Pianist Steve Kuhn, born in 1938, is celebrating his birthday. Let’s celebrate with him as he, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Billy Drummond play Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation.†Kuhn’s unaccompanied introduction explores a harmonic relationship between the Parker piece and the 1940s hit “The Masquerade Is Over.†In the improvisation, Kuhn, Swallow and Drummond explore their own close relationship.
Kuhn’s most recent album includes Swallow and drummer Joey Baron. Full disclosure: I wrote the liner notes.