101 Places New York

Boundaries, whether geographical or musical - for piano player Joachim Kühn they only exist to be passed. Boundaries between East and West, Europe and America, modern concert music and jazz and, more specifically, between various styles of jazz - during his career he has passed them all and still keeps doing so. Leipzig, Hamburg, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, and again Hamburg and Paris have been the stopping places of his journey; classical music, dixie, hard bop, free jazz, free rock, fusion, and European improvised music the stages of his artistic career. To him, changing places means giving expression to new stylistic positions and, at the same time, finding fresh sources of inspiration. However, Kühn is not a musical chameleon perfectly adapting itself to any given context. A virtuoso of the black and white keys, he is internationally considered one of the outstanding and most unique voices of European jazz.

After the release of Mardi Gras in 1975, Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennack) left Atlantic Records. In late 1977, he signed with A&M's Horizon imprint – a label whose purpose was to showcase the jazz side of its parent company. City Lights is the better of two recordings he cut there. Produced by Tommy LiPuma and Hugh McCracken, City Lights was recorded at New York's Hit Factory Studios with a band of studio aces: drummer Steve Gadd, guitarists Cornell Dupree and John Tropea, bassist Will Lee, and Richard Tee as an additional keyboardist; Arthur Jenkins added percussive effects. The five-piece horn section included both David Sanborn and Ronnie Cuber. What's really startling, however, is the material. For most of the 1970s, Rebennack had been playing well-known tunes by other Crescent City luminaries and pop songwriters, contributing precious little of his material to his albums. On City Lights he wrote or co-wrote everything on the set. His songwriting partner for part of this date was none other than Doc Pomus. The best of both men is captured on the opener, "Dance the Night Away with You," a strolling New Orleans R&B number.

Shawn Phillips is my guru, a spiritual guide if you will. After listening to this album I am always infused with energy and good will and feel I have the strength to carry on no matter what is pulling me down in life. Shawn is my candidate for the most overlooked / underrated musician of our time, he’s an extremely fine musician and vocalist with an incredible vocal range that will blow your mind.

Over the years Mr. Phillips has worked with Peter Robinson quite a bit, you might know him from Quatermass (the band). Peter Robinson shines quite a bit on Rumplestiltskin's Resolve, another Quatermass alum (John Gustafson on bass) shows up on the “Spiteful” track.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. He was honored in 1884 by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension.