Steve Kuhn Trio - Jazz'n (E)Motion

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
Time: 63:39
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 60,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:42) 1. Once Upon A Time
(7:34) 2. Last Tango in Paris
(6:36) 3. Lonely Town
(6:57) 4. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(3:46) 5. Love Is For The Very Young
(6:46) 6. Emily
(6:03) 7. The Rain Forest
(5:53) 8. The Pawnbroker
(5:10) 9. This Is New
(7:27) 10. Invitation
(3:40) 11. Smile

Steve Kuhn (born March 24, 1938, Brooklyn, New York City) is an American jazz pianist, composer and trio leader.

He began studying piano at the age of five and studied under Boston piano teacher Margaret Chaloff, mother of jazz baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff, who taught him the "Russian style" of piano playing. At an early age he began improvising classical music. As a teenager he appeared in jazz clubs in the Boston area, gigging with the likes of Coleman Hawkins, Vic Dickerson, Chet Baker, and Serge Chaloff.

He graduated from Harvard and attended the Lenox School of Music where he was associated with such other future jazz masters as Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, and Gary McFarland, with a supportive faculty that included George Russell, Gunther Schuller, the Modern Jazz Quartet members, and Bill Evans. This allowed Kuhn to play, study, and create with some of the most forward-thinking innovators of jazz improvisation and composition, culminating with his joining trumpeter Kenny Dorham's group for an extended time and (briefly) John Coltrane's quartet at New York's Jazz Gallery club. He also has appeared with Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Oliver Nelson, Gary McFarland, Ron Carter, Scott LaFaro, Harvie Swartz, vocalist Shelia Jordan, Billy Drummond, David Finck, and Miroslav Vitous.

From 1967 to 1971 Kuhn moved to Stockholm, Sweden where he worked with his own trio throughout Europe. In 1971 Kuhn moved back to New York and formed a quartet but continued doing European gigs, and appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival. In his early years, Kuhn was known as an 'avant-garde' pianist (but not "New Thing"). Kuhn was associated with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Pete La Roca (Sims) during the 1960s for several notable recordings: Three Waves under Kuhn's leadership, Basra under La Roca's leadership which also featured Joe Henderson, and Sing Me Softly Of The Blues under the leadership of flugelhornist Art Farmer.

Also notable was Kuhn's inclusion in the quartet on the landmark recording Sound PIeces led by saxophonist, composer, and arranger Oliver Nelson and including Ron Carter on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Among other notable recordings which were also critically acclaimed was The October Suite composed by Gary McFarland or Kuhn and an ensemble which included strings, woodwinds, and reeds. A CD Promises Kept featuring Kuhn's compositions, piano, and strings. For decades, Steve Kuhn has led all-star trios that have included such players as bassists Ron Carter and David Finck, and drummers Al Foster, Jack DeJohnette, and Joey Baron.He has had several live recordings made in some of New York's leading jazz clubs.https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/steve-kuhn

Jazz'n (E)Motion

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Charles McPherson Quartet Feat. Steve Kuhn - But Beautiful

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:25
Size: 164,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:25)  1. Be My Love
( 8:43)  2. I Should Care
(10:22)  3. We'll Be Together Again
( 9:00)  4. My Ideal
( 7:28)  5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
( 7:14)  6. I'll Never Stop Loving You
( 3:29)  7. Love Letters
( 9:33)  8. But Beautiful
( 7:11)  9. Gone With The Wind

Charles McPherson delves into a number of standards in this collection of timeless ballads, well accompanied by pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist David Williams, and drummer Leroy Williams. The alto saxophonist's tone has a bit of a bluesy edge throughout the sessions, as if he is reminiscing about a past love. His heartfelt rendition of "My Ideal" stands out, as do his two interpretations of songs by Nicholas Brodszky, "Be My Love" and "Love Letters." McPherson picks up the tempo with "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," though his tone doesn't shift to a lighter mood. The relaxed mood makes this release perfect for late-night listening. The only drawback with this CD is the ugly cover photo, which McPherson denounced as very tasteless during a 2007 interview. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/but-beautiful-mw0000351771

Personnel: Charles McPherson alto sax; Steve Kuhn piano; David Williams bass; Leroy Williams drums

But Beautiful

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Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer - Recorded Fall '61

Styles: Saxophone And Trombone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:48
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:37)  1. Minuet Circa '61
( 4:46)  2. Who Could Care?
( 5:58)  3. Nice Work If You Can Get It
( 6:46)  4. Thump, Thump, Thump
( 6:59)  5. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
( 7:39)  6. Love Jumped Out

Stan Getz returned to the United States in 1961 after two years of living in Denmark and playing throughout Europe. That fall, while preparing for Focus, which was to become his favorite personal album, the tenorist went into the studio to recreate some of the quintet magic he and valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer had produced in the mid-1950s. In fact, the group had recorded earlier in the year with Scott LaFaro on bass, but unhappy with his own playing, Getz refused to release the results. Due to LaFaro’s untimely death that summer, Getz enlisted John Neves to partner with pianist Steve Kuhn and drummer Roy Haynes for this subsequent session, Recorded Fall 1961.

It’s easy to see why Getz must have been pleased with the effort this time. His lines are relatively cliche-free and his fabulous tone, masterful technique and effortless swing are on display throughout. Brookmeyer, one of the most individualistic of improvisers, once again shows himself to be an ideal mate for Getz, combining a composer’s inventiveness with a Kansas City-bred earthiness and sense of swing. The trombonist also composed three tunes-“Minuet Circa ’61,” the ballad “Who Could Care?” and “Thump, Thump, Thump”-to go with his arrangements of a pair of standards and Buck Clayton’s “Love Jumped Out.” Getz liked the rhythm section so much that he continued to use them for his live engagements. Although Recorded Fall 1961 was released soon after its completion, this remastered reissue is part of Verve’s Master Edition series.

