Flirting with Twilight

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
His four Grammy-nominated Blue Note albums, as well as his live shows, have always contained deeply tuneful, emotive, and accessible numbers. These demonstrate that the unbeatable combination of captivating music and telling words proves welcome grist for Elling's capacious mill.

Flirting with Twilight simply expands that view. Chicago-born-and-based Kurt, his musical partner, pianist Laurence Hobgood, and a stellar supporting cast explore the possibilities provided by 12 provocative selections. Here, the pace is slow to moderate, the moods range from poignant to delighted and the melody, the words and the meaning within the two make up the message.

Kurt Elling: Voice
Clay Jenkins: Trumpet
Jeff Clayton: Alto saxophone
Bob Sheppard: Tenor and soprano saxophones
Laurence Hobgood: Piano
Marc Johnson: Bass
Peter Erskine: Drums

Tracks:

Moonlight Serenade
Detour Ahead
You Don't Know What Love Is
Orange Blossoms In Summertime
Not While I'm Around
Easy Living
Lil' Darlin'
I Get Along Without You Very Well
Blame It On My Youth
I'm Thru With Love
Say It
While You Are Mine
Unknown

Album Description

His four Grammy-nominated Blue Note albums, as well as his live shows, have always contained deeply tuneful, emotive, and accessible numbers. These demonstrate that the unbeatable combination of captivating music and telling words proves welcome grist for Elling's capacious mill.

Flirting with Twilight simply expands that view. Chicago-born-and-based Kurt, his musical partner, pianist Laurence Hobgood, and a stellar supporting cast explore the possibilities provided by 12 provocative selections. Here, the pace is slow to moderate, the moods range from poignant to delighted and the melody, the words and the meaning within the two make up the message.

Kurt Elling: Voice
Clay Jenkins: Trumpet
Jeff Clayton: Alto saxophone
Bob Sheppard: Tenor and soprano saxophones
Laurence Hobgood: Piano
Marc Johnson: Bass
Peter Erskine: Drums

Customer Reviews:

Sweet and bittersweet.......2004-02-29

This up-and-coming jazz singer just keeps getting better. Every song on this album works, and you know that he understands what he's singing. An excellent band backs him up all the way. Very romantic, but be warned. This album can really hit your melancholy button, that feeling of lost love.

Kurt's mistep.......2003-08-09

I love Kurt Elling and I've seen him live many times at the Green Mill but I beg to differ with many of the positive reviews. Why this album is decent, it just doesn't live up to his other recordings in many respects in its presentation and song choice. The songs lack any real spark and just don't hold the vocal magic of some of his other recordings. If you don't have any of his other recordings, skip this one and buy the Messanger, in my opinion, still his best.

