Kurt Elling

American jazz singer and songwriter

Born: 2 November 1967
Chicago
Country: United States
Active: 1995–
Record labels: Blue Note, Concord Records, OKeh Records, Concord Jazz, Cuneiform Records
Discography: 23 albums

Biography

Kurt Elling is a jazz musician who plays voice. Kurt Elling was born on 2 November 1967 in Chicago. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Blue Note, Concord Records, OKeh Records and Concord Jazz. The discography here lists 23 albums, from “Close Your Eyes” (1995) to “Play Weather Report: Alive in Europe” (2026).

Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church. He sang in choirs and played musical instruments. He encountered jazz while a student at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. After college, he enrolled in the University of Chicago Divinity School, but he left one credit short of a degree to pursue a career as a jazz vocalist. Elling began to perform around Chicago, scat singing and improvising his lyrics. He recorded a demo in the early 1990s and was signed by Blue Note. He has been nominated for seventeen Grammy Awards, winning Best Vocal Jazz Album for Dedicated to You (2009) and Secrets Are the Best Stories (2021). Elling often leads the Down Beat magazine Critics' Poll.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Close Your Eyes 1995 · Blue Note The Messenger 1997 · Blue Note This Time It's Love 1998 · Blue Note

Live in Chicago 2000 · Live

Live in Chicago - Out Takes 2000 · Blue Note Flirting With Twilight 2001 · Blue Note Man in the Air 2003 · Blue Note Nightmoves 2007 · Concord Records Dedicated to You 2009 · Concord Jazz The Gate 2011 · Concord Jazz 1619 Broadway: Brill Building Project 2012 · Concord Jazz Passion World 2015 · Concord Jazz The Beautiful Day: Kurt Elling Sings Christmas 2016 · OKeh

Upward Spiral 2016

The Questions 2018 Secrets Are The Best Stories 2020 · Edition Records SuperBlue 2021 · Edition Records SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree 2023 · Edition Records Wildflowers Vol. 1 2024 · Edition Records

Wildflowers Vol. 2 2024

Wildflowers Vol. 3 2025 · Big Shoulders Records In The Brass Palace 2026 · Big Shoulders Records Play Weather Report: Alive in Europe 2026 · Big Shoulders Records

Also plays on

Albums where Kurt Elling is credited as a sideman

1998	Club Nocturne — Yellowjackets	vocals
2008	Rio — Till Brönner	vocals
2012	Rhythm Sessions — Lee Ritenour	vocals
2019	Finding Gabriel — Brad Mehldau	vocals
2021	Houses — Silje Nergaard	vocal

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Kurt Elling play?

Kurt Elling is known for playing voice.

When and where was Kurt Elling born?

Kurt Elling was born 2 November 1967 in Chicago.

What are Kurt Elling's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Close Your Eyes (1995), The Messenger (1997), This Time It's Love (1998), Live in Chicago - Out Takes (2000) and Flirting With Twilight (2001).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.