Customer Reviews

Live in Chicago

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Please ignore the official review from Harrington above. Amazon should find another reviewer because this guy is clearly not disposed to enjoy Kurt Elling and doesn't fairly represent the record.

Onto things positive; this is a great record. I bought it after three songs from Kurt had captured my attention in as many days while driving home from work ( i.e. I sat there in the car with the engine off till the song finished ).

Elling has a unique and exquisitely rich voice. There are some beautiful songs on the record. Listening to it actually made me very emotional ( yes alright I actually welled up but they were those nice joyful tears that are to be encouraged ).

Words can't describe music so I won't bother. If you like Sinatra-like richness of tone with more jazz, verve, adventure and honesty then you'll like this. The pianist keeps it pretty much swinging and melodic which I appreciate. Kurt does sound a bit hammy at times but we are eavesdropping on a stage show so we mustn't be too harsh.

I hope he continues to make live records. Artists of his caliber need to be heard live. I hope he continues to experiment, take risks and grow. I look forward to a lifetime of tearful enjoyment from him.

Mr. Harrington's review above couldn't be more wrong--condescending drivel. Having lived in Chicago, I've been to the Mill and this CD captures the place as well as Elling. Certainly, the disc is dominated by Kurt's vocals but the performance of the band--especially Hobgood, in my humble opinion--is exceptional. It's a work that touches the ear, the brain, the soul, the funny bone. What more can you ask? I bought it yesterday and I'm on my fourth listen. The 12+ minute version of "My Foolish Heart" alone is worth the price of admission.

I live in Chicago and was at the Green Mill when Kurt recorded this disc. It was magical. You knew you were a part of something special, something historical. His choice of songs and delivery is amazing, you will NOT be disappointed if you buy this.

I had the fortunate opportunity of being able to see Kurt Elling perform numerous songs off his Live Album at Charleston's Spoleto Festival this past weekend. Being that I'm 16, never before had I really listened to jazz much, nor had I really even heard of him. Yet when he opened his mouth to croon out the first few lyrics of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" my jaw dropped, tears welled in my eyes, my breath caught in my chest, and not one person in the audience exhaled until he had sung the last note of the song. Later when he began his rendition of "Downtown" he got the audience swinging, and set everyone in a whirl when he eased out the 12 minute number "My Foolish Heart". Mr. Elling not only uses his talent for singing on this LP, he goes beyond that, exploring every possible way in which he can use his vocal chords, forming an eclectic, versatile sound that captures every kind of person who listens to it. Elling has an unprecedented way of enrapturing his audience and leaves them literally yelling for more. That in my opinion is more than enough reason for any person, be you 16 or 60 to check this album out.

Kurt Elling's Live in Chicago must rate as one of the finest live jazz issues in recent years. He's the quintessential jazz performer who's in a perfect position to take jazz to the uninformed masses like few other jazz cats can. The material on the album is exquisite and the execution the same. Elling's bandstand dynamics and interaction with his musicians are on par with the best in the history of the music. They spark an audience and sustain the energy throughout: from the velvetty strains of My Foolish Heart to the audacious histrionics of The Rent Party. Elling is vital to jazz in the sense that he's but one of a handful of that most threatened of jazz species: the true JAZZ SINGER. May he thrive and continue to beguile!

This was the furst Kurt Elling disc that I picked-up...what a fun record, although the music is why I like to play it so much.

It has a little taste of everything. I won't go into the track by track hightlights, but I like the overall program here very much.

Hobgood sound terrific on this, and I enjoyed the guest performances. Kurt's ballad performances are terrific, but then so are the cookers.

This record does a good job capturing the atmosphere of a night at the Green Mill, which is a favorite Chi-town nightspot due to it's unique atmosphere coupled with the opportunity of seeing some great jazz talent in a smaller venue.

However, it's definitely the music that keeps me coming back.

Shawn

There's a lot of converts to Kurt Elling nowadays, a superb and charming jazz singer and a fantastic performer. This live record features a lot of blistering music and some truly astonishing musical moments.

The feeling, overall, is intense! Not just in the obvious ways, i.e. fast and loud that seem to have overwhelmed some of Mr. Ellings least perceptive fans [see bizarre negative reviews of his masterful "Flirting with Twilight"]. There's plenty of the obvious intensity, especially in his performance of his vocalise on Wayne Shorter's Night Dreamer, which is bravura. There's also the beautiful "Esperanto," which displays Kurt's wit on the introduction, and some wonderfully evocative lyrics based on Pablo Neruda. The real showpiece, though, is his interpolation of "The Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross into 'My Foolish Hear,' which works in sophisticated ways musically, from major diatonic harmonies to minor modal style and back again, and also lyrically and dramatically. Think of the concept alone! Daring, exploratory and extraordinarily successful.

