Renowned jazz singer Kurt Elling is set to release his new covers EP, Guilty Pleasures, on February 17th. Collaborating with modern jazz guitar great Charlie Hunter and special guest drummer Nate Smith, Elling’s new EP features six energetic covers that showcase his funk-derived work with Hunter as SuperBlue. The EP includes a jazz rendition of Eddie Money’s 1977 hit “Baby Hold On”, which is arguably the coolest of the six covers.
Elling said that the decision to cover “Baby Hold On” came naturally, as great songs from long ago stick in your memory and sometimes bounce back from your unconscious. Elling also recalled Eddie Money looking like some regular guy who just happened to have great hair and winking at him in music videos, as if to say that anyone could make it in the music industry with the right mindset.
“Charlie and I are over the moon to be able to put out some tracks with our friend Nate Smith. We had one afternoon and some random song ideas going into the studio … Man! I hope we can do it again some time!”
In addition to covering Eddie Money, the EP also features covers of classics from Sam & Dave (“Wrap It Up”), Al Jarreau (“Boogie Down”), PJ Morton (“Sticking to My Guns”), and AC/DC (“Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”), as well as a new rendition of Nate Smith’s “Bounce.”
Guilty Pleasures will be released via Edition Records, and Elling is excited to see the EP hit the public. Fans of Kurt Elling’s work and Eddie Money’s iconic hit should definitely give this cover a listen.