folks at local NPR affiliates and the like. Checked in with Greg Gomez, musical/program director at KMHD 89.1 FM, our 24/7 jazz station in the Portland, OR metro area. (As Charles Lloyd says, anywhere you are on the planet, you can listen to KMHD on the Internet at kmhd.org.) Haven't heard back from Greg yet, but had a nice conversation with Doug Sweet, the station manager, who said that KE is highly regarded there. Checked in with long-time Bay Area jazz DJ Jerry Dean who does a syndicated jazz program on the West Coast. He said, "Blue Note sends me all of their new releases so should be receiving it soon. I will also be playing it as soon as it arrives." His "Dinner Jazz With Jerry Dean" is on KMHD every Sunday evening.


	13 . "Heard on the radio" Posted by P+T on Jul-16-03 at 07:53 PM (EST)
	Greg Gomez said KMHD (89.1 FM) got their copy of "Man in the Air" today, and "it's cool!" We heard "Higher Vibe" this afternoon, so it's on their playlist already. Yes! After reading the Thom Jurek review, Jerry Dean commented, "Great reviews for a great vocalist!" He said he's playing a preview copy of "Time to say Goodbye" aka "A Remark You Made" on Sunday July 20th between 6pm and 7pm on KMHD. He does a weekly show, "Dinner Jazz With Jerry Dean" that's syndicated on the West Coast. And so it begins . . .


	22 . "Many MITA songs on the air -- hooray!" Posted by P+T on Jul-31-03 at 01:50 PM (EST)
	KMHD 89.1 FM now has seven (!) tracks from Man in the Air on its playlist. You can listen to KMHD 24/7 on the web at www.kmhd.org. And they take requests (wink!). Minuano In the Winelight Time to Say Goodbye Man in the Air A Secret I Higher Vibe Never My Love

3 . "Tasty tidbits from the KE website" Posted by P+T on Jun-30-03 at 03:04 PM (EST)
"Higher Vibe" On May 2, 2003, Damien asked here in the Forum, "Does anyone know the name and/or lyrics of the lovely Kurt song that has something like this in it: Everywhere you go / everyone you know / is alive and loved / and shining in the mind of god ? It's astounding... Thanks." And Laurence Hobgood replied, "i'm answering because this is one case where kurt won't crow adequately about his accomplishment and it's more than deserving of praise. it's a courtney pine tune called 'higher vibe' and kurt's lyric is, in my opinion, one of his most inspiring successes as a lyricist because the tune's so simple and his lyric is perfect. (it ain't easy doin' 'simple'.) you'll be happy to know that a killer version of 'higher vibe' will appear on the new record, due out in july. l.h." From KE's bio: A new record, "Man In The Air", will be available July of 2003. For this new recording, Elling wrote and performed lyrics for nine Jazz compositions he believes to be modern classics. Great compositions from writers like Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Bobby Watson and Joe Zawinul all receive the Elling treatment. Writes biographer Lara Perigrinelli, "It was unavoidable: Elling ambitiously applied his literary talents to the music of Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard. By comparison, the challenges on 'Man in The Air' are subtler. Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit. Elling wrestles with themes of love, life, loss, and the indefatigable human spirit in all of their complexities without allowing himself to indulge in clichés or platitudes."(May/03) The album features intelligent, swinging performances from guest artist Stefon Harris and from Elling collaborator Laurence Hobgood.


	6 . "LH: Is there a story here?" Posted by P+T on Jul-03-03 at 03:39 PM (EST)
	Laurence, is there a cool story behind the title song "Man In The Air"? We know you wrote the music and Kurt did the lyric. Which came first? As noted above, Lara Perigrinelli wrote, "Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit." We love hearing your stories and explanations. Thanks!


