Kurt Elling

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Kurt Elling

Background information
Birth name	Kurt Elling
Born	November 2, 1967 (1967-11-02) (age 40)
Origin	U.S.
Genre(s)	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Label(s)	Concord Records
Associated acts	Charlie Hunter

Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz vocalist.

Elling graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota in 1989. He then enrolled in The University of Chicago's Divinity School and remained a student there until January 1992, when he left school one credit short of graduation.

In the last decade, Elling has released seven albums for the Blue Note label. He has also performed and recorded with many musicians, including David Amram, Bob Belden, Joanne Brackeen, Oscar Brown, Jr., Billy Corgan, Orbert Davis, George Freeman, Buddy Guy, Jon Hendricks, Charlie Hunter, Randy Bachman, Bob Mintzer, Rex Richardson, and Bob Sheppard.

Elling has won the Down Beat and JazzTimes critics’ polls three years in a row in the Best Male Singer category. He is also Vice Chair of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the 17,000-member service organization that produces the annual Grammy Awards. Kurt Elling's 2007 album "Nightmoves," released by Concord Jazz, has received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

As of 2008, Elling's band includes Laurence Hobgood on piano, Robert Amster on bass, and drummer Kobie Watkins. Elling is regularly featured at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge at 4802 N. Broadway in Chicago, generally on Wednesday evenings when the band is not on tour.