Jazz singer is branching out

The music bug bit jazz singer Kurt Elling while he was studying for the ministry.

"It just happened that way," Elling said by phone from Oakland, Calif. "I was at Chicago's Divinity College and had no idea what it took to be a pro musician. But my father was a musician, and my family always had musical instruments at our fingertips. And I sang in the church choirs.

"But I met some some great musicians and decided to leave school to pursue music as a profession. Which is interesting these days. I mean, to be a jazz singer in 2007 within the context of what is happening in the music industry is a big challenge. That's why I continue to try to make the best music I can."

Elling left school in 1992. Three years later, he recorded his debut album, "Close Your Eyes," for the Blue Note label.

Over the past 15 years, Elling has garnered six Grammy Award nominations and performed with Bob Belden, Buddy Guy, Billy Corgan, Orbert Davis and Rex Richardson. He recorded another six albums for Blue Note before landing a deal with Concord Jazz.

His latest album and Concord debut is "Nightmoves," a collection of songs to which Elling has added lyrics or reworked. Included are Michael Franks' title track, the Guess Who's "Undun," Alan Pasqua's "And We Will Fly" and Duke Ellington's "I Like the Sunrise."

One, a medley of Keith Jarrett's "Leaving Again" and Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours," caught Elling's ear. "'Leaving Again' was originally an instrumental improvisational piece that he played during 'In the Wee Small Hours' that I liked, and I transcribed it and wrote a lyric for it. As for the Guess Who song, well, that's just me branching out and trying out some new territories. I wanted to hip things up."

Trying out new things is important to Elling, especially when it comes to his music. "On occasion I do go back and listen to previous albums. I do it to hear what I've done and what I need to do next.

"I plan on being here for quite some time. And the only way I can do that is to be as good a songwriter as I can be."

If you go

What: Kurt Elling, JazzSLC

Where: City Centre Sheraton, 150 W. 500 South

When: Monday, 7:30 p.m.

How much: $25 ($15 for students)

Phone: 278-0411

Also: Pre-concert lecture, 6 p.m., Sheraton's Weights & Measures Room

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com