Live in Chicago
Kurt Elling · 2000
70 min · 14 tracks · jazz
A vibrant live jazz experience, blending heartfelt vocals with intricate instrumentals in a celebration of classic standards.
Top tracks — play these first
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My Foolish Heart — This track highlights Elling's improvisational vocal style, allowing him to explore emotional depth over an extended arrangement that showcases both his range and phrasing.
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Goin' to Chicago — Elling infuses this traditional blues piece with fresh energy, demonstrating his ability to reinterpret classic material while engaging the audience with a spirited delivery.
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Smoke Gets in Your Eyes — The haunting quality of Elling’s vocals paired with lush instrumentation creates a powerful rendition that resonates with themes of nostalgia and love lost.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocal and instrumental interplay, with extended improvisations enhancing its jazz identity.
What we noticed
- The album features multiple extended tracks, with several pieces exceeding seven minutes, allowing for improvisation and exploration.
- Kurt Elling's vocal lines often intertwine with the instrumental solos, creating a dynamic interplay rather than a clear separation between voice and instruments.
- Each track begins with an introduction that sets the mood and context, often leading into the main piece seamlessly.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic live performance energy
- heartfelt interpretations of classics
- wave-like pacing throughout
- immersive experience
- intimate storytelling through song
Maybe skip if you
- prefer studio polish over live
- want quick, standalone tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By the time 'Live in Chicago' was released in 2000, Kurt Elling had already established himself as a prominent figure in the jazz scene, following his debut album 'Close Your Eyes' in 1995. This album represents a pivotal moment in his career, showcasing his growth as a performer and vocalist while capturing the energy of live performance.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Gregory Porter· Cécile McLorin Salvant· Diana Krall
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Downtown 3:50
- 2 My Foolish Heart 12:17
- 3 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 8:29
- 4 Oh My God 3:51
- 5 Night Dream 9:00
- 6 (I Love You) for Sentimental Reasons 5:19
- 7 Intro: (Esperanto) 1:44
- 8 Esperanto 5:15
- 9 Don't Get Scared 3:39
- 10 Intro: (Goin' to Chicago) 0:44
- 11 Goin' to Chicago 5:39
- 12 Intro: (The Rent Party) 0:44
- 13 The Rent Party 8:19
- 14 Blues Cleaner 1:28
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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