Elling soothes jazz fans at Eastman Theatre (Jeff Spevak, Music Critic, Democrat and Chronicle | October 20, 2008)
You look at Kurt Elling leaning coolly and casually against the piano, every inch the hip jazzman in his sharp suit and jet-black, swept-back hair, revealing the high forehead of a superior intellect. You hear him scat singing or his voice imaginatively soaring from baritone to falsetto, telling stories, re-imagining historic music by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Doing dozens of little things that breath life into the music: "Yes!" you could hear Elling say approvingly - without the microphone, just him talking to Rob Amster - during a bass solo. This, quite frankly, is jazz as good as it gets.
So we'll dwell on this sour note for just a moment: On Sunday night at the Eastman Theatre, which holds about 3,200 people, this superb show drew only 700. Props go out to the sound man who kept the night from sounding like Kenny G dropped down a dry well. Perhaps you'd never heard of the Grammy-nominated Chicago crooner. The price was right, slashed to $10 and $15 days before the show because of slow sales. The cause was right, with proceeds going to Wilson Commencement Park, which works with single-parent families trying to get on their feet. And aren't we the little city that puts on this massively successful jazz fest in June?
The show is called "Dedicated to You," with much of the evening resurrecting the 1963 classic album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Elling, who is as interesting to watch as he is to listen to, played every nuance of "You Are Too Beautiful," his face a mask of anguish as he sang to a straying lover, "have you been comparing my every kiss to theirs?"
One extraordinary moment, Elling somehow produced a sound like bees trapped in a jar, just by moving his face toward and then away from the microphone. He scatted like a tree full of exotic and excited songbirds. He explained vocalese as "a cellular overhang from the 20th century" - Elling likes to have fun with words - then demonstrated this style of vocals mimicking instrumental melody with "Those Clouds Are Heavy, You Dig," a hipster piece he wrote that supposedly follows a old Paul Desmond sax solo. He let the band, which included pianist Laurence Hobgood, drummer Ulysses Owens and Grammy-nominated tenor saxman Ernie Watts, cut loose on some improv that was fun avant-garde clatter.
But there was no eluding standards like "Lush Life," a classic that Elling conceded is so familiar, he hates to do it. Yet you can't leave it off of a tribute to Coltrane and Hartman. "Did they call them standards in those days?" Elling mused. "They just called 'em tunes."
Kurt Elling filled Eastman Theatre with as-good-as-it-gets jazz. (Christian Lantry, D&C)
"Ernie Watts' tenor sound has been one of my favorites for many years, and Kurt Elling's use of his voice as a stunning instrument always takes my breath away. The concert was simply amazing. One of my favorites ever. Seriously." - Bill Tiberio, Fairport
Wilson gives back to the community. (October 9, 2008 - Rochester, NY) As of Friday, October 10 th we are lowering the ticket prices for the Jazz for the Park benefit concert to $15 (Preferred Ticket) and $10 (Regular Ticket). We extend this offer to the community at large. During this economic hard time Wilson Commencement Park wants to enable its supporters to come out and enjoy an evening of great jazz with Kurt Elling and Ernie Watts. By purchasing Jazz for the Park tickets you will not only enjoy a great show, you will also contribute to help the low-income single parent families and children to reach their dreams. The show is at 7 p.m. on Oct 19 at the Eastman Theatre. [ more ]
Grammy nominated and winner of Down Beat and Jazz Times critics' poll, KURT ELLING pays homage to the masterpiece 1963 recording "Dedicated To You" which marked the only time John Coltrane ever collaborated with a vocalist, romantic balladeer Johnny Hartman. Hailed as "truly a musical phenomenon" by London's The Guardian, "Dedicated To You" is considered a masterpiece, a perfect synergy of 'Trane's passionate tenor saxophone and Hartman's sensual bariton vocals.
Kurt Elling, the preeminent male jazz singer of our time, now creatively re-imagines this legendary recording and brings aboard saxophone legend and two-time Grammy Award winner ERNIE WATTS, who delivers his own rich tenor sound filled with soul and warmth, demonstrating why he has been asked to perform on over 500 albums by everyone from Zappa to Thelonius Monk.
When: Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY
Tickets: $10 | $15 | $85 (includes post concert reception at Max of Eastman Place)
Call Ticketmaster at 232-1900 or Wilson Commencement Park at 263-7938. To purchase tickets online visit Ticketmaster.com
Proceeds from this event will enhance the programs and services at Wilson Commencement Park in Rochester. The Park has 50 townhouse apartments and one 18 unit apartment building called Destiny where single-parent families can transition from poverty to self-sufficiency. Family support services help adults achieve personal and professional goals, while the accredited Early Learning Center helps children achieve success in school and in life.