Record Reviews

GROPPER / GRAUPE / LILLINGER ~ RIOT WHYPLAYJAZZ 030 (Barcode: 4250459990902) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the sixth album by the German Avant-Garde trio, which exists since 2003, formerly known as Hyperactive KidFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ronny GraupeFind albums by this artist and drummer Christian LillingerFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original pieces, four each by Gropper and Graupe and three by Lillinger. The trio decided to drop the Hyperactive Kid moniker and open a new chapter of their creative path, with an immediate result of going even further away from the conventional musical world into extreme Avant-Garde, which completely beats classification. One can hardly hear any melody, cohesive continuum or structural development in the trio´s music, only a sequence of sounds produced by the musicians, who interact which each other at times but soon seem to venture into individual explorations. The thin line between freedom and havoc can be defined here individually by every listener, as the music obviously refuses to set any boundaries itself. It is impossible to express any judgmental statement about such music simply for the luck of conventional criteria, which could be applied. Therefore the only reference should remain on the emotional level, basically concerning the fact if this music touches the listener at all, and if so, how profoundly. As a result my opinion in this case is truly irrelevant to other listeners, as everyone will be facing it completely differently on their own. One can only admire the consistence and the artistic courage displayed by these three still quite young musicians, who refuse to give up their individuality and pursue a path less traveled. This album is the thirtieth release on the extraordinary independent German WhyPlayJazzFind albums on this label label, run and owned by Roland SchulzFind albums by this artist, which sets an example of great taste and artistic courage since 2005. It is thanks to people like Schulz that European Jazz still manages to discover new territory day after day. Hats off!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 19/09/2016

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

ROLF KUHN ~ CLOSE UP JAZZWERKSTATT 089 (Barcode: 4250079758487) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is the second album by veteran German clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist (born 1929) recorded with his sensational new (at the time) quartet, which features also the veteran bassist Johannes FinkFind albums by this artist and two excellent representatives of the young German Jazz scene, guitarist Ronny GraupeFind albums by this artist and drummer Christian LillingerFind albums by this artist. Another young and upcoming German musician, trumpeter Matthias SchrieflFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions: five by Kuhn, two by Graupe and one by Fink. The remaining piece is a special arrangement of a standard. Kuhn´s musical life is almost completely parallel to the entire Jazz lifeline and he is one of the very few musicians, who managed to say "on top of things" for the entire duration of his life up to now. Anybody listening to this music, not aware of Kuhn´s biography, could easily assume that the clarinetist belongs to the same generation as his young quartet members, although they are separated by more that half a Century, which of course is absolutely amazing. The music is contemporary modern European Jazz, not entirely Free Form and including melodic themes, but performed completely openly, with huge degree of freedom allowed to all the participants. Full of virtuosic contributions by the leader and the rest of the crew, the music flows briskly and is over way too soon. There is not a dull moment on this album and the music is filled with elegance, typical European aesthetics and sophistication. Kuhn´s clarinet sound is completely unique and beautifully merges the long tradition of the instrument with contemporary approach. He is not only one of the most technically brilliant clarinetists, but more importantly is able to pour his soul into the instrument, producing a most heartwrenching sound, which is simply irresistible. This album is a must have for all European Jazz enthusiasts, clarinet lovers and connoisseurs of great music. It is recommended to check out this album´s predecessor entitled "RollercoasterFind albums with this title" and the brilliant 2015 release "StereoFind albums with this title", both recorded with the same quartet. Hats off!

Updated: 09/01/2017Posted: 09/01/2017

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ROLF KUHN ~ ROLLERCOASTER JAZZWERKSTATT 039 (Barcode: 4250079758012) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 This is the debut album by veteran German clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist (born 1929) recorded with his sensational new (at the time) quartet, which features also the veteran bassist Johannes FinkFind albums by this artist and two excellent representatives of the young German Jazz scene, guitarist Ronny GraupeFind albums by this artist and drummer Christian LillingerFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions: six by Kuhn, one by Graupe and one by Kuhn´s younger brother Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist. The remaining piece is a composition by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist. The creation of this quartet and the recording of this album mark a remarkable rejuvenation in Kuhn´s extraordinary career. Since his return to Germany in 1962 from his US stint, Kuhn has been on the forefront of European Jazz, taking part in the stylistic development of the genre from Swing to Free Jazz and Improvised Music. It was only natural that Kuhn, whose mindset was always completely separate from his biological age, would decide to play with the new generation of the flourishing German Jazz scene, and of course the decision paid off in full as this album explicitly emphasizes. The combination between Kuhn´s wonderful clarinet sound, which is still rooted in the Swing tradition, and the modern sound of the younger musicians, creates a beautiful amalgam, which is by far more powerful than the simple sum of its parts. This music still swings beautifully, but also has a lot of space and openness, which allows the musicians to stretch beyond the restrictions of straightforward Jazz and contribute some remarkable musical inventiveness. As usual, Kuhn´s superb compositions, which are the core of the music, provide ideal vehicles for the quartet to display its qualities in full, both as an ensemble and as individual players. The music is completely absorbing and uplifting on one hand, but also elegant and sophisticated on the other, which of course is everything one might hope for and what makes it so extraordinary. This album is a must have for all European Jazz enthusiasts, clarinet lovers and connoisseurs of great music. It is recommended to check out the second album entitled "Close UpFind albums with this title" and the brilliant 2015 release "StereoFind albums with this title", both recorded with the same quartet. Hats off!

