Search - Thielemans, Tuepen, Ku :: Just Friends

A wonderful Jazz Carillon

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 09/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is so marvellous that even my girlfriend loves it (and everybody knows that women usually, hate Jazz)! And this is essentially all that I would like to tell you about this exceptional album. But I know that a serious review can't end in this way! =))) So I'll add something more. It is a collaboration between three incredible musicians that together create a music which is perfect and very different sounding, even if still very inside the jazz tradition. Infact we're talkin about at least, two very unusual instruments in Jazz, Harmonica (the incredible Toots) and Harp (Johnny Teupen). Harp is heard very seldom in Jazz records, ... and it's a shame, especially if it is used in THIS WAY! A wonderful sound! It seems a sort of delicate and precious Jazz carillon sometimes! Kuhn is the man at the piano. Of course drums and bass are involved too and the musicians are less known guys (Jean Warland bass, Bruno Castellucci drums, there's even a cornet player, extremely talented by the way, Ack Van Rooyen). The program is wonderful, a selection of standards that in this setting finds new beauty, ... just to name a few, Just friends, Sunny, A child is born, Autumn leaves, The days of wine and roses and so on. Maybe you think you have enough versions of these tunes, but I don't think so. You DESERVE to own these too. Really, this is one of the most beautiful, deep, swinging, and at the same time friendly to listen to jazz albums I have encounter in the last years. I know it by memory now because I have listened to this a thousand time ... so many times that once my girlfriend from the bath asked me ... "what's this music my love? .." and I, really worried asked her "Why?" and she answeared ... "it is SOOOOOO beautiful!!!!" ... Wow, I said to myself ... I have chosen the right girl! =))) Buy this album my friend, you will do yourself a favour. It is wonderful and by the way, it is recorded extremely well. EXTREMELY well. The combination of harmonica, piano and harp ... is unbelievable in my Avalons! BUY THIS ONE, no matter the price. A work of art. You will thank me later."