About
Not only the band name is martial. In their „Jazz Rock Psychedelia", the band KUHN FU of guitarist, composer and master of ceremonies, Christian Kühn, turns everything through the improvisational wolf. Zappa meets cabaret, surf sounds and metal riffs ride the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, while Shakespeare, Brecht and Monty Python are the godfathers.
KUHN FU has developed a unique and very idiosyncratic form of jazz rock (or rock jazz), between parody and a great seriousness with which they allude to musical blinders. The comedy that is always present in KUHN FU's music does not take away from its intensity.
Originally formed as quartet, KUHN FU exists in many forms, from quartet up to septet, octet and nonet. The core members are Ziv Taubenfeld (bass clarinet), Esat Ekincioglu (bass) and George Hadow (drums). Since 2021 the band grew to include musicians such as John Dikeman (tenors sax), Sofia Salvo (baritone saxophone), Frank Gratkowski (alto sax, clarinet, flute) and Tobias Delius (tenor sax, carinet) who play the compositions with great panache.
KUHN FU has played over 400 concerts in 23 countries.
Rhythm Section
Christian Kühn (guitar, composition)
is the German bandleader who moves like a rat on stage. He has been accused of schizophrenia by the jazz press and is constantly fighting a war against "the invisible jazz wall". He lives in Berlin, loves Duke Ellington, Shostakovich, Rock n Roll and his red telecaster.
Esat Ekincioglu (bass)
Esat Ekincioglu is a Turkish/Dutch bass player, improviser, composer and manager based in Groningen, the Netherlands. A versatile and in-demand bass player, Esat spends much of the year on the road, playing throughout Europe, the Near East and China.
George Hadow (drums)
George Hadow is an English drummer originally from South-West Devon, England. He relocated to Amsterdam in 2012 after attending the Dutch Impro Academy the year prior, where he is now a prominent figure in the avant-garde scene.
Horn Section
Ziv Taubenfeld (bass clarinet)
Ziv Taubenfeld is a bass clarinetist born in the Galil region, Northern Israel. After establishing himself as a key figure in Amsterdam's jazz and improvised music community, he recently relocated to Lisbon. While improvisation is at the core of Taubenfeld's work, his main project- Full Sun- often engages with large form compositions. Recent collaborations include Hamid Drake, Carlos "Zingaro", and Michael Moore among others.
Sofia Salvo (baritone saxophone)
Sofía Salvo is a baritone sax player and improviser from Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently living in Berlin, Germany. Her performances include a strong combination between acoustic noisy sounds and dark introspective melodies. She has been a fixture in the Berlin impro scene since her arrival 2020.
John Dikeman (tenor saxophone)
John Dikeman is an American saxophonist currently residing in Amsterdam. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, John's playing runs the gamut of improvised music and technique, ranging from reductionist extended technique based improvisation to full throttle free jazz.
Frank Gratkowski (alto sax, clarinet, flute)
Born in Hamburg in 1963, Frank Gratkowski is one of the most prolific saxophone and clarinet players worldwide. He studied with Heiner Wiberny, Charlie Mariano, Sal Nistico, and Steve Lacy.
Kuhn fu has played many gigs in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Turkey, and Israel.
If you like the music, please contact us for a gig or simply show us your love by sharing it with your friends.
We hope to see you at a concert!
