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John Klemmer

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.

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Album Review

John Klemmer: Making Love

Read "Making Love" reviewed by Dave Hughes


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 ...

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Recording

John Klemmer: Waterfalls

John Klemmer: Waterfalls

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

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 ...

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Recording

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

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

Source: All About Jazz

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 ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Hush

Wounded Bird Records
2012

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Arabesque

Challenge Jazz
2008

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Priceless Jazz...

Challenge Jazz
1999

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Making Love Volume 1

Challenge Jazz
1998

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Music

Challenge Jazz
1989

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