Easy To Read

A tasty trio date from this under-recognized pianist, accompanied by the fine rhythm tandem of J.F. Jenny-Clark and Daniel Humair. The album leaps into gear with the fiery "Guylene," a piece that finds Kuhn sounding like Hancock or Jarrett at their most aggressive, his bright tone cascading throughout. He has an innate lyricism that, in his softer moments, recalls Paul Bley. In fact, if criticism can be made, it's that Kuhn often sounds like pastiches of various players, although fine ones. It's a bit difficult to hear his own personality coming through. The longest cut, "Open de Trio," is apparently improvised and provides still more strong playing, the trio gradually working up a serious storm. Again, however, it sounds not dissimilar to recordings from other pianists from the mid-'60s on, straddling a mainstream, modal sound while venturing slightly into more dissonant territory. While Easy to Read is an enjoyable enough session, one wonders whether or not Kuhn had at this time found a really distinctive voice or whether it was his ample technique serving to keep him afloat. ~ Brian Olewnick|