Nothing Left to Prove, and Everything Left to Say!.......2003-06-29

Kurt Elling has wow listeners with his spellbinding vocalese lyrics, captivate audiences with his powerful stage presence, and made woman after woman (including his wife, Jennifer) swoon over his soft and sentimental ballad styles, all while making record after Grammy nominated record. So what's left for this mid thirties jazz Chicago born singer? What ever he wants. Flirting With Twilight is the latest example of Elling powerhouse abilities in the craft of subtlety. A record of ballads and nothing but ballads is what he offers up for this go around. Most of the songs are standards with few lyrical pieces from Elling's gifted pen. Why does this work. On this topic I read an interview with Elling where he pointed out that not one of these songs was more than one hundred years old and that the only limitation of the song is the cat who's performing it. Elling's Pianist, Laurence Hobgood, is, as always, along for the ride along with the typical acoustic bass and the drums, but this time there is a bit of twist. Most of the songs include a wind section of three (Alto and Tenor Saxophone and a Trumpet) which on the surface sound not unlike a typical Big Band feel from the Sinatra days, but when you listen closely you will dig the complicated dissonance of the most extreme hippness. Well if Hobgood isn't going to co-write anything he better be doing the arrangements. As a matter a fact he is responsible for all the groovy horn sound you will hear. We all knew this part was coming. What is my take on the songs presented here you ask? Well, even if you don't ask I am going to tell you. Why? Because I'm sick and tired of the negative reviews I'm seeing from people who clearly aren't hip to what this cat's puttin' down. Don't get me wrong preference is one thing, but I've read those reviews, and some things that are said made me say, "Huh, was that cat (using the term loosely) digging the same record I was?" Anyways, here we go.
1. Moonlight Serenade. Not your typical Glen Miller version. In fact this is one of two Vocalese lyrics that makes and appearance on this side and the only one written by Elling. To the tune of a Charlie Haden bass solo, off his side Haunted Heart, Elling paints vivid and imaginative picture where the night and twilight have a grand love affair high atop the sky overlooking a peaceful town of lovers. Yes they are all this good.
2. Detour Ahead. Enter the horns. This cut is beyond flawless. Dig the horns, the drums, and the swing piano chops. Put this one on repeat.
3. You Don't Know What Love Is. Normally just a straight ahead ballad, but in this case it given just a bit of bossa nectar to make it fresh again. Elling holds the longest note I ever heard a singer do at the end of this cut.
4. No this is an oldie but a goodie as far as Elling is concerned. This is one of the first lyrics he ever wrote. His reason for never recording until now is that it never seemed to fit. Well let me be one the first to say it's right at home in this line up.
5. Not While I'm Around. From the Stephen Sondheim music Sweeney Todd, Elling used this to open his debut concert for this side just for days after the Terrorist attacks on the United States of America. He opened it be saying, "What do you thing a God of such grace would say if we asked him, (Sing) Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around." A truly uplifting we to open a concert and soothe a nation.
6. Easy Living. To paraphrase this song, "Listening to Kurt, is easy listening, he's easy to dig." Dig the crazy triplet theme carried on through the songs rhythm.
7. Lil' Darlin'. The other Vocalese, penned by Jon Hendricks himself to a Count Basie recording. Elling does it more than justice.
8. I Get Along Without You Very Well. Part one of a very bittersweet medley.
9. Blame It on My Youth. Part two with a verse. You might not want to listen to this alone. It's a very emotional pair songs of lost love.
10. I'm a Thru With Love. Another bossa version of an old swing/ballad chestnut. Elling throws it out nicely here singer the first A section with only drum accompaniment.
11. Say It. Very similar to the John Coltrane version of this song, but in place of John's smooth saxophone we hear Elling's smooth voice of this song about merely wanting to hear those three little words. Fair trade.
12. While You Are Mine. The final Elling lyric of this side. Very dark in an almost Sondeim way of dark, with beautiful harmonies, and sweet, sweet lyrics.
13. Je Tire Ma Révérence. Hidden in the leader to track third-teen is this simple French love song. Elling sing is French and whistles a solo. It's too hip for words.
Well there you have it. No more Elling review from me until Man In the Air comes out. I can't wait. Hope these have been helpful to you all. Until next time.
Love, Liberty, and Swingin' sound forever,
Jazzman Johnny aka Phil

Nothing Left to Prove, and Everything Left to Say.......2003-06-23

A soulful Innovator.......2002-12-26

I went to a Kurt Elling concert for my birthday. Fabulous. I am also a jazz singer. I have had people follow me saying, I'm the best, etc. I have an extraordinary ear for all the intricacies of music. Many people don't. I have friends that practically can't hear the difference between a flute and a bass. Kurt Elling is riveting. He soars. He takes risks. He puts his interpretations ON THE LINE. It's easy being on the sideline and criticizing a singer when you've never been UP THERE, on stage, doing the job. It takes more then guts, perseverence, or even talent. Some jazz fans like to take pot shots at Kurt and I believe it's because they are intimidated. Here is a fluid, swinging, innovative, hip, white boy, frankly? Getting down. I saw one reviewer who says he'd take Joe Williams, Diane Reeves, or Cassandra Wilson over Kurt. I feel these Jazz artists are BORING. Plastic cut-outs of the real thing. I don't FEEl the soul. I don't FEEL the cutting edge with any of the above mentioned. Can that guy HEAR? Even Joe, whose the more interesting of the three, relies on past singers riffs - and copies ver batim. Kurt is avant guarde. He's puts himself out there - on the limb. He explores new ground. Yes. He's intimidating like Beethovan was. Kurt's the best new vocalist out there - but he may be TOO Much soul and passion for some people. His CD's should come with a warning CAUTION: can be too real; too soulful. Take a chance, buy a CD: play it AT LEAST 10 times then...make up your own mind. If you can hear...you'll be hooked, too.

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