Updated: 10/01/2017Posted: 10/01/2017

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

ROLF KUHN ~ SPOTLIGHTS MPS 4029759114260 (Barcode: 4029759114260) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is a phenomenal album by veteran German clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, one of my all time favorite musicians. It presents thirteen duos, trios and quartet pieces recorded with a group of wonderful musicians: oboist Albrecht MayerFind albums by this artist, Croatian cellist Asja ValcicFind albums by this artist, drummer Christian LillingerFind albums by this artist, Brazilian vocalist Ed MottaFind albums by this artist and Brazilian bandolinist Hamilton de HolandaFind albums by this artist, Rolf´s brother pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, bassist Oliver PotratzFind albums by this artist and percussionist Volker GreveFind albums by this artist. Kuhn composed nine of the pieces on this album, de Holanda composed one piece and three are standards. The last (bonus) piece on the album features Rolf´s debut recording as a piano player, which means that it´s never too late for debuts. The music presents a wide scope of genres, including Jazz of course, but also contemporary Classical and World music. The focus is of course on the intimate conversations Kuhn gets involved in with his guests, which are in fact more important than the actual music which is being played. Fresh and unusual duets between clarinet and oboe / cello / bandolim / piano / voice are a tremendous breath of fresh air, and when delivered by a Master of the class of Kuhn, they become simply divine. After decades of playing music Kuhn still finds the spark of genius to make his music stand out and be innovate, explore uncharted territory and dare. Kuhn defeats the chronology and glides elegantly from one genre to another, playfully exchanging phrases with his partners, like a young musician who just discovered the depth and beauty of music. For the connoisseurs familiar with Kuhn´s music, this album will be definitely a revelation. It is completely different form anything he recorded earlier, including the duet albums he recorded with his brother Joachim Kuhn. It is obvious Kuhn had a lot of fun and joy recording this music, as the atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and warm, which of course immediately reflects on the music. Overall this is one of the nicest albums recorded in 2016 that landed on my desk and listening to it was an immense pleasure, which I am sure all listeners will share with me. Considering the fact that 2016 was a truly vicious year, which took from us an unthinkable number of great musicians, one should be even happier to enjoy the music of those who are still with us. Thank you Rolf for all those years of great music you shared with us and I pray to be able to listen to many new records you will record in the years to come.

Updated: 11/11/2016Posted: 11/11/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ROLF KUHN UNIT ~ STEREO MPS 4029759102908 (Barcode: 4029759102908) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is a sensational album by veteran German clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which also includes guitarist Ronny GraupeFind albums by this artist, bassist Johannes FinkFind albums by this artist and drummer Christian LillingerFind albums by this artist. Together they perform ten pieces, six of which were composed by Kuhn, two by Graupe, one by Fink and one by Gordon JenkinsFind albums by this artist. The album´s liner notes are completely uninformative about all the relevant details, like who plays what, who composed what and when the music was record, which is a gross negligence. At least it states that the album was engineered by the legendary Walter QuintusFind albums by this artist, and it sounds accordingly amazing. Aged 85 at the time this music was recorded, Kuhn seems to be younger and more vigorous musically then all his contemporaries, and to be honest most other musicians way younger then him. This quartet incorporates two young Berlin based musicians, who are considered to be representatives of the "now" German Jazz scene, mostly playing extreme contemporary Avant-Garde (Graupe and Lillinger were members of Hyperactive KidFind albums by this artist now known as Gropper / Graupe / LillingerFind albums by this artist trio). Fink is a representative of the mid-generation and also mostly associated with Free Jazz. The sheer audacity to play along these musicians, many decades younger than him, and feel completely integrated with them makes Kuhn an absolute marvel. The music is completely up to date, amalgamating Free Jazz, some electronics, Avant-Garde and Jazz tradition. This is probably the most experimental album Kuhn ever recorded, even though he often flirted with Free Jazz during his extensive career. His presence influences Graupe and Lillinger to actually play melody and rhythm, which they almost never do in their organic environment. This means that although the music is very adventurous, it is completely coherent and accessible even to listeners who have little experience with music of this kind earlier on. More experienced listeners will discover a whole new universe of music herein, with layer upon layer of complexity and ingenuity. The individual statements and the interplay between the quartet members are among the most marvelous musical moments of contemporary European Jazz, which has no parallels. This music is beyond time and space and takes the listener on a voyage of endless possibilities. The life and work of Rolf Kuhn are a wonderful example of the limitless power of talent and mind over obstacles and limitations. His illustrious recorded legacy is an endless source of sublime musical pleasures and this album is simply the jewel in the crown, the cherry on top, the top of the heap… Thank you Rolf for so many years of musical joys; Hats off and may you live forever!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 23/09/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend