Blogcritics Comments on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Comment by Peter on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Mon, 3 Jul 2006 10:37:45 EDT

Kurt Elling definately portrays a unique style of interpretation that i have never been drawn to, until now. Since hearing his version of "Nature Boy" i bought the "Messenger" album, which led to buying another four of his albums. I know every song on those five albums very well now and i credit Elling for totally shifting my listening patterns and also broadening them as my interest in his ideas has made me appreciate many more artists that i absolutely hated at a time. His vocal control is absolutely amazing. His use of phrasing, dynamics and tone is extremely highly developed and he certainly deserves much credit for that. His own vocal harmonies and improvisation factors make him stand out above so many others... Perhaps an aquired taste but i am totally hooked and very pleased to have heard his music. I call it his music because as Jimi Hendrix made "All Along The Watchtower" his by outdoing the hell out of Bob Dylan, Elling has made so many covers his (in my opinion) by making others seem so underdeveloped... I regret missing Ellings shows when he was here in Australia but if i ever hear of him coming out again, i'll travel to whatever state he appears in. I'm even thinking about travelling to America to see him perform even though i'm still a student and don't have too many luxuries at the moment. Talk about a big impact... my drum students are also familiar with his music now... my bass students also have to put up with him... i don't care... it's good for them. ]]>

Comment by David on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Thu, 20 Nov 2003 18:08:22 EST

Anyways, here's what I think makes him special: he's a first-rate improviser with a good old-fashioned crooner's bariton voice, which he's able, because of his heavy classical training, to keep perfectly controlled while taking it absolutely anywhere he wants it to go. ]]>

Comment by David on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Thu, 20 Nov 2003 18:00:15 EST

People tend to have either pretty extreme negative or positive reactions to him. I am on the "positive" side, although I understand the reservations, and I expect him to develop more, as an interpreter of lyrics, and as an improviser. He sounds to me like he needs to suffer some more. Jazz singing is overwhelmingly a women's art for some reason. I also tend to think it's best sung my middle age people - my all time favorite jazz singer, Carmen McRae, really didn't get her conception together til she was 40 or so. ]]>

Comment by Mark Saleski on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Thu, 20 Nov 2003 13:29:54 EST

yea, i've got the Charlie Hunter disc. i guess it's been a while since i've listened to it...because i didn't realize that he was on it. and i love Norah's version of "More Than This" ]]>

Comment by Tom Johnson on Kurt Elling - Man In The Air

Thu, 20 Nov 2003 13:14:24 EST

He's an odd one, that's for sure. He's featured on a couple of tracks of Charlie Hunter's Playground album. I really enjoy "Close Your Eyes," as he does a really interesting counter-melody with his voice that gets firmly lodged in my head. I checked out his first (I think) album, which also had that song on it but it was nothing like it - and nowhere near as interesting. I wouldn't use that as a critique of him, as I'm simply not a big fan of vocal jazz. This Hunter album, by the way, is notable for being the first release to have Norah Jones' graceful vocals, on the cover of Roxy Music's "More Than This." ]]>