Nearly 30 years later, and a year before his death in 1991, Getz was still playing near the top of his form. With his cancer in remission, he was touring Europe with a quartet that included pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Alex Blake and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. Synthesizer players Eddie Del Barrio and Frank Zottoli augmented the quartet on selections from Getz’s then recently released Apasionado, which featured Del Barrio’s electronically enhanced arrangements. Although some critics accused Del Barrio’s charts of being excessively pop-oriented, they did provide Getz with a congenial setting for his free-flowing lyricism. And at the Munich concert that comprises the first part of The Final Concert Recording, Getz imbues the five selections with his trademark passion and beauty despite a slight tendency to rely too heavily on some of his favorite melodic patterns. The other nine tracks on the two discs that constitute The Final Concert Recording exemplify quintessential small-group Getz. Digging in on the pop standards “What Is This Thing Called Love?” and “On a Slow Boat to China,” as well as the jazz compositions “Seven Steps to Heaven,” “Blood Count” (a Getz favorite), Barron’s “Voyage,” Thad Jones’ “Yours and Mine,” Johnny Mandel’s “El Cajon” and Benny Carter’s “People Time,” the quartet simply sparkles. Blake and Carrington provide a sometimes powerful, sometimes quietly urgent underpinning for Getz and Barron, and both soloists play with the confidence and polish expected of such consummate professionals. Although Barron had worked frequently with Getz, this occasion seems to have been particularly inspirational for him as he’s consistently all over the piano in an especially impressive display of invention. It seems fitting that Getz’s last recording, made a few months later, would feature just the two of them.https://jazztimes.com/archives/stan-getzbob-brookmeyer-recorded-fall-1961/

Personnel: Bob Brookmeyer - valve trombone; Stan Getz - tenor saxophone; Steve Kuhn - piano; John Neves - double bass; Roy Haynes - drums

Recorded Fall '61

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Steve Kuhn - At This Time

Styles: Piano Jazz 

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:50

Size: 137,3 MB

Art: Front

(6:32)  1. My Shining Hour

(9:19)  2. Ah Moore

(6:10)  3. The Pawnbroker

(7:33)  4. All the Rest is the Same

(5:48)  5. The Feeling Within

(5:51)  6. Carousel

(5:47)  7. Lonely Town

(5:44)  8. This is New

(6:02)  9. I Waited for You

The wonderful and deeply satisfying At This Time... brings together pianist Steve Kuhn leading a trio comprised of electric bassist Steve Swallow and the ubiquitous (and always smiling drummer) Joey Baron. The immediate impulse for the recording was an extended set by this trio at Birdland, in New York City in 2015. Swallow and Kuhn go back forty years to Kuhn's ECM debut, Trance, with Kuhn knowing Baron for more than twenty years. This trio also recorded Kuhn's latest ECM release, Wisteria in 2012. The set list comes from the tunes played at the gig, and, even though these players all know each other very well, this very feeling of familiarity is enhanced by the fact that they had just played together. Granted, pros can be called together on short notice to play live or record and perform admirably, but there is an ineffable something about the atmosphere created by this album that gives it its special sound. The nine tracks are mostly in the six-minute range, with Kuhn's "All The Rest Is The Same" taking seven and a half minutes, and "Ah Moore" by Al Cohn reaching over nine minutes, so there is quite enough room for stretching out. However, the record feels as if it flies by, primarily because of the multitude of details that fit together perfectly and which flow ever forward. There is not a moment of fluff or indecision; each tracks sounds like first take, spontaneous creation with nothing to improve upon by trying again. This feeling of spontaneous perfection is only enhanced by the quality of the recording itself -the piano is crystalline (as is Kuhn's touch), Swallow's amazingly smooth electric bass sound is centered and full, but soft on the edges, while Baron knows exactly what to do and when to do it. The tunes themselves range from the well known opener, "My Shining Hour" to lesser known standards such as Kurt Weil's "This Is New," "Lonely Town" by Leonard Bernstein and Quincy Jones' "The Pawnbroker" among others. The Kuhn originals are placed in the middle of the set, with the perfect choice of "The Feeling Within" being performed solo, adding just the right touch of intensity. At This Time... will command attention without demanding it, and the attentive listener will find much in which to revel many times over. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/at-this-time-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums.

At This Time

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Steve Kuhn Trio - To And From The Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:42
Size: 109,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:49)  1. Thinking out Loud
( 6:15)  2. Pure Imagination
( 6:00)  3. Away
( 4:38)  4. Never Let Me Go
( 5:29)  5. Into the New World
(16:29)  6. Trance / Oceans in the Sky

Now an octogenarian, Steve Kuhn's career has in 2018 spanned nearly sixty years, never having a long lull of time without recording new music. It becomes something of a marvel then that after all this time, the pianist still finds something new to say; he is still able to surprise listeners with songs they don't expect and improvisations they don't anticipate. He continues with the same trio he used on his previous release, At This Time... (Sunnyside, 2016) It should surprise no one how well these three mesh, considering their history. Kuhn and bassist Steve Swallow have worked together as far back as the 1960s, when they recorded with trumpeter and flugelhornist Art Farmer, who had yet to help create the Flumpet. Joey Baron meanwhile, has played drums on four albums with Kuhn, dating as far back as 1995. The trio has To And From the Heart open with the radiant "Thinking Out Loud," an original composition by Swallow, before easing perfectly into a beautiful and instantly recognisable rendition of the now classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tune, "Pure Imagination." With it's warm, romantic tone the song conjures the images of a crisp, cool city night, strolling hand in hand past pool halls, restaurants, and towering hotels. Swallow's long electric bass solo is rained over by Baron's cymbals before Kuhn masterfully brings the melody around for a final pass. In both these first songs it becomes clear how perfectly complementary the members of this trio are to each other. 

It's a kind of chemistry often taken for granted, but which exists only within a group of musicians such as this one. "Pure Imagination" is followed by two tender ballads, "Away" and "Never Let Me Go," the former of which is the second Swallow original and a simple, romantic song that feels just at home on the album.  Baron's cymbals spur Kuhn forward on Michika Fukumori's mid-tempo "Into the New World" before descending into a 16-minute long convalescence of two of Kuhn's original compositions, titled "Trance/Oceans in the Sky." The lengthy, latter half of this musical concoction is a wonderful, emotional ride. At times ominous, at others hopeful, yet never jarring. It's this song that draws the listener in, demanding full and complete attention to the band's technical prowess. Baron's drums weave through speakers left and right while Kuhn's piano lays out a remarkable turn reminiscent of the spectacular finale to a fireworks show. It's not just the perfect ending to a thoughtful, emotional album, it's the song that makes the entire 50 minute ride memorable. Despite the relative age of the group, To and From the Heart never feels geriatric. Meting out innovation with the sort of self assured aplomb which comes from experience and long-honed talent, the Steve Kuhn Trio has yet another solid addition to their catalogue. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/to-and-from-the-heart-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums.

