The Questions Kurt Elling

• 1 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall 08:12
• 2 A Happy Thought 03:46
• 3 American Tune 06:12
• 4 Washing of the Water 04:12
• 5 A Secret in Three Views 06:18
• 6 Lonely Town 06:54
• 7 Endless Lawns 09:04
• 8 I Have Dreamed 06:07
• 9 The Enchantress 06:24
• 10 Skylark 08:12
• Total Runtime 01:05:21

Info for The Questions

The Questions, co-produced by Kurt Elling & Branford Marsalis, presents Elling's interpretations of songs written by some of music's most influential composers, including Bob Dylan ("A Hard Rain s A-Gonna Fall"), Leonard Bernstein ("Lonely Town"), Rodgers & Hammerstein ("I Have Dreamed" from The King and I), plus a powerful revisit of Paul Simon's "American Tune." There are also several compelling new arrangements of what were originally instrumental jazz compositions which feature Elling's own new lyrics. Among these are "A Secret in Three Views" (adapted from Jaco Pastorius' "Three Views of a Secret"), Carla Bley's "Endless Lawns" (originally titled "Lawns"), and Joey Calderazzo's "The Enchantress" (originally called "The Lonely Swan"). Hoagy Carmichael's classic, "Skylark," closes out the recording.

The Questions will both provoke and soothe listeners who find themselves challenged in these trying times, with Elling digging into the deeper concerns of life. Perhaps more importantly, The Questions reveals volumes about the expertise, experience and hard-won wisdom Elling and his cohorts have gained as musicians.

Grammy® winner Kurt Elling is among the world s foremost jazz vocalists. He won the Downbeat Critics Poll for fourteen consecutive years and was named Male Singer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association on eight occasions. An international jazz award winner, the New York Times declared, "Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time." The Washington Post added, "Since the mid-1990s no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. He has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz."

Kurt Elling, vocals
Branford Marsalis, soprano and tenor saxophones
Joey Calderazzo, piano
Marquis Hill, flugelhorn
John McLean, guitar
Stu Mindeman, piano, Hammond B3
Clark Sommers, bass
Jeff "Tain" Watts, drums

Kurt Elling
GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling is among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. He won the DownBeat Critics Poll for fourteen consecutive years and was named “Male Singer of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association eight times in that same span. Every one of Elling’s ten albums has been nominated for a GRAMMY.

Elling’s rich baritone spans four octaves and features both astonishing technical mastery and emotional depth. His repertoire includes original compositions and modern interpretations of standards, all of which are springboards for inspired improvisation, scatting, spoken word and poetry.

The New York Timesdeclared, “Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time.” The Washington Post added, “Since the mid-1990s, no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. With his soaring vocal flights, his edgy lyrics and sense of being on a musical mission, he has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz.”

Elling was the Artist-in-Residence for the Singapore and Monterey Jazz Festivals. He has also written multi-disciplinary works for The Steppenwolf Theatre and the City of Chicago. The Obama Administration’s first state dinner featured Elling in a command performance.

Elling is a renowned artist of vocalese – the writing and performing of words over recorded improvised jazz solos. The natural heir to jazz pioneers Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure and Jon Hendricks, Elling has set his own lyrics to the improvised solos of Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. He often incorporates images and references from writers such as Rilke, Rumi, Neruda and Proust into his work. The late poet and Bollingen Prize winner Robert Creeley wrote, “Kurt Elling takes us into a world of sacred particulars. His words are informed by a powerful poetic spirit.” Said Robert Pinsky, former Poet Laureate of the United States, “In Kurt Elling’s art, the voice of jazz gives a new spiritual presence to the ancient, sweet and powerful bond between poetry and music.”

Kurt Elling has toured vigorously throughout his career, thrilling audiences throughout the world. In that time he has led his own ensemble and has collaborated with many of the world’s finest orchestras.

Passion World, Kurt Elling’s newest recording, culminates nearly five years of collecting and honing songs – and in some cases writing new lyrics – that express love, romance and heartbreak around the world. Throughout his travels, Elling has observed how deeply felt passions are shaped in countless ways by each unique culture. Those insights have guided the creation of Passion World, a tour-de-force project that is vibrant with diversity, celebrating what makes us all human. In concert Elling tells rich stories about the history and context of each of these songs to sweep you away on a grand tour of exotic places, cultures and times. Passion World is a musical magic carpet taking you on a fascinating journey through the realms of romance in a concert not to be missed.

Booklet for The Questions