A live concert filmed on August 20, 2026 at the Weseler Werft in Frankfurt, as part of the Europa Open Air, this capture brings together American singer Kurt Elling and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band (hr-Bigband), conducted by Jörg Achim Keller. A two-time Grammy Award winner with seventeen nominations, Kurt Elling is regarded as one of the greatest baritones in contemporary vocal jazz. Renowned for his swing, the breadth of his range and his sophisticated lyrics — he famously wrote words to compositions once thought unsingable by John Coltrane or Wayne Shorter — he reconnects here with the orchestral richness of a first-rank radio big band. The open-air format highlights the dialogue between the voice and the brass sections, between reimagined standards and ambitious arrangements. A reference jazz concert, filmed outdoors in Germany, to appreciate Kurt Elling’s vocal art carried by one of Europe’s finest big bands. This full concert can be watched online in its entirety.
Personnel & credits
- Kurt Elling — chant
- Jörg Achim Keller — direction
- Frankfurt Radio Big Band (hr-Bigband)
