NYC: KURT ELLING QUARTET WITH JOHN MCLEAN
Celebrating his most recent release, "The Gate" (Concord - 2/8/11), Kurt Elling returns to BIRDLAND (315 West 44th Street, NYC - 212-581-3080) with his quartet and special guest John McLean Tuesday through Saturday, March 1st through 5th with shows at 8:30 & 11:00 pm. A rarity among jazz vocalists, the Grammy winner Mr. Elling was planning an academic career, but discovered jazz and took to it naturally. Deeply influenced by singer and poet, Mark Murphy, Elling began to develop his idiosyncratic scat style in the smaller clubs of Chicago. As the natural heir to jazz pioneers Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, and Jon Hendricks, Elling is the contemporary voice in vocalese. Whether it be Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett, or Dexter Gordon, Elling's vocalized interpretation is flawless, and upon Blue Note's reception of Elling's demo, "Close Your Eyes" was released in 1995. He began to get attention from jazz press, not only for his talent and original style, but also his choice in sidemen, which include Laurence Hobgood and Paul Wertico for a time. There is a $30/$40 cover plus a $10 food/drink minimum.
