小简介
Kuhn,生于38年,5岁学钢琴,13岁正式演出 。21岁哈佛大学毕业。后与Kenny Dorham,John Coltrane,Stan Getz等合作,并磨练技艺。60年代中期在欧洲大陆四处表演录音,71年回美国并开始为ECM录制独奏或领奏,同期与Sheila Jordan合作。
Steve Kuhn出身美国东岸,曾受教於上低音萨克斯风手Serge Chaloff的母亲,担任钢琴教师的Chaloff夫人。在McCoy Tyner加入之前,擅长演奏调式爵士(Modal Jazz)风格的Steve Kuhn曾经担任John Coltrane四重奏的钢琴手,也是这个乐团唯一的白人乐手。Steve Kuhn早年曾为Kenny Dorham、Art Farmer、Stan Getz等人效命,以演奏精纯咆勃风格的爵士乐为主。七○年代以后,Steve Kuhn为ECM录制了不少代表性作品,在这些专辑中他尝试演奏电子琴,冶古典和即兴音乐於一炉(例如Trance)。不过在这段期间,Steve Kuhn最受好评的作品,是与女歌手Sheila Jordan合作的Playground,可惜目前为止尚未CD化。
八○年代以后,Steve Kuhn又走回原音爵士的演奏路线,其间他也接受日本爵士厂牌Venus之邀,录制了不少评价不错的三重奏专辑,其中最富盛名,也较容易在台湾买得到的,自然是精纯咆勃佳作Love Walked In,只要听Steve Kuhn在第一轨「No Problem」中火力全开的热烈演出,就已经值回碟价!至於这里推荐的Promises Kept,系Steve Kuhn与阿根廷裔的Carlos Franzetti指挥的弦乐团合作的录音。弦乐团为爵士艺人伴奏并不是什麼新鲜事,但通常都是跨流行和爵士的歌/乐手出於商业考量,以优美动听的弦乐合奏来添加演奏的戏剧性。如此的弦乐伴奏常被评为添加味素,滋味过重,不是自诩为即兴能手演奏的常态。Promises Kept不但是个例外,也是个惊喜注二。一开场的「Lullaby」,Steve Kuhn的钢琴演奏真是美到令人心碎,配上Carlos Franzetti领导的弦乐伴奏,无论是旋律或和声都是甜而不腻。弦乐搭配著Steve Kuhn漂亮的旋律,峰回路转,每一首曲子似在诉说著一个传奇,一桩生命经验或是情绪,而那些故事的细节,在Steve Kuhn微妙的钢琴和弦变化之间,作了明确的交代。Promises Kept与之前Steve Kuhn的作品完风格全不同,是他迈入千禧年之后的代表作。即使这是一张完全不走摇摆风格的即兴作品,仍值得所有的古典及爵士乐迷一听。
Steve Kuhn has had an interesting career. A talented jazz pianist, he has worked in many types of settings through the years. He began classical piano lessons when he was five, studied with Madame Chaloff, and accompanied her son, baritonist Serge Chaloff, on some gigs when the pianist was 14. He freelanced in Boston as a teenager, graduated from Harvard, and moved to New York where he worked with Kenny Dorhams group (1959-1960). Kuhn was the original pianist in John Coltranes Quartet, playing for two months before McCoy Tyner succeeded him. He was with the bands of Stan Getz (1961-1963) and Art Farmer (1964-1966), lived in Europe (1967-1970), and then returned to the U.S. in 1971. Kuhn doubled on electric piano in the 1970s, recorded for ECM, and co-led a group with Sheila Jordan in the latter part of the decade. After a period playing commercial music, he formed an acoustic trio in the mid-80s, which has been his main vehicle ever since. Steve Kuhn has recorded as a leader for Impulse (1966), Contact, MPS, BYG, Muse, ECM, Blackhawk, New World, Owl, Concord, and Postcards.