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• JOHN KLEMMER: CHATEAU  LOVE (Touch Records USA/BFD/Orchard)
• May 10, 2024
• By Bill Buckley

JOHN KLEMMER is a veteran US jazz sax man with a lengthy and distinguished career. He debuted as a leader way back in 1967 with the album ‘Involvement’ – the first of his LPs for the famed Chess/Cadet label. Since then Klemmer has seen trends come and go. Indeed some commentators suggest, with some justification, that Klemmer has been in the vanguard of establishing various jazz sub genres – jazz-fusion, smooth jazz, spiritual jazz and ambient jazz amongst them. You can hear those shadings and a lot more on ‘Chateau Love’, our man’s latest album – his first for over 26 years!

The album is a 12 tracker. All tunes were composed and produced by Klemmer and such is his standing in the jazz community that he can call on some stellar players as  sidemen. Thus on ‘Chateau Love’ you can relish the craft of bassist Abe Laboriel Sr., drummer Harvey Mason Sr., percussionist Lenny Castro, keyboardist Ronnie Foster and acoustic guitar maestro John Tropea. Klemmer leads with tenor and soprano saxophone along with synth, piano and vocal contributions and between them these jazz stars deliver  an expressive and emotional soundscape; it’s  subtle and never over-wrought – grown up music if you would!

The album opens with the brief title track . Klemmer (who narrates the track) explains that ‘Chateau Love’ can be  real, imagined or a concept that you can go to. He adds that it can be anywhere, or it can be your own invention. It’s your place for seclusion, intimacy, relaxation or romance. And those are the themes and emotions that the rest of the album expands on.

Amongst the album’s other focus tracks are ‘Love Divine’  which Klemmer describes as “ the ultimate groove of celebration, of discovery, of mutual attraction .” Here the lead sax lines are enhanced by the sensual minimalist vocals (more cooing, really) of Katie Christopher. The there’s the lengthy (it’s over 10 minutes) ‘Islands in the Sun’ . Here the reassuring vocal is down to Darlene Koldenhoven. Klemmer himself takes to the mic on ‘You Are The One’ – the sincerity of the lyrical pledge shines through.

Elsewhere, the track titles hint at what you can expect form the sonics –‘Heartbeat’, ‘Smile’, ‘Beautiful Words’  and ’Dreams’ need little explanation. All of those tunes (indeed  any of the ones mentioned above too) deliver warmth and intimacy, relaxation and reflection. Klemmer may have been away for 20 years or more but his craft and commitment to it has altered not one jot!

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John Klemmer

United states , jazz funk, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, discography.

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John Klemmer

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John Klemmer is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, song writer and arranger.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois and began playing guitar at age 5 and alto saxophone at age 11. His other early interests included graphics and visual art, writing, dance, puppetry, painting, sculpting and poetry. He studied at schools that include The Art Institute of Chicago and began touring with various local midwest "ghost big bands" [Les Elgart, Woody Herman] as well as playing with small local jazz and rock groups. After switching to tenor saxophone in high school, Klemmer participated actively in the local Chicago jazz scene, playing with commercial small groups and big bands while leading his own groups in the Chicago area and touring.

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John Klemmer at Golden Bear, Huntington Beach, CA, USA

John klemmer at sdsu open air theatre, san diego state university, san diego, ca, usa, john klemmer at dr. pepper summer music festival 1979, john klemmer at dorothy chandler pavilion, los angeles, ca, usa, john klemmer at starlight bowl, burbank, ca, usa, john klemmer at concord pavilion, concord, ca, usa, john klemmer at sunrise musical theater, sunrise, fl, usa, john klemmer at fox theater, atlanta, ga, usa.

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Home » Jazz Musicians » John Klemmer

John Klemmer

• Has Influenced

John Klemmer began playing guitar at age 5. After interests in graphics and visual art & writing with ambitions of being dancer, puppeteer, painter, sculptor, writer, & poet, at schools that include The Chicago Institute of Art, he began alto sax at age 11 switching to tenor sax by high school. In addition to extensive private lessons in piano, conducting, harmony, theory, composition, arranging, clarinet, flute & classical & jazz saxophone, that continued up through college, he also attended Interlochen's National Music Camp with the highest of accolades.

Upon graduating from High School, Klemmer, at an incredibly early age, signed with legendary Cadet/Chess Records in 1967, recording five plus albums, including his innovative hit album of the first of the jazz/rock fusion genre, "BLOWIN GOLD". Being a Chess Records Recording Artist availed him access to recording sessions & exposure to such artists & friends, Muddy Waters, Donny Hathaway, Phil Upchurch, Pete Cosey, Richard Evans, Minnie Riperton & Maurice White expanding his knowledge of R&B, Blues & Pop music. During this time he explored electronic saxophone developing his now trademark "delay" sound to create an ethereal, haunting & lovely "chord like" sound. Klemmer led his own groups touring the East Coast and Midwest, using the cream of the now legendary chicago sideman. He did his first PBS special for WTTTV Chicago.

