Music Pick: Kurt Elling

There's oodles of female jazz singers but few males heed the call to this most difficult of artistic skills. While most of the male greats are long gone, a recent one from the 1990's soldiers on: Kurt Elling (b. 1967). His rise to jazz stardom is truly improbable. Chicago born Elling was introduced early on to classical and religious singing by his father, a church music director. Elling majored in philosophy of religion before attending the University of Chicago Divinity School seeking a Masters before a planned career with the World Council of Churches. But he was so good at a newfound love of jazz he began gigging at Chi Town jazz clubs while studying and working as a bartender, mover, even a wedding singer to pay bills. Dropping out of the U of C one credit short of a Masters, Elling started recording and vaulted to the top of his class, winning 12 straight Downbeat Magazine critics polls as best male vocalist, in addition to 11 Grammy nominations (one win). Elling may have dumped the church for "devil's music" but the feature 'Nature Boy' from 2005 is heavenly and spiritual. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXprs8-U5nA