Kurt Elling Quotes

I'm comfortable singing jazz. The only thing I was concerned about is that everybody, even in jazz, has their own style. To me, the queen of doodling was Ella Fitzgerald, and scatting is something I never thought I could do.

I consider myself a jazz singer. I think I stick to the roots of improvisation, singing in front of the beat, behind the beat, playing with notes and harmonies.

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

I put out a recording of me singing mostly jazz because I wanted people to know I'm coming from a jazz background.

I listened to Billie Holiday a lot in order to learn to sing. She remains one of the extraordinary jazz singers. But my intent is to become my own voice, to be able to interpret these songs in my own way.

The most common misconception about me is that I'm basically a jazz singer.

I've sung a whole lot of jazz. It's my favorite style of music to sing. People don't realize it, because they're so accustomed to hearing me sing musical theater.

Dianne Reeves, a famous jazz singer, would be my biggest influence.

I do love singing. I wouldn't say I'm any good, but I definitely love it - especially jazz singing.

I think jazz has given me freedom with my voice.

Jazz was more of a tool for me to use to enhance my musicality.

The only element of jazz that I keep is improvisation.

So our ears got used to listening to jazz in the place that it was that the bass player could not play. No one really realized it and really addressed it until the bass players who could play their instrument came along and started doing something with it.

You have to go out and learn jazz by playing.

I'm not a jazz singer.

I've often cringed when I heard myself described as a jazz singer. I've always thought of myself as a jazz vocalist.

No one in the world can beat Ella Fitzgerald as a riff singer.

Intermittently in my concert format, I sing a little jazz, a little scatting.

I used to be just a total jazz freak. People used to say, 'Where's the melody? Is there a melody in there anywhere?' Now I let the music follow the song.

I have a big love for jazz music. The only thing I hated about singing with a jazz band was having to wear a gown to everything.

My strength is to communicate with an audience and to know what jazz singing is capable of.

For me, jazz offers so much freedom in the way the music can be interpreted. It's natural to me. It's where I feel most free.

I think of jazz as being homage through innovation. Don't quote that as a definition, but it comes pretty close.

I studied and sang lot of jazz when I was growing up. I think that plays a little bit into some of the things I do vocally, notes that I pick in chords.

Sometimes I'll be in circles, and I'll say I'm a jazz singer, and they have no idea what that means.