	9 . "Stories: Man in the Air -- (of course) it's Wayne Shorter!" Posted by P+T on Jul-09-03 at 08:25 PM (EST)
	From the Blue Note website: As Kurt Elling knows, being a jazz singer in the truest sense requires skill at any number of interrelated roles. Not only does it take vocal mastery in musically swinging terms, but stretching beyond into the realms of bandleading, composing, arranging, and writing poetry. To this list, he has also added the role of musical matchmaker. For Man In The Air, Elling’s sixth release for Blue Note Records, the 35-year-old Chicagoan has created original lyrics for compositions by such giants as saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Herbie Hancock, guitarist Pat Metheny and others close to his heart. By putting pen to paper, taking to the studio, and incorporating these works in his riveting live performances, Elling hopes that audiences will fall in love with music that he himself adores, or will rediscover some compositions they have loved and overlooked for a time. The album provides a rare showcase for his lyric writing, featured on ten of the album’s twelve tracks. A six-time Grammy nominee, Elling has already earned a reputation as the contemporary writer of vocalese, the art of setting words to instrumental solos. As early as his debut recording Close Your Eyes (1995), these texts had assumed epic proportions. It was unavoidable: Elling ambitiously applied his literary talents to the music of hard-hitting, monster improvisers like saxophonists Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard. By comparison, the challenges of the repertory on Man in the Air are subtler. Rather than pyrotechnics, the success of these pieces tends to hinge on vocal control, sonic atmosphere, and use of space. Their lyrics follow suit. Elling wrestles with themes of love, life, loss, and the indefatigable human spirit in all of their complexities without allowing himself to indulge in clichés or platitudes. “Yes, there’s romance, but it’s not just romance,” says Elling of Metheny’s “Minuano,” the opening track. “The lyric has the sense that you could turn around and meet her on the next corner. But it’s more than just, ‘Wow, she’s a knockout.’ It’s a much more transcendent experience—like, ‘Now I understand that love really shares something of the divine—that two people come together because they recognize something of God or of their other half or whatever you may call it. They have the possibility of sharing a divine essence together.’ And, for once, to have a more joyful feeling of anticipation, as opposed to the anxiety of wondering when she’s going to come.” Even reflection on bittersweet, hard won experience tends toward a hopeful outlook, benefiting from what Courtney Pine refers to as a “Higher Vibe” in his tune of that name. “Time to Say Goodbye,” originally Joe Zawinul’s “A Remark You Made” from Weather Report’s classic Heavy Weather, and “A Secret I,” renamed from Hancock’s “Alone and I,” deal with loss in a way that moves beyond pathos. In letting people go, Elling professes that love is never left behind. It always remains a part of you, regenerates, and begins anew. By now, much has been said about Elling’s transformation from graduate student at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School to jazz vocalist. Although the lyrics often reflect Elling’s heavy philosophical training, they come together organically. “I don’t sit down and say, ‘Oh, this music sounds like that experience,’” he explains. “It’s the other way around. I hear something musically. And if I say, ‘Wow, what is that about?’ then it’s an exploration. Little micro-chromosomes of a lyric might start to assemble just from repeated listening. Often it’s not until I’m maybe halfway through that I know what it’s really about. It’s an ecstatic, Eureka sort of experience.” Such was the case with the album’s title track, a collaboration with Elling’s longtime musical collaborator, pianist Laurence Hobgood. After thinking that perhaps the lyrics were about scientist Stephen Hawking or a meditating guru, Elling eventually realized that the “Man in the Air” was about another unworldly character, Wayne Shorter. His presence is evoked throughout the album by Elling’s selection of material and in the sense that there is much more happening in the music than initially meets the ear. The story of Coltrane’s “Resolution” from A Love Supreme also resulted from progressive revelation as inspired by the sheer chutzpah required to attempt lyricizing one of jazz’s most revered works. Back in rapid-fire text mode, it opens with an invocation to the Gods, then tells of an encounter between a witness and a priest watching the kaleidoscopic river of time swirling on the edge of the universe, in the place where all things end. The track is a virtuosic statement on all levels. Other songs include an economically worded, Hancock-inspired blues titled “The More I See You;” Bob Mintzer’s “All Is Quiet” (which Elling previously recorded for The Yellowjackets album Club Nocturne); Bobby Watson’s melodically challenging “Hidden Jewel”; the Grover Washington hit “Winelight”; and “Never My Love,” an aperitif first recorded by the Association. Not above poking fun at himself and his own literary ambitions, Elling includes a single, unbridled attempt at levity smack in the middle of the record: “The Uncertainty of the Poet,” which Elling heard on a recording by the vocal group Chanticleer. Elling, who began singing in his father’s church choir when he was in third grade, combines his fondness for choral singing with a fascination for multi-tracking. He kids, “I still like to listen to a lot of a capella choral works.” He laughs. “And then, I like to perform them.” As Elling is abundantly aware, performing such challenging music is only viable with the help of incredible supporting musicians, in this case members of his regular trio: Hobgood, bassist Rob Amster, and drummer Frank Parker, Jr. “I really rely on my rhythm section,” he states, eager to give credit where credit is due. “They’re invaluable. I’m one of the fortunate few to actually have a band where we really know the ins and outs of each other’s thing.” This is the sixth album that Elling and Hobgood have co-produced. Guests include fellow Chicagoan Jim Gailloreto; former Elling album alums Paul Wertico and Brad Wheeler; and Blue Note labelmate Stefon Harris. Elling and his trio continue to play every Wednesday night at Chicago’s historic Green Mill. In July 2002, Elling launched a vocal summit titled “Four Brothers” at Chicago’s Park West Theater, featuring himself and fellow heavy hitters Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, and Kevin Mahogany. A tour for the group is currently in the planning stages. In addition to his other pursuits, Elling is currently writing a play, working on a screenplay, and serving as national trustee of the Recording Academy, a position he hopes will help increase the profile of jazz at the top echelon of the industry. Like Elling’s previous recordings, Man in the Air is destined to set a standard for new directions in vocal jazz. In highlighting his lyric-writing abilities, Elling again proves himself to be a significant figure in the expansion of the art form. “This was such a hard record to make,” he says, “because it was so challenging to have the lyrics fit—not only from a writing standpoint, but from a delivery standpoint, from a performance standpoint, and to make it feel relatively artless so that people can’t hear how hard I’m working. That’s truly difficult.” http://www.bluenote.com/artistpage.asp?ArtistID=3431&tab=1