Where the CD fails the last star is in the band and overall structure. The drummer is weak, and that detracts from the overall lustre, and the sense of the recording is incomplete, that we've caught a set that needs to be rounded by some further tunes to really come together. Although all that really does is leave one wanting to hear more of the leading contemporary jazz singer!

Not only is Kurt Elling one of the best, if not the best, male jazz singers working today--he is one of the most interesting and exciting singers alive today--period. No recording can capture the thrill of hearing him live in concert, but this recording is probably as close as you can get. The man has style, wit, intelligence and incredible voice control. I dig him the most!

I've been a huge fan ever since my (then) 17 year old nephew turned me on to Kurt. All of his CD's get five stars in my opinion! He scats, he be-bops, he croons, HE SINGS! What a talent! And the rest of the band is equally impressive. These guys cook! Great live CD. Great take on My Foolish Heart. Can't wait to see them at the Backstage Bistro in St Louis next month!

Okay. You are all probably sick of me saying this, but you know what? Too bad, so sad, because there are three more sides left to do plus one more hitting stores this July (I believe). So let's get through this together, shall we? What is it about this cat that we've come to as Kurt Elling that makes him all that? His wild scat solos? His quirky take on the beat scene's poetry? His lyrical profuseness? His innovative and profound "rants"? The arrangements and concepts he and his pianist Laurence Hobgood dream up. The Swingin' accompaniment provide by an excellent and groovy rhythm section? Or is it crooner style ballads? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and probably allot more. So what's left for such a hip player to prove. Can he do it live? I saw Kurt Elling live for the first time in June of 2002. Not his typical show mind you (he shared the stage with Jazz vocal greats Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, and Kevin Mahogany), but a very good taste of The Elling experience. But until Live At Chicago hit stores there was no solid proof to say to critics, "Yes, that hip cat can really blow." Now, for those who have never had the honor of digging one Elling's hip sets this provides a snap shot of a night at Elling's home town hot spot. A leftover dive from the dangerous days of Al Capone. In fact The Green Mill was actually owned by Capone at one point in time. Elling is joined by Laurence and the rest of the trio (Rob Amster on Bass and Michael Raynor on Drums), along with Tenor Saxophonists, Von Freeman, Ed Peterson, and Eddie Johnson, Percussionist Kahil El'zabar, and The Godfather of Vocalese, Jon Hendricks in a symbolic passing of the torch to Elling as the new King of Swing. A brief breakdown this time. I promise.
1. Downtown. Written by Yellowjackets Keyboardist Russell Ferrante for the record Politics. Elling gives a wonderful scat rendition as he jokingly encourages the house to "Sing along."
2. My Foolish Heart. This was the opener for Elling's last side, but he has mentioned in interviews that he frequently opens shows with it as well so it is quite fitting to see it here close to the front end of the set list. Included in this cut is a poem by St. John of the Cross which Elling recites with improvised melody over the Hobgood's airy piano.
3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Soft and bittersweet with a vocalese over Keith Jarrett's piano coda. Brilliant!
4. Oh My God. Okay, I was the first question the fact that Kurt Elling would to a Police cut, but lest we forget, Sting also has roots in jazz and with Kahil El'zabar's hand drums it just a sweet funk groove that the group creates.
5. Night Dream. Originally Night Dreamer by Wayne Shorter from his album of the same name. Elling spins some over powering vocalese on us here folks.
6. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons. A Nat King Cole standard during which Elling not only expresses the perfect ballad emotions in his voice but stuns the audience along with anyone who listens to this cut as he holds out a note for a staggeringly large amount of time.
7-8. Esperanto. Not technically a Vocalese, but just as skillfully done as if it were. Originally titled Esperança, Elling gives an intriguing introduction about how the new title came to be.
9. Don't Get Started. Jon Hendricks enters the stage and pass Elling the torch. Singing a Stand Getz Vocalese written by Hendricks and his Mentor, King Pleasure, Hendricks does Pleasure's part well Elling wails on the line written by Hendricks.
10-11. Goin' to Chicago. As Hendricks states, this is a Jazz Anthem. Kurt sings the Vocalese around the melody, nicely put down by Hendricks. On a side note, I saw them perform this at a later date. It is truly Jazz History in the making.
12-13. The Rent Party. A groovy little Lord Buckley tribute about a tradition the stems from the very roots of Jazz in America. Elling spins some wild stuff while hips us to dig the three Tenors on the stage.
14. Blues Chaser. A goodbye over blues changers. Elling introduces the band as the close this hip and happenin' set of music.
Whether he's in the studio, or on the stage, Kurt Elling is clearly the voice of Jazz Vocalese.