Wildflowers, Vol. 1

Vocalist Kurt Elling conjures the feeling of cabaret club intimacy on his spare yet supremely virtuosic duo collaboration with pianist Sullivan Fortner, 2024s Wildflowers, Vol. 1. Here, he settles into a small, finely curated set of standards and contemporary tunes that are as relaxing as they are at times surprising. An urbane pianist with a deep grasp of the acoustic jazz traditions, from swing and stride to sweeping modal jazz and R&B, Fortner is one of the most sought-after collaborators in jazz, a reputation he largely earned for his Grammy-winning work alongside singer Cecile McLorin Salvant. It makes sense then that Salvant turns up here, dueting with Elling on the highly unexpected Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone song "A Wish (Valentine)." An already bittersweet and romantic evocation of unrequited longing, here Elling and Salvant bring out the songs warm lyricism, evoking an updated version of the Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald team-ups. Elsewhere, Elling pulls yet more appealing ear-bending harmonies, as on the opening "Paper Doll," drawing out and extending the songs phrases the way Ben Webster would do on tenor saxophone. Even more unexpected is his yearning reading of Mumford & Sons "After the Storm," transforming the bittersweet pop song into a ruminative and deeply poetic jazz-folk ballad. With Wildflowers, Vol. 1, Elling and Fortner seemingly offer the bare minimum -- just a piano and a pretty tune -- to set the mood. However, when you are as assured a performer as both of them are, thats pretty much all you need. ~ Matt Collar