7 . "Review from Sounds of Timeless Jazz" Posted by P+T on Jul-07-03 at 09:06 PM (EST)
Sounds of Timeless Jazz, July 2003 MAN IN THE AIR KURT ELLING When a composer/musician needs inspiration or a fresh idea, many of them say a prayer to the MAN IN THE AIR or just drop their pens onto a blue notebook. Some dip their pens into some blue ink, or savor the blue notes from some of the most awesome jazz recordings on the planet! In a split second their muses come to visit and the tones, colors, and forms seem to take shape for what they’d like to create. That type of creative process may have been what brought about vocalist Kurt Elling’s latest release for Blue Note titled MAN IN THE AIR. On this, he re-inks John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, and Courtney Pine, among others, adding his vocalese to the music of “Resolution,” “Minuano,” “Time To Say Goodbye,” “A Secret I,” and “A Higher Vibe.” Kurt Elling meets success on a new level with his convincing lyrics for “In The Winelight” - the instrumental made famous by Grover Washington, Jr. The vivid lyrics Elling uses in this story definitely sets the same type of mood the contemporary jazz saxophonist laid on millions of his fans back in the early 80s. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for “Resolution.” Despite its greatness as an instrumental, several jazz vocalists have attempted adding vocalese to it. Some have failed artistically, some have succeeded politically, but none seem to have attained the same level of spirituality in their interpretations that John Coltrane had ascended to when he wrote it as the second part of his four-part paean to God titled A LOVE SUPREME. “Alone and I” – a song originally written by Herbie Hancock about two symbolic people that experience the loss of each other, gains another title even though Elling chooses to use Hancock’s original title in the body of the song! It’s somewhat confusing when you delve deeper into its new meaning as “A Secret I.” Elling’s lyrics to Courtney Pine’s “Higher Vibe” works note for note. Furthermore, the song feels as if Kurt Elling experienced some sort of transformation in a peaceful way and makes the listener a part of that experience. For the most part, Kurt Elling’s poetry comes together in very thought-provoking vocalese that adds another aspect to the already powerful music. Top picks: “Man In The Air,” “Higher Vibe,” “In The Winelight.” http://www.soundsoftimelessjazz.com/pages/618619/index.htm

