Kurt Elling

Chicago singer Kurt Elling started out singing classical repertoire as a young man, but soon developed an interest in jazz. As a contemporary jazz vocalist, Elling incoporated the "vocalese" style of Jon Hendricks and James Moody, the hipster/beatnik slant of monologist/poets like Lord Buckley, and a progressive, visionary quality all his own. Every one of Elling's first six albums was nominated for a Grammy award, and he has consistently come out on top in jazz magazine polls, yet due to the uncompromising, left-of-center nature of his work, he continues to be a cult hero, existing outside the mainstream.

• jazz
• vocal
• contemporary