Alexander Sandi Kuhn - The Ambiguity of Light (2013) [Hi-Res]

It sounds like a funny promotion story, but in the case of Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn it is actually true. His sensitivity to light has been the cause for many sleepless nights but also made a big contribution to the making of his second album as a saxophonist and bandleader - „The Ambiguity of Light“.

Till recently, Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn was living on a federal art scholarship in New York City to connect with its jazz scene and to get new impulses for his music and playing. His home was situated next to an intersection, which was surrounded by a large number of neon signs. At first, the interplay of the changing lights that were reflected on the walls of his room gave him a lot of sleepless nights. However, after a while this visual phenomena became a great source of inspiration and he spent countless hours in front of this vivid scenery writing the music for his new album. The pieces he composed in his nightly sessions mirror this vibrant play of colors. Kuhn succeeds in putting his musical ideas in various colorful contexts, always displaying a distinct voice as a writer. The melodies he works with are often kept simple and catchy but enfold a profound depth and meaningfulness through their carefully created harmonic settings.

His first album „Being Different“ (Personality Records 2011) already received critical acclaim and was referred to as a „very promising debut“ (JazzThing) that „casts a spell on the listener and captures him from the first minute till the very end“ (Jazzpodium). For his new release - with saxophone, voice, vibraphone, guitar, upright bass and drums – he chose a very colorful instrumentation and collaborated with some of his highly esteemed international colleagues. Besides his long-time musical peers Jens Loh on bass and Axel Pape on drums, the record features Song Yi Jeon from Boston on vocals, Julius Heise from Berlin on vibraphone and Syberen van Munster from New York on guitar. Together they accomplish to project a distinct and opalescent band sound, which leaves plenty of room for bright individual statements.

Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn, saxophone
Song Yi Jeon, vocals
Syberen van Munster, guitar
Julius Heise, vibraphone
Jens Loh, bass
Axel Pape, drums

Tracklist:
01. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - The Ambiguity of Light (6:36)
02. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - Branches (Hangin' in Vienna) (7:27)
03. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - Growing (5:59)
04. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - Leaving (6:34)
05. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - Sustainable Happiness (8:00)
06. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - Long Time, No See (5:20)
07. Alexander 'Sandi' Kuhn - When All Is Said and Done (4:18)