KURT ELLING & WDR BIG BAND
Two-time Grammy Award–winning vocalist and recent Broadway standout Kurt Elling releases “My Very Own Ride,” a bold and swaggering new single that offers an exhilarating preview of his upcoming big band album, In The Brass Palace. The track arrives January 16, 2026, ahead of the album’s full release on February 13, 2026 via Big Shoulders Records.
Featuring Germany’s renowned WDR Big Band, conducted by special guest Bob Mintzer, “My Very Own Ride” sets lyrics by singer-songwriter Nina Clark to John Scofield’s funk-driven composition “Jeep on 35,” transforming the tune into a high-octane vehicle for Elling’s unmistakable voice and rhythmic command.
The recording carries added resonance as one of the final arrangements by the late Jim McNeely, whose passing came shortly before the album’s completion. “It’s an honor to help introduce one last great Jim McNeely arrangement into the world,” Elling says. “His writing was always fearless, deeply musical, and endlessly inspiring.”
Clark, a longtime friend of Elling’s from Chicago, crafted lyrics that align seamlessly with the singer’s recent narrative-driven work, blending momentum, wit, and confidence with an undercurrent of self-reflection.
“My Very Own Ride” exemplifies the artistic vision behind “In The Brass Palace, Elling’s long-awaited big band project released on Big Shoulders Records, the independent label he founded in partnership with longtime manager Bryan Farina. The album represents the fulfillment of a decades-long ambition, shaped by Elling’s extensive work with leading big bands and his desire to honor the tradition while pushing it forward.
“Doing a big band record has been on my list almost from the time I made my first album,” Elling says. “I wanted this music to celebrate what people love about big bands—the power, the swing, the elegance—while also challenging expectations. ‘My Very Own Ride’ captures that balance perfectly.”
Across a three-decade career, Elling has established himself as one of the most decorated vocalists in jazz, earning two Grammy Awards and topping the DownBeat Critics Poll as Male Vocalist of the Year for an unprecedented thirteen consecutive years. His collaborators include Branford Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Fred Hersch, Charlie Hunter, Christian Sands, Sullivan Fortner, and the Yellowjackets. In fall 2025, Elling expanded his artistic reach with a widely praised Broadway debut as Hermes in the Tony Award–winning musical Hadestown.
With its infectious groove, commanding ensemble writing, and Elling’s charismatic delivery, “My Very Own Ride” serves as a powerful introduction to In The Brass Palace—an album that celebrates the vitality, scale, and expressive range of the modern jazz big band as a dynamic vehicle for the human voice.
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