John Klemmer - Music '1989

Tracks list

Tracklist:

1. High Love (07:14)
2. Music (03:38)
3. Yesterday, Today, And Tomorrow (08:39)
4. Get Hip (04:58)
5. The Gift Of Music (01:03)
6. If This Ain't Love... What Is? (04:58)
7. The Fire Of Love (09:37)
8. Music (Instrumental) (04:20)
9. My Love, My Life, My Love (07:38)
10. Music (Enamorata) (02:59)
11. Touch (Version 2) (07:06)
12. Glass Dolphins (Version 2) (03:53)
13. Sleeping Eyes (Version 2) (07:19)
14. Touch (Version 2 Reprise) (02:04)


 moreJohn Klemmer began playing music at a young age, starting with the
guitar and switching to tenor sax by high school. In addition to private music
lessons that continued up through college, he also attended Interlochen's music
camp. In school, Klemmer studied a variety of arts including graphics and visual
arts, writing, and puppeteering at schools that include Chicago's Institute of
Art. Early on in his music career, Klemmer led his own groups at gigs around the
East Coast and Midwest, and was also busy touring as a sideman with big bands.
Among the people he worked with during this time are jazz musicians such as
Chicago pianist Jodie Christian, tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris, rock guitarist
Harvey Mandel (with whom Klemmer purportedly co-led a band for a time in the
'60s), and producer James Guercio (who worked extensively with the band
Chicago). Klemmer made his debut recording as a leader in 1967 and moved to Los
Angeles the following year. There he became a key soloist with Don Ellis's
innovative big band for the next two years, while also working with artists such
as Tim Buckley and Oliver Nelson, with whom Klemmer went on a State Dept. tour
of West Africa.

From this time, up through the early '70s, John Klemmer led fusion groups and
recorded a number of albums, primarily for Cadet Records. After studying film
composition with Albert Harris, Klemmer began recording for other labels: first
Impulse, then ABC, MCA, and Elektra. He also worked as a producer for pop, jazz
,and R&B artists. Klemmer's own music gained cross-over appeal, as his work with
manager's Bill Siddons (who worked with the Doors) and Gary Borman (who went on
to work with Faith Hill) brought his music to a growing number of pop listeners.
With his electrified horn (using an echoplex), Klemmer recorded popular albums
for MCA and Elektra that were in the easy listening, pop vein from the mid-'70s
through the late '80s. He enjoyed a hit record with Touch and went on to record
solo sax albums such as Cry, which are considered by some to be direct
predecessors of smooth jazz music.

Klemmer alternated the more pop-oriented projects with fiery efforts; his finest
jazz album was the two-LP set Nexus (mostly reissued on CD), a set of duets and
trios with drums and occasional bass. In 1989, Music came out on MCA and Klemmer
went on sabbatical, choosing to stop touring and recording in order to focus
more on composing. Although it was rumored that this sabbatical was due to
health problems, this is not true; it was simply Klemmer's decision to take a
break from the limelight.

John Klemmer has co-written pop songs (for other artists) with, namely, David
Batteau (the two wrote the successful song "Walk in Love," made popular by
Manhattan Transfer) and Danny O'Keefe; the music on Klemmer's own jazz albums is
composed solo. The late '90s found Klemmer returning to the stage, often on the
West Coast scene. He also returned to the studio, guesting on albums by such new
age artists as 3rd Force, David Arkenstone, and Craig Chaquico. During this
time, Klemmer also founded his own record label, Touch Records, on which he
released the albums Simpatico and Making Love, Vol. 1 (1998). By 2000, most of
John Klemmer's earlier recordings were still awaiting CD issue. © Scott Yanow



John Klemmer - Music.rar - 470.0 MB

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