Kuhn Fu

Rules-Breaking, Boundary-Defying Jazz Experience: Kuhn Fu Kuhn Fu takes the stage at Paribu Art on May 5th. This unconventional collective blends absurd humor with high virtuosity, turning the established rules of jazz upside down. Led by guitarist and composer Christian Kühn, this multicultural group treats music not as a discipline, but as a living organism, always ready to explode. In the world of Kuhn Fu, purity laws do not exist, and genre boundaries are temporary. As Frank Zappa’s anarchy meets cabaret, surf tones, metal riffs, Mingus’s freedom, Stravinsky’s hardness, and Moondog’s quirkiness move forward on the same track. The group changes direction the moment the listener thinks they have settled into the rhythm; surprise becomes the core working principle of Kuhn Fu. Comprising a powerful wind section and a hard, driving rhythm section, Kuhn Fu produces music that is as strange as it is beautiful, and as energetic as it is emotional. The music on stage swings between parody and great seriousness, carrying an energy that feels almost otherworldly. Shocking, funny, and somehow captivating moments are a natural part of this concert. Founded in Groningen, the Netherlands in 2012, Kuhn Fu has released six studio albums and two live recordings to date; they were nominated for "Composition of the Year" at the German Jazz Awards in 2023. Performing in over 400 concerts across 23 countries in Europe, the group can take the stage in various formations, from quartets to octets. Members of Kuhn Fu come from Germany, Turkey, the UK, Argentina, Israel, and Poland, gathering for tours during specific times of the year. The core lineup includes Christian Kühn (guitar/composition), Ziv Taubenfeld (bass clarinet), Esat Ekincioglu (bass guitar), and George Hadow (drums). With expanding lineups, the music played on stage feels as if anything could happen at any moment. This performance by Kuhn Fu at Paribu Art is a must-see for listeners who want to step out of jazz's safe zones, love surprises, and view music as a live, risky, and fun experience.