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Pianist Steve Kuhn was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1939. He began studying classical piano at age 5, studying with the legendary "Russian School" teacher, Margaret Chaloff. |
By the time he was 13, Steve Kuhn was working with Chaloff's son Serge's group, a former baritone sax player for Woody Herman. Kuhn spent the rest of his teen years freelancing in Boston jazz clubs and playing with visiting musicians like Coleman Hawkins and Chet Baker. Marian McPartland recalls a young Kuhn, "still in short pants" sitting in with her at the Hickory House on several occasions.
Kuhn graduated from Harvard and attended the Lennox School of Music, one of the major institutions for jazz in the late 50's and early 60's with an amazing faculty that included Bill Evans, George Russell, and George Schuller. After graduating from the jazz program there, he moved to New York where he joined up with Kenny Dorham for a year, before being asked to join John Coltrane's original quartet.
When McCoy Tyner took over as pianist for Coltrane, Kuhn joined Stan Getz's band for two years, which was followed by a two-year stint with Art Farmer. Kuhn then moved to Stokholm and spent several years living and working in Europe, making a significant impact on the local players there.
When he returned to the United States in 1971, Kuhn began a long relationship with the ECM label, making a number of important albums for them, including several collaborations with Sheila Jordan. During that time, he also dabbled with electronic keyboards and led a quartet with saxophonist Steve Slagle.
By the mid 1980's, Kuhn had returned to the piano trio setting that he had admired so much as a younger player. He continues to tour, record, and teach master classes around the country and throughout Europe and Japan, where he is extremely popular with jazz aficionados. His latest release is Promises Kept, on the ECM label.
Set List for Steve Kuhn on Piano Jazz:"Autumn Leaves" (Kozma, Mercer, Prevert)
"Oceans In the Sky" (Kuhn)
"Dream Dancing" (Porter)
"My One and Only Love" (Mellin, Wood)
"Adagio" (Kuhn)
"I'll take Romance" (Hammerstein, Oakland)
"Echoes of Yesterday" (McPartland, Ross)
"It's You or No One" (Cahn, Styn)
Steve Kuhn Music Site
Kuhn graduated from Harvard and attended the Lennox School of Music, one of the major institutions for jazz in the late 50's and early 60's with an amazing faculty that included Bill Evans, George Russell, and George Schuller. After graduating from the jazz program there, he moved to New York where he joined up with Kenny Dorham for a year, before being asked to join John Coltrane's original quartet.
When McCoy Tyner took over as pianist for Coltrane, Kuhn joined Stan Getz's band for two years, which was followed by a two-year stint with Art Farmer. Kuhn then moved to Stokholm and spent several years living and working in Europe, making a significant impact on the local players there.
When he returned to the United States in 1971, Kuhn began a long relationship with the ECM label, making a number of important albums for them, including several collaborations with Sheila Jordan. During that time, he also dabbled with electronic keyboards and led a quartet with saxophonist Steve Slagle.
By the mid 1980's, Kuhn had returned to the piano trio setting that he had admired so much as a younger player. He continues to tour, record, and teach master classes around the country and throughout Europe and Japan, where he is extremely popular with jazz aficionados. His latest release is Promises Kept, on the ECM label.
Set List for Steve Kuhn on Piano Jazz:
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