To And From The Heart

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Bob Mintzer - Bop Boy

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:08
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Blue Bossa
(5:34)  2. Bop Boy
(5:41)  3. Embraceable You
(5:04)  4. Francisca
(7:18)  5. Invitation
(6:14)  6. Re-Re
(4:48)  7. Runferyerlife
(8:13)  8. Speak Low
(5:21)  9. St. James Infirmary
(8:03) 10. Why Did I Choose You

Recorded over two days in 2002, Bop Boy was previously only available in Japan on the Cheetah label. Thanks to Explore and their excellent catalog of diverse jazz and classical recordings, it is now available in the United States as well. Unlike Bob Mintzer's '80s offerings on Cheetah (Source and Papa Lips), the band used on this session is a quartet made up of star talent: bassist Eddie Gómez, the elegant pianist Steve Kuhn, and drummer Steve Gadd. On first glance it might appear that Gadd is out of place among these more subtle members of the rhythm section. Being a consummate professional as a studio musician, Gadd is an excellent jazz drummer adding grace, subtlety and tension to a very sophisticated rhythm section. Mintzer a generation younger than Gómez, and Kuhn leads this band through killer arrangements of a fine batch of standards and a trio of top-flight originals. Beginning with Kenny Dorham's and Wynton Kelly's "Blue Bossa," the swing quotient is high here. Kuhn is at his most muscular on this hard bop gem, pushing his minors and thirds right into the rim shots by Gadd. Mintzer's solo is full of deep blues feeling and economy. Mintzer wrote the title track; it is what it claims to be: bebop pure and simple. Beginning with a galloping pace set by Gómez, Gadd's ride cymbal provides fuel and Kuhn plays selectively angular chords, moving right into Mintzer's stating the head and solo. 

Kuhn's playing around the beat as the tune goes on reveals excellent counterpoint to what's being laid down by the tenor player. The tenderness with which an edgy player like Mintzer approaches "Embraceable You" is remarkable, and here Kuhn's utterly moving pianism is at its best. This is followed by a lovely soft samba called "Francisca" written by Toninho Horta. "Invitation" brings the harder edge of bluesy, post-bop into the area, and the interplay between Gómez and Gadd is nearly symbiotic. Two Mintzer originals follow, and the stroll of "Re-Re" is contrasted in a mirror with the knotty twist and turn sprint of "Runferyerlife." The reading of "St. James Infirmary" brings the tune back to the kind of mournful blues ballad it began is. Mintzer's tone on the bass clarinet is startling. He goes underneath the melody for his phrasing and fills as Kuhn offers a constant, slowly evolving wash of minor chord voicings underneath him. The ballad "Why Did I Choose You" is a perfect way to send things off as it puts on shining display the intuitive interaction between Kuhn a sublime melodist through his wide array of textured chord shapes and his sense of space and economy with the right hand in his solo. Gómez is wonderful here, flowing into the body of the tune, allowing for Gadd to lay out and enter at will. Mintzer's solo is an emotive one, but never undercuts or overwhelms the tune. Bop Boy is one of the most satisfying dates in his long career as a leader, a composer, and as an arranger. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/bop-boy-mw0000544277

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Mintzer; Bass – Eddie Gomez; Drums – Steve Gadd; Piano – Steve Kuhn

Bop Boy

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Stan Getz Quartet - Getz At The Gate

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 139:14
Size: 321,0 MB
Art: Front

( 0:25)  1. Announcement By Chip Monck
( 7:49)  2. It's All Right With Me
( 9:20)  3. Wildwood
( 6:27)  4. When The Sun Comes Out
(12:01)  5. Impressions
( 8:35)  6. Airegin
( 9:45)  7. Like Someone In Love
( 8:29)  8. Woody 'N' You
(10:27)  9. Blues
( 5:01) 10. Where Do You Go
( 8:19) 11. Yesterday's Gardenias
( 7:25) 12. Stella By Starlight
( 8:52) 13. It's You Or No One
( 6:57) 14. Spring Can Really HangYou Up The Most
(14:18) 15. 52nd Street Theme
(14:57) 16. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

Connoisseurs of Stan Getz continue to get lucky with newly discovered live recordings. The last was Moments In Time (Resonance, 2016), a single CD documenting parts of a week-long residency with a quartet including pianist JoAnne Brackeen in San Francisco in 1976. Getz At The Gate, recorded fifteen years earlier, is another substantial addition to Getz's catalogue. Over two CDs, or three LPs if you prefer, it includes all 139 minutes which Getz's band performed at New York's Village Gate on November 26, 1961. Recorded just a month after the completion of Getz's with-strings masterpiece Focus (Verve, 1961), the package captures him at the top of his game. After two and a half years living in Denmark, Getz returned to the US in early 1961 to encounter a jazz world in the throes of change. Ornette Coleman was carrying the torch for free jazz, Miles Davis had brought modal jazz into the mainstream and John Coltrane had put clear water between himself and Sonny Rollins to become the pre-eminent tenor saxophonist on the New York scene. Getz, who had lost none of his competitive edge while in Europe, realised he could not simply pick up where he had left off if he wanted to keep his place at the head table. He was not about to become either a modal or a free player, but he was prepared to recalibrate a little. He put together a new-guard quartet comprising pianist Steve Kuhn, who had briefly been a member of Coltrane's quartet in 1960, bassist Scott LaFaro, who had just left Coleman's band, and drummer Roy Haynes, with whom Getz had first worked in the late 1940s and who was fresh from recording with Eric Dolphy. Getz took the group into the Village Vanguard in March 1961 for his New York comeback. A review in The New York Times reported that Getz was "a much more venturesome musician" than when he last played in the city. The quartet played an acclaimed set at the Newport Jazz Festival in July. Things were looking good. Tragically, four days later, La Faro was killed in an auto accident.

