Kurt Elling

Even with his �Best Vocalist� awards from Down Beat and Jazz Times and two Grammy-nominated albums, Blue Note recording star Kurt Elling is still challenging himself with his latest album Man in the Air. Known for drawing on scat singing, vocalese, and poetry?to say nothing of how he improvises lyrics in concert ? Elling has shot from obscurity to international acclaim. Influenced by contemporary jazz and the vocal magic of Ella Fitzgerald, he is probably the most exciting male singer in all jazz?even revered vocalist Jon Hendricks tagged Elling as �jazz�s next man on fire.� Elling has made two JazzFest appearances, and both times they were festival highlights: who else would cap a boundary-pushing performance by risking a vocalese version of Coltrane�s A Love Supreme? With Laurence Hobgood piano, Robert Amster bass, and Frank Parker Jr. drums.

��the greatest jazz singer of all time�� -Jazz Review