Two of today's top jazz virtuosos join forces on Superblue: the Iridescent Spree, the new album by Grammy-winning vocalist Kurt Elling and renowned guitarist/producer Charlie Hunter. Ahead of the album's release on September 15th, the duo has shared "Only the Lonely Woman", premiering today exclusively via Live For Live Music.
Inspired by saxophonist Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman", "Only the Lonely Woman" furnishes the originally instrumental composition with lyrics for the first time, adding new poetic depth to the 64-year-old song.
"I have been writing lyrics to many of the Jazz idiom's more influential and beloved instrumental compositions for 25 years now," said Elling. "Ornette Coleman's 'Lonely Woman' called to me from the start. I am humbled to have been given the blessing of the Coleman family to finally fulfill this desire."
With contributions from drummer Corey Fonville and multi-instrumentalist DJ Harrison (both of jazz-funk fusion quintet Butcher Brown), the ambitious reinterpretation fuses Elling's rich, modern-day-Sinatra vocals with a driving drum and bass break-style drum beat and a backdrop of atmospheric chords with subtly psychedelic effects. Elling's booming baritone takes center stage as he puts a new spin on the classic tune, painting a powerfully detailed portrait of human trafficking, homeless despair, and corrosive isolation while he improvises jazzy vocalese runs reminiscent of Coleman's mastery with his horn.
"It's kind of mind-blowing what he did," Hunter noted. "I can't think of many people writing lyrics with that kind of scope, really pushing people to get to some thoughtfulness. It's some different shit, as they say."
Listen to "Only the Lonely Woman" below. The track will be available on streaming platforms on Friday, August 11th and will appear on SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree, the followup to Elling and Hunter's 2021 Grammy-nominated album SuperBlue and their 2023 covers EP Guilty Pleasures. The album was recorded at Montrose Recording in Richmond, VA with engineer Adrian Olson (The Killers, The Head and the Heart) and features additional contributions from flutist Elena Pinderhughes (Carlos Santana, Taylor McFerrin, Josh Groban) and Brooklyn's Huntertones Horns (Jon Lampley: Trumpet; Dan White: Saxophone & Horn Arrangements Chris Ott: Trombone).
Combining jazz, R&B, neo-soul, classic pop, psychedelic poetry, and rowdy funk, the record offers a collection of new songs, surprising covers, and dynamic reinventions, including "Bounce It", a take on Nate Smith's "Bounce", "Little Fairy Carpenter", which transforms Hunter's "A Song For Karen Carpenter" from his 2008 LP, Baboon Strength, Joni Mitchell's "Black Crow" (first performed by Elling alongside Herbie Hancock and the late Wayne Shorter at 2011's all-star Joni's Jazz concert at Los Angeles, CA's Hollywood Bowl), and veteran singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith's "Right About Now".
"The way we made the first [SuperBlue album] was so COVID-centric, but it worked," Hunter said. "So when we made this record, I was like, let's start it the same way we did the last one but this time we'll get together with Kurt much earlier on."
"There was a lot more interaction," Elling added, "at the root level of creativity, just starting with the grooves, different key signatures and things like that, before anything even came close to becoming an actual composition. That gave me a lot more flexibility as a co-writer. As opposed to the first record, where it was just, here are the tracks, enjoy. Do what you can."
Superblue: the Iridescent Spree is due out September 15th. For more information and to pre-order the album, head here.
Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter - "Only The Lonely Woman" (Ornette Coleman / Kurt Elling)