La Faro was replaced by John Neves and the new lineup augmented by valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer went into the studio in September to make Recorded Fall 1961 (Verve), a relatively little-known treasure in Getz's discography. Two months later, Getz took the quartet (without Brookmeyer) into the Village Gate for the gig preserved on Getz At The Gate. Despite their quality, Recorded Fall 1961, Focus and Getz At The Gate were all overtaken by events. In early 1962, the tapes of Getz's bossa nova debut, Jazz Samba (Verve, 1962), hit Verve's office. They had hit written all over them. Getz's other projects were put on hold. Recorded Fall 1961 and Focus dropped off the promo schedule and Getz At The Gate lay forgotten in the vaults. Only now, in June 2019, is the album getting its first release. The Getz At The Gate set lists are mostly drawn from the Great American Songbook with which Getz had made his name, plus four jazz standards (Gigi Gryce's "Wildwood," Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody "n You," Thelonious Monk's "52nd Street Theme" and Sonny Rollins' "Airegin"). Getz's readings range from the lush and intimate through the fierce and stomping and, as ever, he pulls improvised melodies out of the air which are as beautiful as the tunes they are grounded in. A gorgeous reading of Harold Arlen's "When The Sun Comes Out" is among the highlights. The odd-man-out among the track titles is "Impressions," the tune John Coltrane had remodelled out of Miles Davis' "So What" (from Davis' 1959 CBS album Kind Of Blue). It would be fascinating to hear Getz play Coltrane's piece but, disappointingly, he sits out the number, which is a trio feature for Kuhn, who had performed it while a member of Coltrane's band. On the rarities front, however, Getz At The Gate does include the only known Getz recordings of "52nd Street Theme," Cole Porter's "It's Alright With Me" and Dick Robertson's "Yesterday's Gardenias." Getz At The Gate has borderline longueurs, in the shape of a couple too many bass solos. But such was the small-group gigging paradigm of the time. Getz is in exalted form throughout and you can't get too much of that. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/getz-at-the-gate-stan-getz-verve-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Stan Getz: tenor saxophone; Steve Kuhn: piano; John Neves: bass; Roy Haynes: drums.

Getz At The Gate

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Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow - Two by 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Gentle Thoughts
(3:51)  2. Two By Two
(5:56)  3. Remember
(4:33)  4. Wrong Together
(5:33)  5. Eidertown
(5:47)  6. Lullaby
(6:30)  7. Ladies In Mercedes
(6:32)  8. Deep Tango
(6:39)  9. Poem For # 15
(2:57) 10. Mr.Calypso Kuhn
(5:35) 11. Emmanuel

Few musicians possess anything like the lyrical capacity of Steve Kuhn and Steve Swallow, whether as composers or performers and this album of duets recorded in 1995 achieves an ideal of empathy. With the compositions roughly divided between the two, there's as much emphasis on the construction of durable melodic material as spontaneous interaction. Kuhn's opening "Gentle Thoughts" immediately achieves a limpid beauty, a vaguely Oriental theme that suggests light shimmering on water, while his "Two by Two" manages to reanimate traditional blues lines with sheer good spirits and just the lightest touch of ironic bluster. A triptych of Swallow compositions follows, with Kuhn buoyantly exuberant on "Remember," before the composer supplies the most guitar-like of electric bass solos, providing a slightly dissonant counterfoil to Kuhn's ebullience. Some of the best bop composers Tadd Dameron, Herbie Nichols seem to underpin "Wrong Together," a somber theme with a sprightly undercurrent that testifies to Swallow's ability to construct compound moods with subtle harmonic suggestion. 

There's more of the same in his familiar "Eiderdown," a fine performance of a genuinely memorable tune. Kuhn's "Lullaby" returns the two to the quiescent grace of the opening with Swallow achieving a glassy, resonant sound. There's a kind of Latin melodrama to Swallow's "Ladies in Mercedes," Kuhn's bright, soaring lines and Swallow's resilient underpinnings summarizing the duo's strength an ability to develop complex harmonic dialogue with grace and wit. Latin elements are even more pronounced in Kuhn's passionate "Deep Tango" and the brisk frolic of his "Mr. Calypso Kuhn." Kuhn's spoken-word performance of his "Poem for #15" recalls Swallow's deft settings of poems by Robert Creeley and focuses the recording's emotional intensity, suggesting how often this is music about something. In all, it's a superior performance by two masters of micro-ensemble intimacy. ~ Stuart Broomer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/two-by-2-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-stuart-broomer.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass.

Two by 2

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Steve Kuhn - The Best Things

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:52
Size: 123.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[ 8:30] 1. The Best Things In Life Are Free
[ 5:30] 2. Luiza
[ 6:52] 3. Two By Two
[ 6:29] 4. Portrait Of Jennie
[ 8:15] 5. Confirmation
[10:47] 6. Poem For #15
[ 7:25] 7. Adagio

Bass – David Finck; Drums – Billy Drummond; Piano - Steve Kuhn; Vocals – Luciana Souza. Digitally recorded at Avatar Studios, New York City on 20th December 1999.

This third trio CD for Kuhn on Reservoir yields much the same refined, intelligent, eminently enjoyable result as the previous efforts. Bassist David Finck and drummer Billy Drummond are totally in tune with the veteran pianist/leader, whose powers are consistently hovering at a high level these days, stoking the post-boppish fires of his youth with the wisdom and savvy of his years of performing and recording. Kuhn's personal growth curve is most prevalent as you hear the daunting touches within a quietly urgent stance on the well-worn and swung standard "The Best Things in Life Are Free." The pianist throws a tricky change-up on "Confirmation," a swiss-cheese version with giant holes carved out of the melody line, using tension and release effectively from the boppish head to relaxed bridge, liberally sprinkling "merrily we roll along" quotes along the way. Three of Kuhn's originals are included; a refreshingly original 12-bar blues "Two by Two," the very slow ballad "Adagio" featuring three note-patterned wordless vocals from Luciana Souza, and his famous kinetic soul waltz for Thurman Munson, "Poem for #15," a seemingly effortless, easily swung piece, the hallmark of this well-rehearsed and seasoned working trio. Also included is A.C. Jobim's lesser-known delicate waltz/ballad "Luiza," and the Bill Evans-identified, wonderfully rendered romantic evergreen "Portrait of Jennie." Another in a string of very consistent, musically advanced, universally listenable documents in Kuhn's thankfully growing discography. Recommended. ~Michael G. Nastos

The Best Things mc
The Best Things zippy

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Steve Kuhn - Dedication

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:13] 1. Dedication
[5:50] 2. The Zoo
[5:51] 3. I Waited For You
[5:41] 4. Eiderdown
[7:28] 5. Please Let Go
[8:02] 6. It's You Or No One
[6:14] 7. For Heaven's Sake
[7:18] 8. Like Someone In Love
[5:55] 9. Blue Bossa

