The Messenger (Kurt Elling album)

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album four stars, and described it as "one of the most interesting jazz vocal sets to be released in 1997...Elling covers a wide range of music, continually taking chances and coming up with fresh approaches...This rewarding and continually intriguing set is particularly recommended to listeners who feel that jazz singing has not progressed much beyond bop"

Track listing

1. "Nature Boy" (eden ahbez) - 6:09
2. "April in Paris" (Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg) - 5:10
3. "Beauty of All Things" (Kurt Elling, Laurence Hobgood) - 8:08
4. "The Dance" (Laurence Hobgood) - 1:34
5. "Prayer for Mr. Davis" (Kurt Elling, Laurence Hobgood) - 6:03
6. "Endless" (Edward Petersen) - 4:48
7. "Tanya Jean" (Donald Byrd, Kurt Elling) - 10:17
8. "It's Just a Thing" (Laurence Hobgood, Eric Hochberg, Paul Wertico) - 4:31
9. "Gingerbread Boy" (Jimmy Heath) - 5:03
10. "Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills) - 5:27
11. "Time of the Season" (Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson, Colin Blunstone, Hugh Grundy, Chris White) - 5:53
12. "The Messenger" (Kurt Elling, Edward Petersen) - 9:03

Personnel