He was also busy touring as sideman exploring every genre of Music in the rich Chicago scene with a variety of big bands, blues bands, dixieland groups, small Jazz groups, avant garde jazz groups, rock, R&B & pop groups as well as classical music & the cream of Chicago's jazz, rock, blues, pop & r&b musicians including rock guitarist Harvey Mandel & James Guercio (Original Producer of Blood, Sweat & Tears & Chicago) & many others.

He then moved to Los Angeles the following year where, for a very brief time, he was key soloist & arranger with The Don Ellis's innovative big band, touring Africa with Oliver Nelson for the State Dept., while also working with such diverse Artists as Tim Buckley etc. all while studying film composing with Albert Harris & vocal lessons with Seth Riggs. He primarily focused on continuing his jazz/fusion recordings for the Chess/Cadet label performing & touring including the Newport & Monterey Jazz Festivals, Antibes Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood, & Montreux Jazz Festival Live Recording & T.V. Broadcasts.

His new location in L.A., at the height of the "Rock Explosion" exposed him to the then exploding music of the late 60's & early 70's on concerts with Janis Joplin etc. & local L.A. Rock groups & musicians. He incorporated these new styles etc. in his recordings for Cadet Concept/Chess & Impulse! records, constantly breaking new ground, broadening & increasing his critical interest & acclaim & fan base.

Klemmer then signed with legendary Impulse! Records, briefly returning to more direct jazz genres & after a reflective 2 year sabbatical decided to completely change, again, musical direction, by then moving to ABC & MCA Records, pursuing a more "commercial" musical direction, combining all of his early blues, r&b & pop roots. At this time he returned to his early ambitions as pop songewriter co-writing with many songwriters including Danny 'Okeefe etc. & with David Batteau, penning the Manhattan Transfer UK hit, "Walk In Love" with more recordings by Freda Payne etc. He also worked as a producer for pop, jazz & R&B artists. He did rare guest soloist performances for Steely Dan, John Lee Hooker, Nancy Wilson & Roy Haynes etc.

Klemmer's own music gained massive world wide cross-over appeal with his now landmark classic recordings of "TOUCH" & the many to follow in that genre, considered by many now as "the first" Smooth Jazz genre recordings. His associations with noted former Doors manager, Bill Siddons and Faith Hill, Keith Urban & James Taylor manager, Gary Borman, helped Klemmer expose his music to a growing number of pop listeners. He toured extensively primarily as headliner & with "package tours" with George Benson & Herbie Hancock etc. plus numerous T.V. appearance's arranged by The William Morris Agency.

His variety of projects earned him a massive crossover appeal. This massive commercial success, after his earlier years of jazz & jazz/rock fusion recordings, caused some controversy. "I believe that I most likely moved to fast in changing musical directions not affording people to absorb what I was doing at the time before moving on & changing again. There has been some confusion as to "who & what John Klemmer is. I seem to be different things to different people based upon which "period" of my music they are both aware of & prefer", Klemmer concludes. During these recordings he expanded his musical palette to include, kalimba, flutes, keyboards, percussion, vocal narration, vocalise & solo vocal. At this time he further developed his innovative Solo Sax Concept, started many years earlier in Chicago, by recording the now classic "CRY" [Solo Sax I] & further recordings such as LIFE [Solo Sax II] helping to, many say, usher in the New Age phenomenon.

He continued recording exclusively for MCA with a brief departure, recording the now considered Classic "straight ahead jazz" offering, "Nexus for Duo & Trio", at personal request of Clive Davis, for Arista/RCA Records, followed by occasional special projects recordings such as duo recordings with Joe Sample. He then took another of his many "breaks" & "sabbaticals" to rest, search & find his next musical direction.

After this lengthy stay at MCA/UNIVERSAL Records he then, upon urging of legendary Music Mogul Joe Smith, moved to Elektra Records recording five albums. He yet included more vocals & advanced in a more "Instrumental Pop" direction for himself & his still growing audience. John considers himself to be primarily a composer & conceptulizer & then a saxophone player etc. His cross-over appeal grew with each Elektra album over the years.

After another brief sabbatical following his departure from Elektra records, he returned to Universal Records with GRP & VERVE, where his primary vast catalog of recordings rest. His controversial recording "MUSIC" used innovative extensive sampling which was to follow being a staple of popular recording. Klemmer's songs & recordings has been sampled by a vast amount of artists including The Beastie Boys & DJ KRUSH etc.

