Shuteen Erdenebaatar & Nils Kugelmann - Under The Same Stars

Following her internationally acclaimed and multi-award-winning 2023 debut, Rising Sun, pianist Shuteen Erdenebaatar returns with Under the Same Stars, an exquisite duo album with the rising ACT Music artist Nils Kugelmann on contra-alto clarinet and upright bass.

Meditative, romantic and daring, this duo paints poetic miniatures with strokes of jazz, classical and cinematic music. Alto Recorder and Mongolian horsehead fiddle features add soulful mystery.

This sophomore release from rising piano star Shuteen Erdenebaatar precedes her orchestral debut, Beyond the Moon, in 2026.

Erdenebaatar’s quartet, with Kugelmann on bass, tours widely to sold-out venues in Germany and beyond. They won a 2024 German Jazz Prize for Ensemble Of The Year and she was nominated for Pianist Of The Year. Meanwhile, Kugelmann, a rising bassist / composer on the ACT label, is also well loved in Germany. This marks his third album as a leader. Both artists receive acclaim for ‘beyond their years’ wisdom and artistry.

This exquisite crossover album reveals these artists’ highly refined sensibilities. Each trained heavily in classical music before turning to improvisational jazz.

The contra-alto clarinet combined with piano in this contemporary-classical- meets-jazz setting proves an ideal showcase for the mysterious majesty of this rarely featured instrument. Adding additional depth to the program are haunting features by the Mongolian horsehead fiddle played by Erdenebaatar compatriot, Dalaijagel Daansuren, and an exceptional moment on alto- recorder by Jakob Manz.

While Erdenebaatar was raised with strict classical training in Mongolia’s capital, Kugelmann freely explored multiple disciplines in a quiet Munich suburb. They fell in love pursuing Masters degrees at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts. Now partners in life and music, their charmed story is expected to spark both jazz and mainstream press interest Germany, Mongolia and internationally.

Since the release of her debut in 2023, Erdenebaatar has become a respected star in her homeland. She won Mongolia's top cultural honour, the Mungun Mod Award in 2024, (a first for the jazz genre in that country), and a documentary about Shuteen’s story is now in production.