Steve Wyzard NOT FOR MASSAGE THERAPY

For those of you who weren't there, the late 1980s were a very unique time in the history of jazz. Suddenly the music was acceptably hip, and was seen and heard everywhere, all with the media's full support and approval. It was what some have called the "Armani Suits/Skinny Ties" era of jazz, and many peripheral figures briefly found themselves in the spotlight for 15 minutes of fame. Such was the case for Joachim Kuhn when he released this album in early 1988.

Kuhn, best known in Europe, had been recording since the mid-1960s and was even a semi-prominent figure in the mid-1970s fusion scene. By the time Situations was released, he had already recorded a number of solo piano and piano trio albums, most of which had hideous cover art and were only sporadically available to his small-but-devoted following. When George Winston albums started going multi-platinum, Atlantic Records gave this album a major push before (naturally) dropping and forgetting all about him after the moment had passed.

So why are we discussing Situations today? Because it's a masterful solo piano album that truly transcends its release date. Don't for a moment think this is background music for candlelit dinners. The virtuosic "Delicate Pain" begins with startling vigor and passes through many tempo changes before returning to the original passionate fire it opened with. The impressionistic "Lunch in the Rain" betrays Kuhn's classical background, moving from a stately opening, through reflective moods, before reaching a crystalline peak. The best known song on this album, "Hauswomen Song" originally appeared on a compilation entitled Piano One, released on the Private Music label in late 1985. This longer version is one of Kuhn's most memorable compositions ever, brimful of hummable melodies. "Sensitive Detail" is a leisurely intermezzo before an indefinite conclusion, and the album closes with the dark-yet-warm beauty of "Refuge". Yet it's the first track, the exploratory "Situation", that most effectively captures the contemplative mood of its time.

The uncreditted package design (and the late 1980s zeitgeist) probably led many people to unfairly file this album under the dreaded moniker of "New Age". Situations far surpasses the music usually associated with that unfortunate label, and should interest far more than just Joachim Kuhn listeners. For jazz solo piano fans, this one is truly worth any efforts expended toward tracking it down. While so many contemporaries were going electric or exploring "World Music", Situations should be remembered as one of the defining statements of its era.

snobb Joachim Kuhn is an East German born classically trained pianist who moved to the West in the mid 60s and became one of the key figures in German (and European) avant-garde piano. Together with his brother, clarinetist Rolf, he played at the legendary Newport Jazz Festival where Coltrane and Shepp's "The New Thing" was recorded. Later he moved to Paris where he actively participated in the European avant-garde jazz scene.

After some years of living in the States and playing mostly fusion, he returned to Germany in the late 00's and founded a world fusion trio with Moroccan vocalist and guembri player Majid Bekkas and Spanish percussionist Ramon Lopez (often known as the Chalaba Trio). Combining North African rhythms and vocals with free-jazz and European classic traditions, this Kuhn led trio represented some of the best European world fusion of the time. The Trio's debut, "Out Of The Desert", was recorded in Morocco with participating local rhythm and string musicians. The second album, "Chalaba", was recorded in Germany by the trio themselves. "Voodoo Sense" is the trio's third studio album, recorded with guests again (in Morocco and France).

The most intriguing feature of this album is the participation of Archie Shepp. A few years ago Kuhn released a duo album with Shepp containing avant-garde jazz and some classical influences (as typical of almost every Kuhn album, it is interesting but not really consistent, containing some great pieces and some fillers as well).

On "Voodoo Sense" we can hear the Kuhn Trio's North African rhythms and sounds driven by a big team of guest musicians who are North African. At the same time, this album contains a larger than before dose of free jazz and European classical tendencies. Fortunately, all these influences are not deeply mixed but co-exist in some fragile but successful balance.

The album's opener, "Kulu Se Mama", is a John Coltrane classic, played here as a North African meditative song and ecstatic ritual hymn at the same time. Almost twenty minutes long, it has a complex structure and in fact represents a mini suite in which Archie Shepp takes the place of Pharoah Sanders' sax soloing function in the original version. Seriously spiced with authentic Arabic/Bedouin percussion, this composition is enough reason to own the whole album.

After such a start it's not easy to continue at the same level, Kuhn and his colleagues are only partially successful. "Gbalele" is a traditional North African rhythm based song, slightly spiced with Kuhn's almost classical piano, but not all that memorable. "L'eternal Voyage" is bluesy hard bop, obviously a number for Shepp. Its as good as almost any of his songs of such kind, but it sounds quite out of place here. "Voodoo Sense" returns the listener to the dry and nervous desert with Shepp's flying solos over hypnotic Magreb rhythms and vocals, its another great song.

Right after this Kuhn turns to European classical playing meditative, almost dreamy chamber piano compositions with just the two other trio members (no traces of African rhythms here). "Firehouse", the closing composition, is full of energy, dissonant piano, heavy rhythms - it is similar to Kuhn's works from his early years (no African influences at all again).

A very eclectic album with some really strong points, a bit unusual structure and at the end of the day - a really interesting one.

Slartibartfast Drop the vocal tracks and you'd have a pretty good album.

Eh, they aren't all that bad and I guess kind of obligatory for 1978. Suitable for airplay on one of those radio stations that had a "jazz" program. In Atlanta it was 94 Q's Jazz Flavors. I don't remember if they played anything off this album or not. But I digress. "Mi ii id night, da aa an cer, uh-uh." (just a little too disco) And hell, You're Still On My Mind could have been a successful pop ballad had it been played on the right stations.

The balance of the tracks on this album are smoking hot jazz rock/fusion, with the exception of Short Film For Nicki, which is a nice mellow piano solo from Joachim. Kuhn seems quite proud of his synthesizer array, four Rolands in all are detailed in the credits. Great cover art for this album. Fits nicely for the music.

Most notable for me was the prescence of Jan Akkerman on guitar, which is ironic because 1976's Springfever has Philip Catherine, who took Jan's place in Focus briefly.