As pianist Joachim Kühn mentions in the album’s sleeve notes, he gave sixteen concerts with the great saxophonist Ornette Coleman between 1995 and 2000. “Before each concert, Ornette wrote ten new songs, which we would work out and record in his Harmolodic studio in Harlem for a week. Since he wanted me to supply the chords (sounds) for his melodies, I was directly involved in the composition process. After the concert, these pieces were never played again. Now I am the only one who has all the recordings and the sheet music of the 170 pieces. So now, after about twenty years, I have reassembled and recorded them for solo piano. Apart from Lonely Woman, none of these pieces were ever released by Ornette Coleman.” This fascinating collection helped Kühn author a high-class solo album. At 75 years old, he has added some of the free-jazz diktats to his repertoire and is now armed with a rather broad range of shades. He approaches this aptly titled Melodic Ornette Coleman without disrupting the narrative or melodic weave. And because this is Joachim Kühn, the improvisations are anything but plain. In his most melancholic moments, the German pianist still unveils harrowing facets of his musical personality. Superb! © Marc Zisman/Qobuz