...nobody could have guessed that March 15, 1944 would become a very important date in the world of jazz: On this day, Joachim Kühn, the younger brother of the renowned clarinettist Rolf Kühn, was born in Leipzig. His path to jazz was paved by his brother's inspiration after he had completed his training as a classical concert pianist. Kühn considers himself to be "the first jazz musician in the GDR", at a time when officially only "dance music" was played.

On his 80th birthday, Joachim Kühn enters the high plateau of his artistic career. His playing has left a distinctive mark on the musical landscape and blazed new trails. He unites the modern jazz tradition with European classical music and shapes an unmistakable musical language.

No other jazz pianist from Germany has helped to shape and write jazz history as much as he has.

We say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. KÜHN!