The first of Steve Kuhn's several CDs for Reservoir is a multifaceted trio session with bassist David Finck and drummer Billy Drummond. Kuhn opens with a pair of enjoyable originals, the gliding post-bop "Dedication" and "The Zoo," cast as a melancholy bossa nova. He does justice to two compositions by bassist Steve Swallow, the well-known "Eiderdown" and the more obscure "Please Let Me Go," both of which prominently feature Finck's superb playing. His fresh, somewhat darker approach to Kenny Dorham's catchy "Blue Bossa" starts subtly but grows in intensity. Nor does the leader ignore standards. His bright, swinging take of "It's You or No One," the lush setting of "For Heaven's Sake," and a loping waltz treatment of "Like Someone in Love " all merit high praise. ~Ken dryden

Dedication mc
Dedication zippy

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Steve Kuhn - Countdown

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Countdown
(5:13)  2. Chalet
(3:31)  3. Last Year's Waltz
(6:30)  4. Wrong Together
(7:11)  5. Four
(4:56)  6. Why Did I Choose You?
(6:50)  7. When Lights Are Low
(4:35)  8. She's Funny That Way
(9:36)  9. Speak Low
(3:20) 10. Tomorrow's Son

Experiencing a sort of re-discovery as of late, pianist Steve Kuhn has finally made a path to wider visibility. Of course, Kuhn has largely spent most of his career on the fringes. He was John Coltrane's first pianist before McCoy Tyner came along. His own recordings over the years have featured a style that is singularly his own, not too avant-garde but certainly not cocktail lounge piano either. His wonderful series of recordings for ECM during the late '70s and early '80s were largely overlooked upon issue and now are sadly unavailable. But getting back to that path, Kuhn has recently put out his second piano trio date for the Reservoir label and like its predecessor, Dedication, it's chock full of complexity and substance, yet also very inviting and accessible. The title track that gives the album its name is of course the John Coltrane chops buster and it finds Kuhn in an incendiary mood, yet one senses that it's all done without even breaking a sweat. The same could be said of the pianist's version of "Four", which unfolds in chorus after chorus of brilliant logic. Most apparent on the several ballad performances where the harmonic sophistication tips a hat to Bill Evans, Kuhn also puts on display that marvelous bell-like tone of his, caught beautifully on tape by master engineer Rudy Van Gelder. In addition to the cuts already mentioned you'll find a few more standards and three choice Kuhn compositions, including the minor gem "Last Year's Waltz." Much should be said too in regards to Kuhn's associates here. They are actually a working group and the empathy they share is apparent. A great deal of the success of this and the previous Reservoir set is due to the complexity of communication that goes on between Kuhn and bassist David Finck and drummer Billy Drummond. For those familiar with Drummond's more aggressive style as heard on many a Criss Cross Jazz side you'll be in for a treat when you hear how his already musical drumming is tailored perfectly to fit Kuhn's various moods. Drummond's is an art based on the various colors and textures available from the drum kit and he's so perfectly meshed with Kuhn that at times it's downright uncanny. As part of Reservoir's distinguished New York Piano series, Countdown is a step forward for Kuhn and a valuable addition to this independent's small but substantial catalog. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/countdown-steve-kuhn-reservoir-music-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn, piano; David Finck, bass; Billy Drummond, drums

Countdown

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Steve Kuhn Trio - Plays Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:01
Size: 162.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[7:16] 1. Alone Together
[5:31] 2. Golden Earrings
[5:59] 3. I Wish I Knew
[4:07] 4. Left Alone
[6:25] 5. Blue Bossa
[6:34] 6. Nature Boy
[6:32] 7. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[5:20] 8. You Leave Me Breathless
[6:23] 9. Oceans In The Sky
[5:28] 10. I See Your Face Before Me
[6:50] 11. Love Letters
[4:35] 12. Beautiful Love

Bass – Buster Williams; Drums – Al Foster; Piano – Steve Kuhn. Recorded at The Studio in New York on August 30/31, 2006.

Veteran jazz pianist Steve Kuhn has proved to be a popular artist in Japan, recording a series of CDs for the Japanese label Venus. On these 2006 sessions, Kuhn is joined by bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster, two artists who also have extensive résumés. While the CD is titled Plays Standards, Kuhn doesn't stick exclusively to well-known works. In addition to Victor Young's widely recognized "Beautiful Love" (a favorite of pianist Bill Evans), the pianist offers a seductive take of the composer's "Golden Earrings" and a lighthearted, breezy setting of "Love Letters" as well. Kuhn's intense workout of "Alone Together" includes an amusing detour into Thelonious Monk's "Locomotive," while his revamping of "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" disguises the tune rather well. Kuhn also revisits his original "Oceans in the Sky," a brilliant piece evocative of a coming storm. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Plays Standards mc
Plays Standards zippy

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Steve Kuhn - Promises Kept

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:25
Size: 134,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Lullaby
(5:03)  2. Life's Backward Glance
(8:12)  3. Trance
(5:34)  4. Morning Dew
(5:19)  5. Promises Kept
(7:31)  6. Adagio
(5:10)  7. Celtic Princess
(5:27)  8. Nostalgia
(5:40)  9. Oceans In The Sky
(5:40) 10. Pastorale

Combining jazz composition with orchestration is always a risky proposition; the outcome can often be bombastic, syrupy or melodramatic. But in the proper hands the combination can yield a result that is truly beautiful, allowing for a dramatic enhancement of the writing that, while allowing for some improvisational context, truly brings out its essence. "A life's dream," according to pianist Steve Kuhn, Promises Kept takes a life's work of material and, in the sensitive hands of conductor/orchestrator Carlos Franzetti, treats it with reverence and respect, heightening the emotional content without ever becoming grandiloquent or over-dramatized. Utilizing a string ensemble that is strong on violins, Franzetti's collaborative arrangements with Kuhn emphasize the light ; the orchestrations never become overbearing or weighty. From the opening notes of "Lullaby," it is clear that the they are meant as subtle refinements; while they do, on occasion, dominate, they never overwhelm. Kuhn is a lyrical and often romantic writer who manages to avoid the obvious trappings and create pieces that go to unexpected places; unpredictable though they may be, his melodies are so richly hued as to feel oddly familiar. And by revisiting older pieces including "Trance," "Oceans in the Sky," and the often-reconsidered "Life's Backward Glance," Kuhn creates a sense of history for those familiar with his work. Franzetti, in fact, was approached because he was so intimately familiar with Kuhn's work as to be able to sing lyrics to thirty-year old Kuhn pieces from memory. The result is a recording where strings, piano and long-time Kuhn collaborator David Finck's double-bass blend smoothly into a coherent whole.