8 . "Updated prices for CD - great deals galore" Posted by shopping angel on Jul-08-03 at 11:42 AM (EST)
Amazon.com has just lowered its price on "Man in the Air" to $14.99 (a savings of $2.99 or 17%), and it's still eligible for free shipping on orders of over $25. So buy two with free shipping for $29.98. Or get two from CD Universe for $12.59 each, with $3.99 shipping (2 items) for $29.17. A great deal either way!

10 . "All Music Group Review (from a real human critic)" Posted by DamonC on Jul-10-03 at 12:04 PM (EST)
... this one's from a real human reviewer (and should offend nobody). ;-) From Thom Jurek of AllMusic.com. review of Man in the Air : http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70307101246&sql=A5v60tr8tkl6x , General KE overview : http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll , Patiently waiting for MITA, /Damon


	11 . "WOW!" Posted by P+T on Jul-10-03 at 05:57 PM (EST)
	Thanks, Damon! What a GREAT review! And from an excellent reviewer, too. We hope this is the first of many with such high praise. For the record: "Thom Jurek has been a music writer and cultural critic for over 20 years. He serves as a primary critic for the All-Music Guide and their website, www.allmusic.com. His work has appeared in Creem, Rolling Stone, Spin, Musician, NME, Sounds, Raygun, Touch & Go, Maximum Rock 'n' Roll, Motor Booty, The Canadian Journal of Political & Social Theory, and many other publications internationally. Jurek was senior arts and cultural affairs editor at Detroit's Metro Times from 1990-1996."


	12 . "Kurt's in the news at JazzTimes.com" Posted by hologram on Jul-10-03 at 06:12 PM (EST)
	Check it out - the wave begins.

14 . "JazzUSA gives MITA 4 stars" Posted by P+T on Jul-25-03 at 10:59 AM (EST)
JazzUSA.com - August 2003 Kurt Elling Man In The Air (Blue Note - 2003) by John Thompson Here is a guy that is loaded with chops as a vocalist. After hearing him sing once, you will always recognize his unforgettable voice, similar to Bill Withers, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday. On this release, Elling displays his usual talents of extraordinary voice and pitch control, as well as great music support. The musicians backing Elling are Laurence Hobgood(p/Rhodes), Rob Amster(b), Frank Parker Jr.(d/perc), Stefon Harris(v), Jim Gailloreto(ss), Paul Wertico(d), and Brad Wheeler(ssax). The music here contains several styles, tempos, and arrangements, plus some surprises. For example, the track "In The Winelight" is a sultry, finger- poppin' version of the Grover Washington Jr. hit "Let It Flow(for Dr.J)." The music played on "The More I Have You" is Miles Davis' "All Blues," performed in 4/4 time, with a groove. The title tune, "Man In The Air" has a mellow fusion feel, especially with the presence of Hobgood's Rhodes electric piano. "A Secret I", beautifully peformed with a tasteful solo by Harris and superb vocals by Elling, and Coltrane's Resolution" are the more straight jazz songs. The most interesting song for me is "Minuano," which starts out sounding like "Ave Maria," then going into a 6/8 serious jazz feel with cool solos. Tracks like "The Uncertainty Of The Poet" and "Higher Vibe" threw my groove for a loop. There is really good music, really good Elling, and something for all Jazz fans and maybe even classical music enthusiasts. 4 stars

