Paul Kuhn (March 12, 1928, Wiesbaden – September 23, 2013, Bad Wildungen) was a versatile German-Swiss pianist, bandleader, singer, and composer. At the age of eight, he performed as an accordionist at the 1936 Funkausstellung in Berlin, where he earned the nickname “Paulchen.”
His love for jazz emerged during his teenage years, despite the restrictions of the Nazi era. After the war, he studied at the Wiesbaden Conservatory and began performing as a jazz pianist, including for the American Forces Network.
In the 1950s, Kuhn gained fame with schlager hits such as “Der Mann am Klavier” (1954) and “Es gibt kein Bier auf Hawaii” (1963), making him a household name in Germany. From 1968 to 1980, he led the SFB Big Band, frequently appearing on television shows like Paul’s Party. After the band disbanded, he founded his own orchestra in Cologne and accompanied artists such as Peter Alexander.
From the 1990s onward, he returned to jazz with the Paul Kuhn Trio. His final album, The L.A. Session (2013), recorded in Los Angeles, received critical acclaim. Kuhn passed away in 2013 at the age of 85, leaving behind a rich musical legacy.
35 recordings by Paul Kuhn you can hear on Instrumentals Forever:
(They Long To Be) Close To You • A Taste Of Honey – Apples And Onions • Alone Together • Big Mama Cass • Bonanza • Bye Bye Blues • Caravan • Day By Day • Desafinado – Canto de Ossanha • El Cumbanchero – Tristeza • Get Down • Goodbye, My Love Goodbye • Ich küsse ihre Hand Madame – Wenn du einmal dein Herz verschenkst • I’d Love You To Want Me • Jailhouse-Rock – Midnight Special • Kauf dir einen bunten Luftballon – Du stehst nicht im Adreßbuch • Killing Me Softly • Mademoiselle Ninette • Memphis Underground • My One And Only Love • Ooh Baby • Popcorn • Rush Hour • Santa Maria – Bridge Over Troubled Water • Saturday Night • Schwarze Augen • Song Sung Blue • Strippin • Super Trouper – A Little Olé • Taka Takata • The Shadow Of Your Smile – Spanish Eyes • The Windmills Of Your Mind • Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree – Be Happy And Smile, My Love • Woman In Love • You Are The Sunshine Of My Life •
