The GateConcord **

After Dedicated to You, his fine tribute to John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, and the classic Nightmoves, Kurt Elling's new CD is a tad underwhelming. Although he's in good voice on some typically daring jazz choices in Blue in Green and Don Grolnick's Nighttown, Lady Bright, the album seems carefully aimed at a broader constituency than a jazz one. In part it's a change of tack in his interpretive approach that probably reflects the influence of producer Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan). But it's also the repertoire – mostly by King Crimson, Joe Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles and Earth, Wind and Fire – an uninspiring choice for such an innovative singer. Even with class jazzmen in pianist Eddie Hobgood, bassist John Patitucci and tenor Bob Mintzer on hand, it's all rather studied, self- consciously clever and dull. See concordmusicgroup.com