After more recordings & touring, Klemmer took his most, of many, controversial & long sabbaticals, focusing on rest, reflection & composing with, to many, the sudden & unannounced departure, causing a myriad of false rumors including health problems etc. Klemmer's decision to take a well deserved & needed break & rest from the limelight after creating, performing & recording non-stop for decades, was fertile ground for yet more composing & recordings to come.

After a lengthy sabbatical he returned to the stage & touring & recording guesting on albums by such New Age artists such as 3rd Force, David Arkenstone, and Craig Chaquico etc. Klemmer founded his own "vanity" record label, TOUCH RECORDS, for special releases along with his major label releases. He released the albums, "Simpatico", "Rio" [Vol. I & II] and "Making Love" [Vol. 1].

He continued his long relationship with UNIVERSAL/VERVE/GRP Records with the release of "The Very Best of John Klemmer", featuring three bonus new tracks as a prelude to yet another new direction, utilizing much of the new digital technology etc. while yet returning to acoustic & analog roots. His vast catalogs from ELEKTRA & UNIVERSAL/VERVE are now being digitally re-released.

Klemmer, considered by many to be innovator, visionary & trend setter, releases new recordings & continues to tour & perform while continuing his pop song writing collaborations, composing & saxophone innovations.

John Klemmer: Making Love

by Dave Hughes February 1, 1999

In a way, tenor saxophonist John Klemmer was twenty years ahead of his time. Klemmer was popular and prolific from the mid-seventies through the early eighties with a series of sensual, syrupy albums that were perfect for mellowing out or making out. They made the perfect aural backdrop for candlelight dinners, bubble baths, or snuggling by the fire. The "smooth jazz" format was made for material such as this. (Prior to his 1975 breakout album,Touch, Klemmer was into ...

John Klemmer: Waterfalls

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers November 14, 2019

Like the Fender Rhodes electric piano, the Echoplex transports me back to the 1970s. First marketed in 1961, the unit allowed notes played on instruments to echo with a ripple effect. The Echoplex is prehistoric technology by today's digital standards. But back in the 1970s, when the unit became popular during jazz's electric fusion era, the Echoplex captured notes on a short built-in tape loop and played them back with a short delay. The tape's adjustable speed governed the echo ... read more

Two More Contemporary Classics Recordings from John Klemmer Released for Digital Download Only!

Source: All About Jazz August 6, 2006

John Klemmer “RIO" [VOL. I] & “RIO" VOL. II, Touch Records These release's are from “THE CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS RECORDINGS SERIES", for Digital Download only, available at iTUNES & other prominant Digital Music websites, is in the tradition of John Klemmer's now classic “BRAZILIA" & “ARABESQUE", on Klemmer's own TOUCH RECORDS “Vanity" Label for “special release's only". These two, never before released fantastic recordings, chronicling John's journey into his exploring what he calls “the consciouness of Brazillian Music", in his own ... read more

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John Klemmer

Latest release.

• APR 26, 2024
• Chateau Love
• Touch (feat. Dave Grusin & Larry Carlton)
• Touch · 1975
• Sleeping Eyes
• Glass Dolphins
• Free Fall Lover
• Poem Painter
• Barefoot Ballet · 1976
• Waterwheels
• Tone Row Weaver
• Walk With Me My Love and Dream
• Barefoot Ballet

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About John Klemmer

An active composer and an innovator on the electrified saxophone (using echo effects quite effectively), John Klemmer is also a very strong Coltrane-inspired acoustic tenor saxophonist. His solo saxophone recordings preceded smooth jazz and new age and his variety of projects earned him a great deal of crossover appeal that includes his music sampled by hip-hop artists of the '90s. Over the course of his career, Klemmer collaborated with a number of jazz and pop artists and performed the albums by Steely Dan, John Lee Hooker, Lauren Wood, Roy Haynes, and Nancy Wilson, among others. John 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. ~ Joslyn Layne & Scott Yanow

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The Undiscovered: Howland/Laug/Morrison/Pinnick

We know what you're thinking - if you only have $17 should you get the Howland/Imboden Project's "Live at the Baked Potato", or should you pick up Howland/Laug/Morrison/Pinnick's Live At The Baked Potato ? The answer my friend is that you need to get another 17 bucks because you'll miss out on eleven tracks of blistering instrumental fusion either way you go if you have to make a choice. Recorded the day after the Howland/Imboden gig, the HLMP band adds a second guitarist to the rock/jazz party, Mr. Chris Pinnick, who had worked with the band Chicago during their heyday in the early eighties (and we all know Chris is an exciting, energetic and musical player with frightening chops). HLMP is ever so slightly more to the rock side of fusion than Howland/Imboden, and a couple of tracks sneak onto both CDs ("Your Old Thingy", "Sharp Funk 5", with different solos, of course), and you can compare for yourself the various sounds the two Howland-fueled bands can muster. Tough choice - simple answer, don't make a choice - get both.