15 . "Positive review from Marshall Bowden, PopMatters Music Critic" Posted by P+T on Jul-25-03 at 02:54 PM (EST)
There's a long, very positive review of MITA by Marshall Bowden on the PopMatters website. Here are the first two paragraphs. You can see the whole thing (recommended!) at: http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/ellingkurt-man.shtml There are two schools of thought on Kurt Elling. Both sides tend to agree that Elling is a talented interpreter of songs in the jazz style, and that he possesses a certain skill when it comes to scat and to vocalese. One side, however, laments Elling's affinity for beat poetry, his über-hipster image, and his vocalese rants, which are often peppered with spiritual and philosophical themes carried over from his time in divinity school. The other side finds precisely these features of Elling's work most fascinating and worthy of praise, and declares him the best and most talented male jazz singer working today. On his last Blue Note album, Flirting with Twilight, the singer put aside these elements and delivered a fairly straightforward recording of ballad standards. That album was widely praised as a step forward for Elling, heralding a new maturity in his work. Elling's newest release, Man in the Air, is directed toward the group of listeners who adore his lyrical flights of fancy, beat hipster poetry, and high flying ideas. Man in the Air highlights Elling's skills as a lyricist, as he offers lyrics to a number of his favorite jazz compositions, many of them contemporary. There are some virtuoso performances, but there are also some remarkably gorgeous and emotionally charged lyrics to compositions by Pat Metheny, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, and Courtney Pine. Themes that emerge in Elling's lyrics include love, loss, the power of the human spirit, and the spark of the divine. For example, his lyrics to Pat Metheny's 6/8 romp "Minuano" are about meeting a new love interest, quite possibly the love of one's life, but they are much more than romantic love poetry, emphasizing the divine nature of love, and the recognition of the divine in another. "Already been as high as Kathmandu / Willing to go as far as Timbuktu / Nowhere's too far away / I may catch up with you today / Maybe today we'll make our getaway", he sings, double tracking his voice on the chorus's second repetition, and you can feel yourself soaring up there with him. Brad Wheeler keeps the listener up there with a gorgeous solo, bolstered by Paul Wertico's chattering rim accents and Laurence Hobgood's powerful, blocky chords. Similarly, on "Higher Vibe" there's a sense of spiritual optimism that carries over into the lyrics and the enthusiasm in Elling's vocal delivery.

16 . "Review by Don Williamson, JazzReview.com" Posted by P+T on Jul-26-03 at 03:11 PM (EST)
Here's another great review, this time by Don Williamson, JazzReview.com The whole review is at: http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=5126 First two paragraphs: Review: Single-handedly, Kurt Elling has reinvigorated the art of vocalese, and popularized it, as no other singer, male or female, has in decades. With unpredictability, intellect and a sense of adventure, Elling’s treatments of songs that we think are definintive turn out to be subject to further interpretation after all, as Elling finds hidden gems within the music that escaped us through past repetition. And Elling’s talents are varied. He can croon as it so moves him, as he did most especially on This Time It’s Love, or he can scat with individuality and cliff-hanging daring as he did throughout much of Close Your Eyes. On Elling’s latest CD, Man in the Air, though, he withholds the obvious romance, poetry, street-corner story-telling like “Rent Party,” or tongue-twisting scatting for a more serious, and a more subtle, endeavor: writing the lyrics to some instrumentally performed compositions that just beg to be sung. And now they are.