Differentiating form from extemporization is difficult and, ultimately, pointless; what is the point is how the result manages to combine structure with a sense of surprise. "Life's Backward Glance" begins with deep cellos evoking a haunting theme that is gradually joined by the higher strings, moving from disquieting to beautiful; Kuhn's rubato theme brings a sense of romance as he shades the piece with subtle improvisations. The whole album is characterized by a multiplicity of layers that yield new experiences, new nuances, with every listen. While the album traverses a breadth of emotion, there is nothing jagged or confrontational. But what makes Promises Kept unique is its ability to wash over the senses without becoming merely beautiful background music. As smooth and sensuous as it is, it demands attention. From Kuhn's unpredictable writing and playing to the emotive yet subtle orchestration, Promises Kept succeeds where so many other albums fail, creating a sense of deep beauty that never accedes to excess. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/promises-kept-steve-kuhn-ecm-records-review-by-john-kelman.php?width=1920

Personnel: Steve Kuhn (piano), Carlos Franzetti (conductor), David Finck (double-bass)with: Violins: Christa Feeney, Liz Lim-Dutton, Richard Sortomme, Karl Kawahara, Barry Finclair, Helen Kim, Robert Shaw, Carol Pool, Anca Nicolan; Violas: Sue Pray, Karen Ritscher, Vince Lionti; Cellos: Stephanie Cummins, Richard Locker, Joshua Gordon

Promises Kept

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Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contemporary

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:55
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. A Waltz
(8:09)  2. Monk's Mood
(8:01)  3. In Your Own Sweet Way
(8:27)  4. Horn Salute
(2:57)  5. Tonica
(6:49)  6. This Love of Mine
(5:29)  7. Sign Off
(5:36)  8. A Waltz
(2:53)  9. Monk's Mood
(7:55) 10. This Love of Mine

Originally on the Time label, this LP features the excellent (but always underrated) trumpeter Kenny Dorham heading a quintet that also includes baritonist Charles Davis, pianist Steve Kuhn, either Jimmy Garrison or Butch Warren on bass, and drummer Buddy Enlow. The results are not quite essential but everyone plays up to par, performing three of Dorham's originals plus "In Your Own Sweet Way," "Monk's Mood," and "This Love of Mine." It's fine hard bop, the modern mainstream music of the period. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-contemporary-mw0000320205

Personnel:  Trumpet – Kenny Dorham;   Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis;  Bass – Butch Warren, Jimmy Garrison;  Drums – Buddy Enlow;  Piano – Steve Kuhn

Jazz Contemporary

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Karin Krog, Steve Kuhn Trio - Where You At?

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:45
Size: 125,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. The Meaning of Love (Feat Steve Kuhn)
(3:55)  2. Where You At (Feat Steve Kuhn)
(4:33)  3. Lazy Afternoon
(5:23)  4. It Could Be Hip
(4:30)  5. Speak Of Love
(5:34)  6. Canto Mai
(7:38)  7. Saharan
(3:37)  8. You Say You Care
(4:33)  9. Kaleidoscopic Vision
(4:07) 10. Missing Calada
(4:06) 11. Gloomy Sunday

One of Europe's leading jazz singers meets piano virtuoso Steve Kuhn and his trio: creative, swinging, original, and very charming! Karin Krog is perhaps Norway's leading jazz singer, and certainly its most idiomatic. She is a unique artist with a great international reputation, and possesses her own recognizable style and voice. She has worked with Don Ellis, Archie Shepp, Dexter Gordon, John Surman, and more. "A band poised between the drummer's rugged swing and a robustly underwired lyricism." (Penguin Guide To Jazz) ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Where-You-at-Karin-Krog/dp/B00009XBX7

Personnel:  Vocals – Karin Krog;  Double Bass – David Finck;  Drums – Billy Drummond;  Piano – Steve Kuhn

Where You At?

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Bill Barron - West Side Story Bossa Nova

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:05
Size: 56,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Something's Coming
(3:31)  2. One Hand, One Heart
(4:00)  3. Gee, Officer Krupke
(3:57)  4. Cool
(2:22)  5. Maria
(3:23)  6. Tonight
(3:35)  7. America
(3:44)  8. I Feel Pretty
(3:20)  9. Jet Song
(3:53) 10. Somewhere

Bill Barron spent a good deal of his music career as a jazz educator, though he made many valuable recordings in the early '60s and also near the end of his life. Unfortunately, few of them have been reissued during the CD era, so the return of this long-out-of-print studio date (for the long-defunct Dauntless label) is very welcome. The tenor saxophonist's orchestra is actually only a septet, but it's a potent group who puts out a big sound. They include trumpeter Willie Thomas, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Henry Grimes, drummer Charlie Persip, percussionist Jose Soares, and pianist Steve Kuhn, with the leader's now famous younger brother, Kenny Barron, subbing for Kuhn on the opening track, "Something's Coming." Barron's arrangements are brief (all under four minutes each), but very enjoyable, with snappy takes of "Cool" and "America" as well as a brief "Maria," featuring Thomas and Barron swapping solos, and wrapping with an unusually upbeat treatment of the normally low-key ballad "Somewhere." This 1963 session was finally made available once again by Fresh Sound in 2002. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/west-side-story-bossa-nova-mw0000231101

Personnel: Bill Barron (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kenny Burrell (electric guitar); Willie Thomas (trumpet); Kenny Barron, Steve Kuhn (piano).

