KURT ELLING - In The Brass Palace - LP - Vinyl [FEB 13]

LP - Standard Edition Black Vinyl. 

For years, Kurt Elling has imagined what might happen if the full force of a modern big band could be shaped around the human voice—not as ornament, but as its emotional and narrative center. In The Brass Palace is the realization of that vision.

Recorded with Germany’s legendary WDR Big Band and conducted by Bob Mintzer, the album pairs Elling’s unmistakable voice—by turns muscular, lyrical, playful, and searching—with widescreen orchestration that feels both classic and unmistakably contemporary. The result is a collection that swings hard, moves deeply, and treats the big band not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing, expressive partner.

Elling has long been celebrated for pushing the boundaries of vocal jazz through storytelling, vocalese, and fearless reinterpretation. Here, that adventurous spirit is magnified. Each track unfolds like a scene—rich with colour, momentum, and emotional weight—inviting the listener into a world where language, rhythm, and harmony move as one.

In The Brass Palace stands as one of the most ambitious projects of Elling’s career: a bold meeting of voice and orchestra, tradition and innovation, craft and imagination. It is big, expressive jazz—made for listening closely and feeling deeply.

Tracklist: 

1. Steppin' Out 
2. Desire
3. My Very Own Ride 
4. I Like the Sunrise
5. They Speak No Evil
6. Current Affairs

Kurt Elling – voice Bob Mintzer - saxophone, conductor
WDR Big Band Cologne Piano: Billy Test Bass: John Goldsby Drums: Hans Dekker Trumpets: Wim Both, Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls, Carlo Nardozza
Trombones: Jonathan Böbel, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter, Mattis Cederberg
Saxes / Woodwinds: Johan Hörlén, Karolina Strassmayer, Ben Fitzpatrick, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang

Production & Recording Info
Recorded Oct 1-5 2024 - Köln (D), Studio 4

Produced by Kurt Elling and Christian Schmitt for WDR Big Band

Executive Producer: Arndt Richter for WDR Big Band , Bryan Farina for Big Shoulders Records

Producer : Christian Schmitt Recording Engineer: Walter Platte Recording Technician: Dirk Franken Mixed and Mastered by: Christian Schmitt

Package Design: Spencer Cole Porter

℗ A production of Westdeutscher Rundfunk, 2025

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