German-born trumpeter and composer Steffen Kuehn must be considered as one of the rising stars in today’s popular Jazz music with a unique voice that already appeals to many music lovers around the globe!
With the release of his latest album “Trumpop,” Steffen Kuehn shines a new light on the Smooth Jazz scene. It showcases his affinity for R&B and Hip-Hop based tracks, swings with the moves of Classic Jazz and embraces the rhythm and spice of Latin music. “Trumpop” dives into Smooth Jazz with substance!
Since its release in March 2008, the CD “Trumpop” has been in the Smoothjazz.com Top 50 Indie Radio Charts for 23 weeks and has received thousands of spins and airplay nationally and worldwide (February 2009). “Trumpop” was in the running for a 2009 Grammy nomination for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album.”
Steffen’s unique writing also secured him a publishing deal with LA publisher Monica Benson’s “Wild Pink Music” company. This resulted in the placement of the title track “Trumpop” in the Miramax movie “Birthday Girl,” starring Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin. In addition, his original Latin Jazz composition “One for Louie” was placed in the USA Cable Network summer blockbuster series “Burn Notice,” and aired in February 2009. Six out of the seven originals off the “Trumpop” release have also been signed to “Wild Pink Music.”
Steffen has headlined and/or performed at many festivals and major clubs internationally and nationally, including the Bayerischer Hof and Jazz Club Unterfahrt (Munich/Germany), Staatsoper Wien (Vienna/Austria), Zeltmusikfestival Freiburg (Freiburg/Germany), Open Air Festival Konstanz (Konstanz/Germany), Azucar Cancun (Cancun/Mexico), Messehalle Dresden (Dresden/Germany), Quasimodo Berlin (Berlin/Germany), San Jose Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival @ Stanford, The Knitting Factory (Boise), Jazz & Blues By The Bay (Sausalito), Yoshi’s Jazz Club San Francisco and Oakland, Kuumbwa Jazz (Santa Cruz), Oakland City Center Fall Music Jazz Series, Jazz at Pearl’s San Francisco, Sonoma Jazz and many other venues.
He has performed, recorded and/or worked with (selection):
The Temptations, Brian Culbertson, Dusko Gojkovic Big Band, The Platters, Marilyn McCoo, John Handy, Conexion Latina, Al Porcino Big Band, Mark Levine, Chico Freeman, Tim Hagans, Ray Obiedo, Hector Martignon, Kenny Werner, Ray DeLa Paz, The 4 Tops, Ray Sepulveda, Lydia Pense & Cold Blood and many more.
Read more...