Record Reviews

JOACHIM KUHN TRIO ~ OUT OF THE DESERT ACT 9475 (Barcode: 614427947529) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This is the second album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in Rabat, Morocco and featuring guest Gnawa and Benin musicians. The album presents six original compositions, three each by Kuhn and Bekkas, but the music is largely spontaneously improvised. The music is a brilliant example of cross-Culture / cross-genre pollination, creating Jazz-World Fusion at its best. Kuhn´s openness to a wide range of musical influences during his long and fruitful career, which explored diverse musical genres combined with his Avant-Garde approach, as well as his prolific recorded legacy, is a glorious portrayal of the European Jazz idiom. His fascination with African / Middle Eastern music is not surprising and his affinity and ability to channel his musical ideas into that specific direction is an absolute marvel. It is fascinating to hear how deeply the idea of improvisation is embedded in West African and Middle Eastern music, despite the differences of the localized approaches. The actual concept of improvising, sometimes for a seemingly endless period of time, on a basic melodic theme, is completely natural in the region, as it is natural in Jazz. It is highly recommended to compare this album to the "Out Of The Desert LiveFind albums with this title" album recorded a couple of years later, which combines the trio with the hr-BigbandFind albums by this artist, which will emphasize both the differences and the similarities between this unique project and its expansion into the Jazz idiom, which can be truly educational. Of course all other recordings by this trio are equally fascinating. As all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 14/07/2020Posted: 14/07/2020

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JOACHIM KUHN TRIO / HR-BIGBAND ~ OUT OF THE DESERT LIVE ACT 9521 (Barcode: 614427952127) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the fourth album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist, accompanied by the hr-BigbandFind albums by this artist (Frankfurt Radio Big Band) and recorded live at the 2010 JazzFest Berlin. It is a continuation of the "Out Of The DesertFind albums with this title" studio album recorded by the same trio in Morocco a couple of years earlier, but offers seven new compositions, six by Kuhn and one by Bekkas. Kuhn also arranged the music to include the wonderful hr-Bigband conducted by Ed PartykaFind albums by this artist. The music is a brilliant example of Jazz-World Fusion at its best. Kuhn´s openness to a wide range of musical influences during his long and fruitful career, which explored diverse musical genres combined with his Avant-Garde approach and the prolific recorded legacy is a glorious portrayal of the European Jazz idiom. His fascination with African / Middle Eastern music is not surprising and his affinity and ability to channel his musical ideas into that specific direction is an absolute marvel. Kuhn and his cohorts play superbly, as expected, and the Big Band arrangements manage to add a new dimension and incredible power to the music, creating one of the most colorful and profound statements of this kind. It is highly recommended to compare this album to the other recordings by this trio, which will emphasize both the differences and the similarities between this unique project and the source it originates from, which can be truly educational. The fascination with the African dessert music is of course share by many European musicians since the 1960s, including Rock stars like Brian JonesFind albums by this artist. Of course, as all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms. Go get it as every day of your life before you heard this album was missing something…

Updated: 18/07/2020Posted: 10/07/2020

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