STEVE KUHN -Trance
ECM 674 3485
Steve Kuhn (acoustic and electric pianos); Steve Swallow (electric bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Sue Evans (percussion)
Recorded November 1974
After a number years of living in Europe, pianist Steve Kuhn returned the United States and it was only then that he began his fruitful association with ECM with whom he has recorded on a regular basis for the last forty odd years. This is a welcome re-issue of Kuhn's first recording for the imprint, and while a fascinating listen now sounds a little disjointed and frequently shows signs of schizophrenia in trying to cover multiple bases at the same time.
The pianist's trademarks are by now firmly in place, and intense sense of lyricism and swing inherent in all the pieces performed here. What is curious though is the apparent seesawing of roles within the compositions and roles of the musicians. Nothing seems completely settled, or given a sense of belonging and focus by following one path or the other. The title track find the quartet in a curious state of flux with piano and bass working along a different route from drums and percussion. From the beautiful opening piano theme, Swallow enters on bass with a repetitive motif that then DeJohnette and Evans seem occupy another space again, and it is this rhythmic dialogue between the two that strangely enough captures the attention.
Another piece for acoustic piano, 'Squirt' follows a similar path in that the theme and development, piano and rhythm section are often at odds, before things settle with 'The Sandhouse' where the music finally seems to coalesce with a patient and logical development that still retains a hint of the unknown. By contrast, 'Silver' is a solo piano piece that is full of drama from the tumultuous introduction and the brooding, meloncholy theme and the cascading of notes leading to the coda; and 'The Young Blade' has the quartet back pickingup a nice hook from Steve Swallow's electric bass and the percussion/drums team keep things moving along nicely, displacing the and disturbing the rhythmic flow with Kuhn soloing heroically over the top.
Where the album tends to see-saw between ideas is with the inclusion of electric piano on 'A Change Of Face' and 'Something Everywhere'. The former sits very close to the work of the early Return To Forever album by Chick Corea and recorded a couple of years earlier (also on ECM), with a bright and catchy melody, driving bass and effective use of drums and percussion. The second such piece 'Something Everywhere' cements this impression with a bass line that one can hear Stanley Clarke playing with RTF. Kuhn's touch on the electric keyboard is also very reminiscent of other exponents of the instrument, such as Corea and Zawinul, but perhaps lacking the colour and imagination of either to make a personal statement of his own.
Having said that, Trance is an enjoyable if not a definitive set, and when hearing Kuhn on the acoustic piano it is readily apparent that he was an important voice in the making.
ECM 674 3485
Steve Kuhn (acoustic and electric pianos); Steve Swallow (electric bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Sue Evans (percussion)
Recorded November 1974
After a number years of living in Europe, pianist Steve Kuhn returned the United States and it was only then that he began his fruitful association with ECM with whom he has recorded on a regular basis for the last forty odd years. This is a welcome re-issue of Kuhn's first recording for the imprint, and while a fascinating listen now sounds a little disjointed and frequently shows signs of schizophrenia in trying to cover multiple bases at the same time.
The pianist's trademarks are by now firmly in place, and intense sense of lyricism and swing inherent in all the pieces performed here. What is curious though is the apparent seesawing of roles within the compositions and roles of the musicians. Nothing seems completely settled, or given a sense of belonging and focus by following one path or the other. The title track find the quartet in a curious state of flux with piano and bass working along a different route from drums and percussion. From the beautiful opening piano theme, Swallow enters on bass with a repetitive motif that then DeJohnette and Evans seem occupy another space again, and it is this rhythmic dialogue between the two that strangely enough captures the attention.
Another piece for acoustic piano, 'Squirt' follows a similar path in that the theme and development, piano and rhythm section are often at odds, before things settle with 'The Sandhouse' where the music finally seems to coalesce with a patient and logical development that still retains a hint of the unknown. By contrast, 'Silver' is a solo piano piece that is full of drama from the tumultuous introduction and the brooding, meloncholy theme and the cascading of notes leading to the coda; and 'The Young Blade' has the quartet back pickingup a nice hook from Steve Swallow's electric bass and the percussion/drums team keep things moving along nicely, displacing the and disturbing the rhythmic flow with Kuhn soloing heroically over the top.
Where the album tends to see-saw between ideas is with the inclusion of electric piano on 'A Change Of Face' and 'Something Everywhere'. The former sits very close to the work of the early Return To Forever album by Chick Corea and recorded a couple of years earlier (also on ECM), with a bright and catchy melody, driving bass and effective use of drums and percussion. The second such piece 'Something Everywhere' cements this impression with a bass line that one can hear Stanley Clarke playing with RTF. Kuhn's touch on the electric keyboard is also very reminiscent of other exponents of the instrument, such as Corea and Zawinul, but perhaps lacking the colour and imagination of either to make a personal statement of his own.
Having said that, Trance is an enjoyable if not a definitive set, and when hearing Kuhn on the acoustic piano it is readily apparent that he was an important voice in the making.