West Side Story Bossa Nova

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Pee Wee Russell & Henry 'Red' Allen - The College Concert

Styles: Clarinet And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:15
Size: 75,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Blue Monk
(6:12)  2. I Want A Little Girl
(4:26)  3. Body And Soul
(4:28)  4. Pee Wee's Blues
(4:17)  5. 2° East, 3° West
(6:46)  6. Graduation Blues

Although trumpeter Red Allen (heard in his final recording) and Russell had recorded back in 1932, their paths only crossed on an infrequent basis through the years. For this LP, the two veteran modernists (who spent much of their careers in Dixieland settings) are joined by a young rhythm-section pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Marty Morell). The music is generally relaxed with an emphasis on blues and a fine feature for Allen on "Body and Soul." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/college-concert-of-pee-wee-russell-and-henry-red-mw0000892162

Personnel:  Pee Wee Russell – clarinet;  Red Allen - trumpet, vocals;  Steve Kuhn – piano;  Charlie Haden – bass;  Marty Morell - drums

The College Concert

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Steve Kuhn Trio - I Will Wait For You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:17
Size: 154.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. I Will Wait For You
[7:06] 2. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[6:24] 3. Watch What Happens
[7:08] 4. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
[8:08] 5. Summer Me, Winter Me
[6:51] 6. Once Upon A Summertime
[7:07] 7. Brian's Song
[5:27] 8. You Must Believe In Spring
[7:36] 9. The Summer Knows
[5:46] 10. I Will Wait For You (Reprise)

Double Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Billy Drummond; Piano – Steve Kuhn. Recorded at The Avatar Studio in New York on February 24&25, 2010

One of the veteran American pianists who release new recordings from Venus Records regularly, Steve Kuhn has been admired and loved by jazz fans both in the US and Japan. His latest release is a winning trio recording of the music of Michel Legrand. The lyrical, romantic and memorable melodies written by the French composer--many of which have become part of the standard jazz repertoire--are brilliantly interpreted and performed by a superb trio that includes George Mraz on bass and Billy Drummond on drums. Kuhn and co. add a muscular, driving sense of swing to the faster tunes while digging deep emotionally on beautiful ballads. A wonderful piano trio CD!

I Will Wait For You

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Steve Kuhn Trio - Sing Me Softly of the Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:06
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:35)  1. This Is New
(5:28)  2. Dance Only With Me
(5:02)  3. Chicken Feathers
(6:08)  4. My Funny Valentine
(5:29)  5. Sing Me Softly Of The Blues
(4:26)  6. Naima
(4:25)  7. Sticky Kisses
(4:44)  8. Who Cares
(5:35)  9. Lament
(7:10) 10. The Very Thought Of You

A highly regarded jazz pianist and composer, Steve Kuhn is known for his sophisticated ear for harmony and lyrical, motivic approach to improvisation. Emerging from the Boston jazz scene, Kuhn's adaptive, forward-thinking skills have found him moving across various genres from swinging acoustic post-bop to classical-influenced chamber jazz and the avant-garde. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1950 to Hungarian immigrant parents, Kuhn first became interested in music at a young age while listening to his father's jazz record collection on 78s. Starting piano lessons at age five, he quickly displayed his gift for perfect pitch. After moving to Boston with his family, Kuhn began taking lessons with the legendary Boston-area pedagogue Margaret Chaloff, whom he credits with engendering his strong classical piano technique. Also during this time, he befriended Chaloff's son, saxophonist Serge Chaloff, who encouraged his interest in jazz. By his teens, Kuhn had developed into an adept jazz pianist, influenced by the recordings of jazz luminaries like Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Fats Waller, and Art Tatum. He formed his own trio with drummer Arnold Wise and bassist Chuck Israels and began playing local clubs. Even while attending Harvard, Kuhn held down a six-nights-a-week gig in Harvard Square and gained valuable experience working with the myriad jazz stars who came through the city, including Chet Baker, Coleman Hawkins, and Vic Dickenson, among others. After graduating Harvard, Kuhn continued his studies at the Lenox School of Music, where he rubbed shoulders with fellow students Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry and studied under esteemed jazz scholars like Gunther Schuller and George Russell. It was also while at Lenox that he met trumpeter Kenny Dorham, who hired the pianist for a yearlong tour. Parting ways with Dorham in 1960, Kuhn next joined legendary saxophonist John Coltrane's quartet for a stint at New York's Jazz Gallery. While brief (Kuhn was replaced by McCoy Tyner after eight weeks), the experience inspired Kuhn and would inform much of his later work. Also during the '60s, Kuhn began appearing on recording dates with artists like Stan Getz, Oliver Nelson, and Art Farmer; he also spent a year touring with Farmer and future collaborators bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Pete La Roca. 

As a leader, Kuhn debuted alongside pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi on 1963's The Country and Western Sound of Jazz Pianos. He then followed up with 1966's Three Waves featuring Swallow and La Roca. Also in 1966, he paired with fellow Lenox student Gary McFarland for the landmark chamber jazz album The October Suite. In the late '60s, Kuhn relocated to Stockholm, Sweden, where he lived and performed until 1971. Ironically, it wasn't until returning to the States that Kuhn signed with Manfred Eicher's then fledgling European jazz label ECM. Notably, Kuhn's work on The October Suite had been one of Eicher's early inspirations in founding the label. With ECM, Kuhn released several probing and atmospheric albums including Ecstasy (1974), Trance (1974), Motility (1977), Non-Fiction (1978), Playground featuring vocalist Sheila Jordan (1979), and Last Year's Waltz (1981).

In the '80s, Kuhn continued to refine his sound, often playing in a trio with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Al Foster. Many of his albums from this period, including 1984's Mostly Ballads, 1987's Life's Magic, and 1988's Porgy, showcase a mix of well-curated standards along with his inventive original compositions. It was a template that Kuhn would stick with throughout the next decade as he found himself working in various trio settings with artists like David Finck, George Mraz, Buster Williams, Billy Drummond, Lewis Nash, Bill Stewart, Kenny Washington, and others. While the trio remained Kuhn's preferred format, his 1995 album, Seasons of Romance, found him working in an all-star quintet with tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer and trumpeter Tom Harrell. Even more expansive was his 2004 return to ECM, Promises Kept, which found him backed by a small string orchestra. Kuhn also retained his exploratory edge, returning to his love of classical composers like Debussy and Ravel on 2006's Pavane for a Dead Princess. Jazz reworkings of classical compositions were featured on his 2008 trio album, Baubles, Bangles and Beads. In 2009, Kuhn revisited his time as a member of John Coltrane's quartet with Mostly Coltrane, featuring saxophonist Joe Lovano, on ECM. Also for ECM, Kuhn paired with bassist Swallow for 2012's Wisteria. In 2016, Kuhn was once again joined by Swallow and drummer Joey Baron for At This Time... on Sunnyside. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-kuhn-mn0000036645/biography

Personnel: Steve Kuhn (piano); George Mraz (bass); Pete LaRoca (drums).

