Among the world’s most ambitious and gifted singers, Kurt Elling pursues what philosophers call the life examined, evidence of his training as a seminarian. Here, his deft, pliant baritone addresses the concepts of passion and romance, and how their complexity and commonality exist among various cultures. Songs in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German include everything from folk to art song and tunes adapted with Elling’s own lyrics. Accompaniment ranges from trios to orchestras hailing from Germany and Scotland. For all his global reach, the results consistently convey the truth and illusions of personal experience.
Among Elling’s ports of song: “La Vie en Rose” popularized by Edith Piaf, Johannes Brahms’ ballad “Nicht Wandle, Mein Licht,” U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” Björk’s “Who Is It?” and the effervescent “Você Já Foi a Bahia?” by Brazilian bossa-nova singer-songwriter Dori Caymmi. Elling’s vision expands outward and inward; following along is an armchair adventure.
