52 Kurt Elling Quotes for You to Enjoy

Kurt Elling

American Musician

Born: Nov 2, 1967

Jazz Me Musicians People Work You

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I'm one of the culprits who keeps turning stuff around, shaking up original tunes and trying to stand the canon on its ear. But sometimes, you just need to sing the song. Kurt Elling

You Song Sometimes Shaking Stuff Sing Around Up Trying Just Tunes Canon Turning Stand Who Original Keeps Ear Need

There's a wide spectrum of possibilities in how to deliver a song. Kurt Elling

Song Possibilities Deliver How Wide Spectrum

There are incredible musicians around the world. Kurt Elling

Musicians World Incredible Around

It helps me to learn things in different languages, even if it's just phonetically, and to make myself vulnerable to other audiences by trying to reflect back to them the genius of their own cultures, and to do that, oftentimes, in new jazz settings, new arrangements. It's a way to show respect. Kurt Elling

Myself Me Respect Genius Reflect Own Jazz Other Settings Back Way New Make Learn Vulnerable Arrangements Audiences Cultures Trying Oftentimes Just Different Them Languages Show Even Helps Things

Music is a physical expression that has a physical impact upon the listener. Sound travels in waves through the air. This is not abstract. This is scientific fact. And it makes physical contact with the eardrum... and with the heart... and with the rest of the body. Kurt Elling

Music Heart Rest Air Waves Physical Impact Fact Through Contact Abstract Makes Scientific Scientific Fact Sound Listener Body Expression Travels

If I was going to sell out, I would do it for more than 10,000 records. Kurt Elling

Out Would More Records Sell Than Going

I've worked with a number of big bands, but there's nothing in life like the Basie band. Kurt Elling

Life Big Band Nothing Like Bands Worked Number

I think I make most of my decisions pretty organically. Kurt Elling

Think Pretty Most Make Decisions Organically

I don't really have a more intellectualized approach. After the fact, I can sure talk about stuff a lot - but when I make decisions, I really just follow what sounds good to me. Kurt Elling

Good Me Approach Follow About More Fact Stuff Talk Make Sure Sounds Lot Just After Decisions Really

It's pretty rare in jazz to have a full-on steady band. Kurt Elling

Rare Band Jazz Pretty Steady Full-On

One doesn't have to scat to be a jazz singer. Kurt Elling

Jazz Singer Jazz Singer

I'd been studying philosophy at the University of Chicago. I hadn't been doing well, because I was sitting in with jazz musicians at night - it's hard to read Heidegger, but it's especially hard if you're half asleep. Kurt Elling

You Musicians Half Jazz Philosophy Studying Well Read Because Doing Been Chicago Sitting Asleep Hard Jazz Musicians Night University

If you start to dwell on your pain, the amount of pain will increase. Kurt Elling

You Will Pain Increase Dwell Your Amount Start

Karl Johnson, my first piano player at Milt Trenier's, he just swung really hard and gave me a sense of really belonging to the jazz scene. Kurt Elling

Me First Sense Jazz Gave Scene Johnson Piano Piano Player He Just Really Karl Hard Swung Player Belonging

Chicago is my home. And the way Chicago sounds will always be a part of who I am. Kurt Elling

Home Will Way Part Always Am Sounds Chicago Who

Every record is a gate of a certain kind for me. Kurt Elling

Me Every Kind Record Certain Gate

I spend upwards of 200 nights a year on the road. Kurt Elling

Year Nights Spend Road Upwards

Audiences have taught me how to sing better and entertain better. Kurt Elling

Me Better Entertain Sing How Audiences Taught

Sometimes people have this notion that improvisation is simply intuitive leaping into the unknown. Kurt Elling

People Sometimes Unknown Intuitive Simply Leaping Improvisation Notion

Listening to something without being present is different from being there in the flesh. Kurt Elling

Listening Something Without Being Different Flesh Being There Present

Salacious? I suppose every once in a while the salacious thing is not a bad thing. It's kind of monochromatic if that's all you do. Kurt Elling

You Every Once Kind Bad Bad Thing Suppose While Thing

You don't show respect to Frank Sinatra and his great example by trying to sound exactly like him. You show it by sounding exactly like you, and that's the way jazz has always progressed as an art form. Kurt Elling

I remember seeing Tony Bennett on television. He was the only guy in the orchestra who was wearing a white tux, and I thought, 'That would be good. To be the only man on stage in a white jacket.' Kurt Elling

Good Man Remember Thought Stage White Bennett Television Would Would-Be Wearing Seeing Guy Only He Jacket Orchestra Who Tony

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