17 . "Review at www.allaboutjazz.com" Posted by DamonC on Jul-28-03 at 07:05 AM (EST)
More good stuff. /Damon http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reviews/r0703_147.htm ... "A Man in the Air is a solid, cohesive piece of artistry and vocal virtuosity. Not Elling's seemingly inevitable masterpiece, but an inexorable step in that direction, and one of the finest vocal CDs of the year" ~ Dan McClenaghan

18 . ""Kurt Elling: Don't Measure the Limbs," by RJ LeDuke, AllAboutJazz.com " Posted by P+T on Jul-28-03 at 09:57 PM (EST)
Another excellent article/review/interview, this time by R.J. LeDuke, AllAboutJazz.com. It's 11 pages, and Bill Traut says, "It's probably the most complete interview of Kurt I've ever seen." Read and savor the whole article at: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=507 Very brief excerpt: "Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon. When we love a woman we don't start measuring her limbs." --Pablo Picasso At a time when the music scene in the United States is in a funk, and the recording industry, suffering from limping sales figures, tends to be conservative -- particularly in the realm of jazz –- it isn't easy to find records on major labels that take a different turn. Enter Kurt Elling. Elling is a singer who has always taken chances in his relatively brief career. His rise to the top of the jazz vocalist heap in that short time, as poll winner and regular Grammy nominee, has been worthy of note. It's remarkable because he takes a lot of chances. Yes, he sings the standard repertoire with style and strength. But he does his own thing and it has garnered him critical praise and a strong following. At a time when it seems like nearly everyone is releasing albums of familiar standards, Elling is poised release what perhaps, from top to bottom, is his most innovative CD. "Man in the Air," produced with his august collaborator and pianist Laurence Hobgood, is a work of art. The compositions are by the likes of Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, John Coltrane, Bobby Watson and Bob Mintzer, but each has a lyric from the mind and pen of Elling. There's also one Elling original and a Hobgood/Elling collaboration. It may be a bit of a gamble, because art too often these days takes a back seat to things conservative. But Elling is unconcerned. He's confident in his direction and eloquent about his feelings. He knows that as an artist, he must continue to move and grow. The lyrics he has amassed for "Man in the Air" show more of Elling as dreamer, observer and poet, facets he has showed glimpses of in the past. And it works. Elling has a right to be confident. "People need a broad variety of possibilities. Since music is endless, and presents an endless number of possibilities, a number of directions to be explored -- turns in the road, if you will -- it’s somebody's responsibility to hit all of them," he says. "There's somebody for every possibility, I guess. I need to make what I need to make. And I have been very, very fortunate that I have been able to do the kind of records that I've done, to be on Blue Note, to have their backing. It's an extraordinary gift, in this day and age, to have such dedicated music industry professionals as the people I get to work with at Blue Note." Elling has immense vocal chops, a great style on standards and ballads, and the sense of adventure of a tightrope walker. In concert, he's elegant and compelling. The passion he has for his art is apparent. He's got style and flair. He has an ego, but devotes himself to the best expression of the music. His working band, featured on the CD, and augmented by some saxophones and the vibes of Stefon Harris, is a tight working group in which Elling is just another member, even if certain songs take him to the outer limits, feature him as the acrobat. It takes guts and it takes ego to do what he does. He has enough of those qualities, but not in obnoxious overabundance. ... continued . . .

19 . "Update: "Man in the Air" " Posted by caperkate on Jul-30-03 at 08:31 AM (EST)
Dear P & T et. al, You asked who is coming to the concert, besides yourselves and Rev. I am deserting my lakeside home in Nova Scotia, Canada to partake of Chicago's splendours, including the concert -- of course!Yes, it's crazy but a free airline ticket helps. Haven't been in Chicago for 15 years so am eager to see it again. But I'm most jazzed about the concert! Got the CD yesterday (released up here yesterday) and it is in heavy rotation chez moi. Hope all is well where you are.... PS Is there going to be a party per se that night...or just a festive atmosphere? Whatever...I'll be happy.

20 . "OK...now Im confused......." Posted by Dr.Brian K.Clardy on Jul-30-03 at 03:01 PM (EST)
I got my ticket for the concert a few weeks ago.....is there a PARTY TOO????? If so are those tickets separate? HELP!!!!!!


