Kurt Elling Quotes

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Kurt Elling

Profession : Musician

Birth : November 2, 1967

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

Kurt Elling

I had everything to gain by giving it everything I could.

Kurt Elling

While I revel in the memories of my own Grammy moment, I also know how it feels to walk away empty-handed.

Kurt Elling

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

Kurt Elling

I've tried to educate myself in the world and what's beautiful and what has meaning and is lasting. Then I just follow my intuition and see how it fits.

Kurt Elling

I like the power and versatility of a big band and how an orchestra can vary the dynamics from very loud to very quiet, and SNJO covers those bases.

Kurt Elling

I didn't arrive on the scene until after Jaco Pastorius had passed, but 'Three Views of a Secret' is a long-time favourite of mine.

Kurt Elling

You want to be doing your best work whatever field of the arts you're in because your life's going to be over all too soon, and you have to make the most of it.

Kurt Elling

I try to stick with things that I can sing with honesty.

Kurt Elling

I think I make most of my decisions pretty organically.

Kurt Elling

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

I'm lucky that I enjoy touring as much as I do. I'm not going to make a living just making records.

Kurt Elling

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

Kurt Elling

Romance is one of the things that most countries share, and I've noticed how different communities have their own ways of singing about love and heartbreak.

Kurt Elling

It's a beautiful thing to have time in the world, as a singer and as a musician, to make friends with people of the musical caliber of a Tommy Smith, an Arturo Sandoval, a Richard Galliano, a Till Broenner.

Kurt Elling

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

Kurt Elling

I hope to be at the top of my game when I'm 65 or 70. I don't want to reach my peak at 29. Not that I'm holding back anything, but there's a bunch of junk I don't know.

Kurt Elling

I'm a goof, man.

Kurt Elling

I'm a guy who has more slapstick than Joe Cool moments in his day, so I'm not taking myself so seriously.

Kurt Elling

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