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  | ROLF KUHN / RAIS BIG BAND ~ SMILE
INTUITION 3342 (Barcode: 750447334229) ~ GERMANY ~ Big Band Jazz
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2002
Following the recent demise of the great German clarinetist / composer / bandleader and one of the Godfathers of the modern German Jazz, as well as a dear Friend, Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, I decided to dig into my shelves and write about some of his albums I did not review previously.
Kuhn dedicated this album, as the title suggests, to the great and everlasting film music, which produced an endless string of Jazz standards over the years. The music was recorded with the Berlin RAIS Big BandFind albums by this artist and the Cologne VoicesFind albums by this artist duo in best fashion of cinematic performances and the wonderful Big Band sound accompanying Kuhn’s magic clarinet performances. Jorg Achim KellerFind albums by this artist conducted the Big Band and wrote the superb arrangements, which make the music shine and twinkle.
Kuhn plays some amazing clarinet on this fabulous album and the magnificent Big Band performs brilliantly, showing the subtle and not so subtle differences between the European and American Big Band approach. This is Kuhn the romantic warrior, with perfect feel for the melody and the swing, needed to deliver these, often quite complicated arrangements.
Kuhn a sublime example of a total musician, with a career spanning decades and crossing styles from Swing to Avant-Garde, always with grace, intelligence and professionalism beyond reproach.
Overall, this an instant classic, full of brilliant music and heavenly performances, which is absolutely perfect from start to finish. Goodbye Friend!
| | Updated: 21/09/2022Posted: 21/09/2022 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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