Cologne Jazzweek: KUU!

A few years ago, singer and actress Jelena Kuljić, born in 1976 in Zrenanjin, Serbia, performed in theatre productions with Berlin-based Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima. During the breaks, the two experimented with all kinds of new music, rock and jazz - and realised that the proverbial chemistry between them was right. This duo, which was formed by chance, was soon to be given a broader framework as KUU! Kuljić and Kalima brought in aesthetically adequate partners in guitarist Frank Möbus and drummer Christian Lillinger, who are indeed capable of spanning a wide stylistic range with them on an ad hoc basis. KUU! is now a collectively organised and stylistically eclectic band that unabashedly takes up controversial political themes in its lyrics and processes them in a sometimes loudly rocking, sometimes harshly grooving and often tonally varied ambience.