An Encounter with Higher Forces

Live at Birdland Neuburg

Get Out Now! - Jazzthing Next Generation, Vol. 2

Monk's Corner

Elements

Years of a Trilogy

Face to Face - Live at the Jazzfest Berlin '99

TALK OF THE TOWN

Joana's Dance

METTISSE

surfiction jazz No. 2

The fact that Axel Kuhn called his new trio album “Zeitgeist” leads us to understand it programmatically. “We do not want to be the umpteenth variant of a conventional piano trio, which too often sounds like Brad Mehldau and employs this typical jazz approach.” For the 35-year-old bassist and his congenial long-time partners Ull Mock on piano and Marcel Gustke on bass, it is more about rejuvenating jazz with current grooves and catchy melodies from pop and rock. It is not at all a matter of currying favor superficially and riding smoothly on populist trends, but on the contrary to fit the sound of this generation into the parameters of jazz with optimum virtuosity, intelligence and sustainability. Axel Kuhn has been considered as one of the most interesting figures in the contemporary music scene in Germany. He is a go-getting, versatile bandleader, bassist and composer, who already has participated on 20 recordings. Ull Mock did not undergo any typical jazz socialization, but instead slowly found his way to popular music and jazz from classical music. He and Marcel Gustke have a kind of spiritual kinship to Axel Kuhn and together form a musical organism, moving conficently between stylistic boundaries without thereby nipping the individual strengths of the protagonists in the bud.

Who is Katie Cruel? A real person? The pseudonym of an artist? Neither. This is the title of a folk song from the last century, which came to America via Scotland during the period of the Civil War. It deals with a mysterious woman whose social behavior did not necessarily coincide with social norms. However, that is precisely the reason why it is unique and difficult to define. The musical liaison between the American guitarist Geoff Goodman and the Albanian singer Fjoralba Turku is also called "Katie Cruel" now. As a result, fruitful and successful collaboration of many years has finally foun dan appropriate name. Not like those jazz bands who call themselves after the initiator of the respective project and then add a conservative term such as "Quartet", "Trio" or "Duo" behind it. Or those who want to appear smart, trendy and modern and give their ensemble a peppy, ganish name. No, simply Katie Cruel. It fits. It directs you neither to this nor that pigeonhole, because Goodman and Turku are also actually unique in their own way, do not fit into any pre-conceived pattern and their musical philosophy is even more difficult to define than previously, especially just after their debut album "The Roving Jewel".

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