Khun, Jordan and Co., make for great listening
Brian Kirchoff | St. Louis, Missouri | 01/22/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I was introduced to Steve Khun's music some 25 years ago via an ECM sampler and took an immediate liking to him, and also Sheila Jordan. Her unique voice is not what I'd call "typical" jazz vocal, but I was hooked immediately. Something about "The Zoo" that really blew me away. I find Khun's style and technique to be consistently entertaining and just plain fun to listen to. I had been looking for the Motility album for quite some time and am happy to see it available within this three disc set. Thanks ECM!!!"
A Truly Fine Collection
Karl W. Nehring | Ostrander, OH USA | 03/01/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Pianist Steve Kuhn is probably most widely known for his trio work, but he has played in a variety of settings over the years. This 3-CD set from ECM, which documents some of his work from the `70s, contains two quartet outings (1977's Motility and 1979's Playground) plus a solo album, Ecstasy, which was recorded in 1974.
Motility features Kuhn on piano, Steve Slagle on saxes and flutes, Harvie Swartz on bass, and Michael Smith on drums. Slagle's lyrical playing meshes well with Kuhn's melodic approach on piano; indeed, it is interesting to hear some of Kuhn's signature pieces such as "The Rain Forest" and "Oceans in the Sky," which he has recorded several times in trio format, being supplemented by Slagle's woodwind voicings. It is also fun to listen to bassist Swartz, who really gets a chance to step to the forefront and provide melodic interest, not just a rhythmic foundation. His work on "Catherine" is truly memorable.
Playground is a more unusual kind of quartet, with Kuhn on piano, Swartz on bass, Bob Moses on drums, and the voice of Sheila Jordan. Although she does sing some lyrics, Jordan's voice is not the center of the mix; instead, her voice is treated as an integral part of the quartet. It's not the Steve Kuhn Trio accompanying vocalist Sheila Jordan, it truly is the Steve Kuhn Quartet. One of the highlights of this set is "Deep Tango," which also appears on Motility.
Ecstasy is a sparkling gem. It is at times reflective, at times exuberant, but always heartfelt and sincere. Given how successful this solo session turned out to be, I am surprised that we do not have more solo work in Kuhn's catalog. My guess is that he simply enjoys working in a group format so much that he has purposely decided not to emphasize the solo format. It was quite thoughtful of ECM to include this recording in this anthology, for it reveals an aspect of Kuhn's playing that we might otherwise not have been able to enjoy."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1