	21 . "Update: Man in the Air " Posted by caperkate on Jul-31-03 at 12:13 PM (EST)
	Don't mind me, Brian...I just remember that the initial shindig was called a "CD launch/party" but it was, I believe, in the smaller (right?) surroundings of Park West. Now, it's in a much grander venue so...I don't know what's up. It was probably just wishful thinking on my part! But I don't know for sure... But it certainly would be great if there WERE a party, wouldn't it? Stay cool in these dog days, Cath.

23 . "Review in The Guardian, UK" Posted by P+T on Aug-08-03 at 01:55 PM (EST)
Kurt Elling: The Man in the Air 3 stars (Blue Note) John Fordham Friday August 8, 2003 The Guardian, UK Kurt Elling is one of the most technically dazzling vocalists in jazz today - yet he is none the less a more perplexing artist than might be suggested by the swathes of spontaneous sound he cuts through almost any materials. This is Elling's sixth Blue Note disc, and perhaps his most personal: he has set his own lyrics to a variety of famous contemporary-jazz instrumentals, by composers including Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane. Elling's fierce, wailing eruptions of sound come about as close as jazz vocalists ever do to Coltrane's tenor-sax explosions, and his account of the saxophonist's famous Resolution is as sensational here as it is in Elling's live shows - a steel-hard soliloquy, constantly leaping registers and changing tone colours. By contrast, the singer's control at low volumes and his graceful shifts between a whisper and an edgier, soulful sound, somewhere between Sinatra and Stevie Wonder, are remarkable too, particularly on In the Winelight. And Joe Zawinul's striking ballad Time to Say Goodbye (which will leave Weather Report buffs misty-eyed) has imaginative input from excellent pianist Laurence Hobgood and from Stefon Harris's vibes. But in the end, the higher-plane portentousness of some of Elling's lyrics, coupled with the predominantly slow and rather pontifical atmosphere, leaves Man in the Air (yep, I reckon he's who you think he is) with rather less substance than it thinks it has.

24 . "KE's Fiery Intensity" Posted by P+T on Aug-21-03 at 11:53 AM (EST)
Great article/interview in today's Chicago Sun-Times! The reporter talked with KE just after the Borders concert last Friday. See the whole swirling, pulsing, energetic, vibrating, shining thing at: http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-elling21.html Vocalist brings a fiery intensity to hipsters' musical haven August 21, 2003 BY MIKE THOMAS Staff Reporter Chicago Sun-Times He digs cats. The tongue-bathing, purring, skulking kind, but most especially the ones who wail and blow and riff and sting, who sweat and strain, magnified and dignified beneath spotlights and klieg lights and soft lights, who snatch a room like sharks on chum and won't let loose till last notes sizzle, fizzle, till lookers-on are awed, wowed, dumb with delight. They schooled him well, such cats, let him in, whispered wisdom, showed him how, spurred him on, and soon talent-in-the-raw was talent-not-so-raw, talent honed and nipped and tucked, buffed to a high shine, growing ever shinier, for to rust unburnished, writes the poet, is dullsville, numbsville. Also, it is this: an up-yours to all those who came before, those who formed and informed this man and his music. The music of Coltrane and Parker, of Ellington and Sondheim, of Brubeck, Hendricks, Murphy, Von Freeman. And the man is Kurt Elling... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Sidebar: Elling's musical favorites *Wayne Shorter, "Night Dreamer" John Lee Hooker, "Live at Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison)" Renee Fleming, any recital King Crimson, "Discipline" Duke Ellington, "Live From Newport" Bach and Beethoven, any double violin concerto Mark Murphy, "Bop for Kerouac I and II" Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, any title Miles Davis, the "My Funny Valentine" concert *John Coltrane, "Crescent"


	25 . "Today's Sun Times" Posted by caperkate on Aug-21-03 at 01:47 PM (EST)