Sing Me Softly of the Blues

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Laura Taylor - My Funny Valentine

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 130,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. But Not for Me
(4:26)  2. You're My Thrill
(6:12)  3. My Funny Valentine
(3:22)  4. Just Friends
(4:10)  5. My Buddy
(6:06)  6. Spellbound
(4:44)  7. Ghost of a Chance
(5:06)  8. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(3:51)  9. Speak of Love
(3:39) 10. I Remember You
(5:41) 11. Lovelight
(3:37) 12. Let's Get Lost
(2:42) 13. He Was Too Good To Me

Laura's style is influenced by Shirley Horn, Peggy Lee, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, and in arrangements by her long-time collaborator,the great pianist Steve Kuhn.John Huddy of The Miami Herald, in an article about the great Tony Bennett, wrote, “Bennett scampers over to a desk, {and} returns with a pocket-size tape recorder. The hotel orchestra leader, Jerry Marshall, had brought a beautiful young Miami singer backstage.Bennett says with unrestrained enthusiasm, ‘she’s really unique, you gotta listen to her. I think she’s really something.’ Bennett plays a demo tape for the singer, Laura Taylor, praising every note. He sounds like a proud father describing the latest success of a talented offspring.” Bennett is not alone in his reaction to singer/songwriter Laura Taylor…Michael Paskevich, The Las Vegas Review Journal:“Taylor’s stylized singing presents her with plenty of challenges and she proved up to the task during her 45 minute early set.Taylor’s closing take on “Mountain Greenery” found her turning the song inside-out and making it her own, no mean feat when it comes to show standards, and further served notice that Taylor is a name to watch for.” Joe Delaney, The Las Vegas Sun: “…a beauty with voice to match, plus a fine jazz feel, Laura Taylor treated all concerned to a varied program that included requests and a world-class treatment of “The Nearness of You”.”

Bob Shemeligian gave Laura a full page review in Show Biz Magazine under the heading:  Songstress Laura Taylor Mesmerizes Audiences With Silky Vocal Stylings… “Many of Taylor’s listeners agree that the singer’s most remarkable quality is her voice. It’s not uncommon to see listeners captivated by Taylor’s vocal range as if they’re floating in a dream.” Laura is the product of a rich musical background. Her mother was a Juilliard graduate, concert pianist and teacher, and her father was a successful business man and gifted singer. Together they instilled in Laura a love for music which has been a guiding force in her life. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Laura was raised in Watertown, New York and Monroe, Ohio. At seventeen, Laura was awarded a scholarship to study opera at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with the great voice teacher, Professor Robert Powell. After two years of study with Professor Powell, his untimely death prompted a move into commercial music and jazz for Laura. Still in her teens, she began her professional career performing in small clubs, eventually going into commercial and studio work.. Laura was the solo voice on the national campaign for United Airlines’ Fly the Friendly Skies of United- and also the now-famous Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick? campaign. A move to Miami, Florida was followed by a long association with Criteria Recording Studios, which included vocal contracting and singing for Beatles’ producer, George Martin on a soundtrack for the film Honkey Tonk Freeway, a song demo for the Bee Gee’s Morris Gibb, and solo background work for Tom Dowd on the Firefall Elan album, for which she was presented a platinum album.

Laura signed her first record deal with Criteria’s own label- Good Sounds Records- whose parent company and distributor was T.K. Records. This opened the door for Laura’s dual talents as singer and songwriter. Her first album was called Dancin’ In My Feet. The title song, Dancin’ In My Feet, became the theme song for the nationally syndicated TV show Disco Magic and rose to #4 on Billboard’s national disco chart. Three of her original songs- Lady Scorpio- All Through Me- and Some Love- also made Billboard and Record World charts. During this same period, on three separate occasions, Laura electrified Miami Dolphins fans with her a cappella version of The Star Spangled Banner. Laura’s success as a songwriter continued when Diana Ross included her original song Think I’m In Love on her album Why Do Fools Fall in Love. The song was also selected as the flip-side of Ms. Ross’ single release. This resulted in Laura being presented with her second platinum album. Enthusiasm for Laura both as a singer and songwriter led to appearances on Midnight Special, The Dinah Shore Show and The Merv Griffin Show, where she showcased several of her original songs.

Forming the Laura Taylor Trio, Laura moved to New York and enjoyed engagements at the St. Regis Hotel, the Oak Room in the Plaza Hotel, and an exclusive six year contract at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. During this time, she also appeared in concert at Carnegie Recital Hall, which featured her trio,The Manhattan School of Music String Quartet, and special guest artist,Dave Samuels, from the group Spiro Gyra. Working in New York also gave Laura the opportunity to perform as part of the legendary Joe Henderson Quartet performing two Henderson compositions she wrote lyrics for, Isotope and Black Narcissus, and hearing Mr. Henderson perform two of her original compositions, Lovelight and Spellbound. Continuing her association with great jazz musicians, Laura was asked to record Isotope with jazz piano great Steve Kuhn on his CD, Porgy. Also featured on this CD are her vocal and lyrics to Steve’s beautiful Lullaby composition. Opening for the great comedian, Don Rickles, in Atlantic City and Las Vegas led to a long engagement in the Starlight Theater of the Desert Inn Hotel and a move to Las Vegas. Continuing her jazz career, she performed several times on the legendary Monday Night Jazz series broadcast on National Public Radio and hosted by Alan Grant. Laura’s other concert appearances included opening the Las Vegas Government Center, several Las Vegas Jazz Society concerts and two appearances at the Riviera Hotel’s Monday Night Jazz with Don Menza. 

Critical acclaim and national radio airplay have been given to Laura’s three recent jazz CDs: Mountain Greenery featuring jazz greats Jack Sheldon, Pete and Conte Condoli, Red Holloway and guitarist Joe Lano; Cry Me a River, a tribute to the late Julie London, featuring Joe Lano and Tom Warrington, and Songs of the Winter Season, also featuring Joe Lano.

Laura is currently releasing her fourth CD…My Funny Valentine…Memories of Chet Baker…featuring jazz legends Steve Kuhn, Eddie Gomez and Lewis Nash. Check current news on the web site for the release date. While continuing to live in Las Vegas, Laura does many special events and concerts, the most recent being The Duke Ellington Sacred Concert with Laura as the featured soloist with the Las Vegas Master Singers and the UNLV Jazz Ensemble performing this incredible work. Upcoming performances include her fifth appearance on The Dennis Bono Radio Show and a concert for the Henderson Arts Council on August 26th (also check current events for more information). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurataylor

Personnel:  Steve Kuhn, piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Lewis Nash, drums

My Funny Valentine

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