Chris Pinnick, guitarist and songwriter probably best known as the lead guitarist for Chicago from 1980-1985 earning gold and platinum awards for "Chicago" 14,16, 17 and Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2. Chris recorded with Herb Alpert and earned gold records for his electric guitar work on Herb's hit, "Rise. Chris' guitar work has also been heard with music by John Klemmer. Chris' guitar work is in demand in the L.A. session circles. He has recorded electric and acoustic guitar for projects with current lead guitarist for Chicago, Keith Howland, the CD "Am I Still In Your Heart" by Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night), 6 CD collaborations with Chet McCracken (Flight to Moscow, Partners, After the Rain, Tequila, Heart To Heart and Anuenue), "The Hula Monsters" (The Zen of Hula), CD projects with producer Mark Paladino of ' 'Edge Recordings" (Shakeh, Mark Protus and Scott B), CD projects with producer Ray Ruff of "Hit Pros Records" ( Holly Wynette and Alicen) to name a few.

Pinnick co-wrote the song "This Neighborhood" for the movie "The Hard Way" as well as music for the classic "My Mom's A Werewolf'. Chris is co-owner and operator of Studio C&C in West Hills Ca. Studio C&C is a state-of-the-art digital recording studio featuring 24-track recording and Pro Tools systems.

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Web site: www.chrispinnick.com

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Writers Behind ‘Expats,’ ‘Masters of the Air,’ ‘The Sympathizer’ and More Break Down Inspirations and Working with Authors to Develop Limited Series

By Jack Dunn

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• Writers Behind ‘Expats,’ ‘Masters of the Air,’ ‘The Sympathizer’ and More Break Down Inspirations and Working with Authors to Develop Limited Series 8 hours ago
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While in development for the Amazon Prime drama “ Expats ,” creator, writer and director Lulu Wang knew she had to pay tribute to the lives lost during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Having been in China at that time as a child, she remembers how scared she was when her father nearly left to join the protest which ultimately led to the death of hundreds.

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As part of the event, Wang was joined by showrunner and writer on “Feud: Capote v.s The Swans” Jon Robin Baitz, showrunner and creator of “Manhunt” Monica Beletsky, showrunner of “We Were the Lucky Ones” Erica Lipez, writer and creator of “True Detective: Night County” Issa López, showrunner of “Apples Never Fall” Melanie Marnich, writer and co-creator of “ The Sympathizer ” Don McKellar, writer of “Masters of the Air” John Orloff and creator and writer of “A Gentleman in Moscow” Ben Vanstone to discuss how they developed some of 2024 most popular limited series. The conversation was moderated by Variety senior TV features editor Emily Longeretta.

While adapting the novel “We Were the Lucky Ones” for Hulu, Lipez was lucky enough to work “very closely” with author Georgia Hunter, who had done 10 years of research before publishing her novel in 2017, based on her family’s experience. Lipez described working with Hunter as “one of the great collaborations of my life.”

“[Georgia] has the soul of a TV writer. [Her book] is written with so much heart but also a lot of propulsion. It was an amazing spine to build a TV series off,” said Lipez. “When I met Georgia, it was a natural collaboration. And she was with us every day in the writer’s room and with us on set in Romania. It was really wonderful.”

“If you want to write something original, just go off and do it. But if you’ve got a piece of material, a great novel, then your job is to take all that in, capture that spirit moment and then recreate it for television,” Vanstone said. “Amor was a brilliant collaborator who read everything and I could ask him questions whenever I wanted to. He was brilliant at feedback.”

For McKellar, he was “really grateful” Viet Thanh Nguyen did not want to be in the room while he was adapting “The Sympathizer” for HBO, adding that he would’ve been “terrified” to work in front of him. Having so much respect for the source material, McKellar at first wanted to pass on the project until he heard that director Park Chan-wook wanted him specifically as the writer.

“I thought, ‘Okay, I can see that. He’s got a similar cinematic tone that has the same wit and subversion as the book, but it’s different. It’s parallel in a cinematic way.'” McKellar said. “I’m also really grateful that [Nguyen] loves what he saw because I was terrified through the whole process that he was going to feel that we’d massacred [his story]. But, thankfully, he loves pop culture, he loves television, he loves the movies, and he wanted us to be inventive.”

Watch the full conversation above.

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