Search - Kurt Elling :: 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 musical lineup on The Questions showcases Elling at the height of his abilities. He is accompanied by guest performers Branford Marsalis (soprano and tenor saxophones), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Marquis Hill (flugelhorn) and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums). The core group of musicians from Elling s working band features John McLean (guitar), Stu Mindeman (piano/B3) and Clark Sommers (bass).

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."