For years, Kurt Elling has imagined what might happen if the full force of a modern big band could be shaped around the human voice—not as ornament, but as its emotional and narrative center. In The Brass Palace is the realization of that vision.Recorded with Germany’s legendary WDR Big Band and conducted by Bob Mintzer, the album pairs Elling’s unmistakable voice—by turns muscular, lyrical, playful, and searching—with widescreen orchestration that feels both classic and unmistakably contemporary. The result is a collection that swings hard, moves deeply, and treats the big band not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing, expressive partner.Elling has long been celebrated for pushing the boundaries of vocal jazz through storytelling, vocalese, and fearless reinterpretation. Here, that adventurous spirit is magnified. Each track unfolds like a scene—rich with color, momentum, and emotional weight—inviting the listener into a world where language, rhythm, and harmony move as one.In The Brass Palace stands as one of the most ambitious projects of Elling’s career: a bold meeting of voice and orchestra, tradition and innovation, craft and imagination. It is big, expressive jazz—made for listening closely and feeling deeply.
Mitwirkende
Kurt Elling – voice
Bob Mintzer - saxophone, conductor
WDR Big Band Cologne
Piano: Billy Test
Bass: John Goldsby
Drums: Hans Dekker
Trumpets: Wim Both, Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls, Carlo Nardozza
Trombones: Jonathan Böbel, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter, Mattis Cederberg
Saxes / Woodwinds: Johan Hörlén, Karolina Strassmayer, Ben Fitzpatrick, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang
Production & Recording Info
Recorded Oct 1-5 2024 - Köln (D), Studio 4Produced by Kurt Elling and Christian Schmitt for WDR Big Band
Executive Producer: Arndt Richter for WDR Big Band , Bryan Farina for Big Shoulders Records
Producer : Christian Schmitt Recording Engineer: Walter Platte Recording Technician: Dirk Franken Mixed and Mastered by: Christian Schmitt
Package Design: Spencer Cole Porter℗ A production of Westdeutscher Rundfunk, 2025© 2026 WDR mediagroup GmbH, under exclusive license to Big Shoulders Records
