When it comes down to tone, Steve Kuhn is one of the most expressive pianists of the post-war generation. Kuhn was taught by the legendary Margaret Chaloff, the piano teacher from whom he learned the so-called "Russian technique", a way of playing that is indispensable to master a certain touch and projection of tone. Already at 13, Kuhn was asked by his teacher's son, the famous baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff who played with Woody Herman, to come and play with his band. After that, he played with John Coltrane and Stan Getz, among others, and led a trio with Scott LaFaro on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums. In 1979 the trio became a quartet with the addition of singer Sheila Jordan. Their album Playground (1979) is one of the classic jazz albums. Sheila Jordan (79) began her career in the trio Skeeter, Mitch and Jean (Jordan was Jean), a trio that put lyrics to the music of Charlie Parker. She was later discovered by George Russell, the patriarch of modal jazz. Home, an album she recorded with Steve Swallow and Steve Kuhn, is one of the highlights of her long career.
