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Bouncing With Bud (In And Out Records) Rolf Kühn + NDR Big Band Rollercoaster ( Jazzwerkstatt 2008) Rolf Kühn + TRI-O More, more, more and more (Universal / MPS 2008)
Born in Cologne, he grew up in Leipzig.
Already at the age of 8, he began to study piano, music-theory and composition
with the well-known teacher Arthur Schmidt-Elsey in Leipzig, at the age of 12, the clarinet
became more important - studies with Hans Berninger, one of the leading clarinet players
at the Gewandhaus-Orchestra in Leipzig.
1948, only 17 years old, his first gig began with a BigBand at the radio station Leipzig; many
radio shows and live-concert as a feat. clarinet-soloist took place around Leipzig and Berlin.
Around 1950, he moved to West-Germany.
1950 - 1956, he played the lead-alto in the "RIAS-Orchestra".
Furthermore, he had his own quartet for radio programms and shows until 1956.
As best clarinet player, he was the winner of all "Jazz Polls" in Europe from 1954-1962.
1954, he met Buddy DeFranco in Berlin, DeFranco persuaded him to go to the U.S.A.
1956 first performances in N.Y. with Caterina Valente
as her personal conductor and clarinettist
1957 "Down Beat"-Poll-winner in the "clarinet new star" division
He met John Hammond (the brother-in-law and mentor of Benny Goodman),
who had a keen interest in his work and formed a quartet for him.
Performances took place at "Birdland" N.Y., "Blue Note" Chicago, "Newport Jazz Festival" (1957) for instance with John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, J.J. Johnson,Chet Baker,Zoot Sims.
1958-1960 two years of work with Benny Goodman's band,
afterwards 2 years in Tommy Dorsey's orchestra
From 1962 on Charles Mackerras taught him conducting.
From 1962-1968 Rolf Kühn became the director of the studio orchestra for TV in Hamburg (NDR).
Besides, tours with Friedrich Gulda in Austria and Germany and with the German All Stars a tour to
South America for the "Goethe Institut".
Played at "Newport-Festival" with Jimmy Garrison, Aldo Romano and Joachim Kühn,
recorded an album ("Impressions of New York") for the "impulse"-label with the same personnel
Many recordings for the MPS-label with Albert Mangelsdorff, Daniel Humair, Palle Danielson,
N.H.O. Petersen, Randy Brecker, Chick Corea, Joachim Kühn a.o.
Since 1968 commissions as a composer for TV and films, a couple of years later Rolf Kühn
became the musical director at "Theater des Westens", Berlin and conducted several premières ("Jesus Christ Superstar", "Chicago", "Grand Hotel", "Blue Jeans" "EinsZweiDrei","Follies","Guys and Dolls","Happy End", "Sweet Charity","I do I do","Damn Yankees","I´m getting my act together")
Concerts as a jazz clarinettist with own groups
Compositions for Eddie Daniels and Sabine Meyer (EMI-label)
1996 & 1998 Germany-tour with the "New Clarinet Connection"
together with Buddy DeFranco and Eddie Daniels
2001 Germany-Sweden-tour with Putte Wickman and Ken Peplowski
2004 birthday-celebration-tour with Joachim Kühn, new duo-CD “love stories”
October 2004: opening night for a new musical for children “Münchhausen junior” (music: Rolf Kühn, book & lyrics: Michael Frowin)in Friedrichstadtpalast, Berlin
newest CD's:
Brothers together with Joachim Kühn, p
Affairs - Rolf Kühn & friends" (intuition / Schott)
with Albert Mangelsdorff, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Ornette Coleman a.o.
INSIDEOUT (intuition/Schott) with Michael Brecker, Till Brönner, Lee Konitz a.o.
Internal Eyes with Martial Solal, Bob Mintzer, Peter Erskine
Smile - Famous Themes From Hollywood - with RIAS Big Band, Cologne Voices & Max Raabe
Love stories Duo Joachim Kühn / Rolf Kühn