May 7, 2021 12:35 PM
Chicago Jazz, Blues Fests on Hiatus for 2021
The City of Chicago has announced that its annual jazz and blues festivals will not be held for 2021, according to a…
Kurt Elling’s upcoming album, The Questions, features songs combining the singer’s own writing with well-known poems.
(Photo: Anna Webber)Vocalist Kurt Elling has a new disc, The Questions, slated for release March 23 on the OKeh imprint. Today, he debuts “A Happy Thought,” which prominently features Chicago-bred pianist Stu Mindeman.
The track finds Elling in a contemplative mode with supple, tasteful backing from drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. Mulling over death and fear, the singer slowly moves through the composition, arriving at the conclusion that maybe there’s really not too much to worry about.
Elsewhere on The Questions, Elling’s joined by genre stalwarts like saxophonist Branford Marsalis and trumpeter Marquis Hill. For more information about the album, as well as upcoming tour dates, visit Elling’s homepage. DB
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, home of the Chicago Jazz Festival.
May 7, 2021 12:35 PM
The City of Chicago has announced that its annual jazz and blues festivals will not be held for 2021, according to a…
Lee Morgan (1938–’72)
Jun 7, 2021 11:16 AM
There aren’t many artists in the history of jazz who could turn a three-night engagement into 12 albums (eight CDs)…
Mario Pavone performs in 2011 at the Litchfield Jazz Festival.
May 4, 2021 10:40 AM
On stage, Mario Pavone doesn’t move like other bass players; his hands follow different routes around the neck. He…
A cavalcade of stars will be performing on Friday, April 30.
Apr 27, 2021 10:30 AM
The 10th annual International Jazz Day will be celebrated Friday, April 30, and this year’s event promises to be more…
Jennifer Wharton
May 22, 2021 9:00 AM
The trombone’s warm, reverberating sound often goes unappreciated, contends Jennifer Wharton. Look to jazz history…
