Have you heard of the Jazz musician: John Klemmer? I came across his 1979 LP: The best of John Klemmer "Mosaic", a few days ago at a used record store, and I bought it for $4.00. This recording is a great one, a truly beautiful recording. I had never heard of him before. I went to Amozan.com and found a few more LP's and I had to get some more of his stuff. I think he sounds very similar to "Boney James" or vise versa. Tell us what you think....
Dear John: I agree, Touch is a must to hear/have, we have to remember that one of the Klemmer " group " on this recording was another " big name ": Dave Grusin.
Btw, from MFSL LP the Joe Sample " Rainbow Seeker " is very good too.
Being a modern big band aficionado in the '70s introduced me to some great artists before they become front men. I first heard Richie Cole when he debuted with the Buddy Rich Big Band on "Buddy and Soul." Similarly, John Klemmer first recorded as the new sax guy on a Don Ellis album. I think it was "Soaring" on MPS/BASF.
I don't have the MoFi "Touch," but I picked up the conventional album at a St. Vincent DePaul for fitty cents. Sounds very good.
I manage to purchase about five John Klemmer LP so far, and I love every one of them. The John Klemmer Mosaic is a double album and I was glad to get that one also. I am now after "Finesse, Magic Moments, and Magnificent Madness". Dave Grusen is another favorite of mine, I picked up two of his LP in Tokyo last month. I like those 1970's LP's because they sound so full and natural. I find that most of the 1980's music I come across have too much synthesizers in them, and it drives me "NUTTS", I hate the sound of Synthesizers... it just messes up the music.
Like other recommenders, get "Touch" which is his high point because everything else he put out is just more of the same - echoplex with different chords. He's borderline "new age/smooth jazz". If that's your preference keep buying his catalog. Otherwise, listen to other sax players because there are plenty more who are more original in their playing.
John Klemmer also has another audiophile direct to disk recording on the nautilus label called 'Straight From The Heart" it is more of a straight ahead jazz recording and better than "Finesse" IMHO. It is very rare and hard to find and if you do find very expensive!! The Elusive Disc has it for $150 sealed some others between $75-$90. I happened to find my copy in the bin of a used record store for $7.99 (they didn't know what they had) You may get lucky like I did but that's where I'd start looking.
Am glad Jwong spoke up. If you enjoy pretty sounding sax try Grover Washington too. To hear something a little different scoop up a Charlie Parker album.
I'll have to pick up "Touch" also. First heard Klemmer when his "My Love Has Butterfly Wings" provided the lead-in theme for Jumpin' J. Rich's late night jazz program in L.A. (Jazz 105) ... some time in the 70's. That piece was on an LP entitled "Blowin' Gold". That album, along with Klemmer's other early work, was on Cadet label - if I remember correctly. In about '75 I also had the good fortune to see/hear him live at a small club in Berkeley ... walked up between sets and made a request to which he graciously acknowledged and complied.
IMHO the whole ecoplex, pretty music, discussion boils down to a matter of style preferences. I thoroughly enjoyed Klemmer's sound (as much as Grover ... who I saw/heard several times) because of its "experience enhancing" properties. That's what it was about at that place and time. A lot of folks were starting to venture out and experiment with the "electric" sound ... Zawinul when he left Cannonball to form Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Miles, Herbie's Headhunter project, etc.
The thing about Klemmer, and these other artists, was the ability to create and maintain a certain "sound". Just like Coltrane, sounds different than Shorter ... than Sonny .. than Pharoh ... than Joe Henderson ... than Bird ... you know when you're listening to John Klemmer. I don't feel the same can be said about this latest crop of "smooth jazz" artists ... which by the way, is a misnomer (my peeve).
One last thing ... not to hijack the thread, but for the record the late Grover Washington, Jr. was a great sax man in his own right. He could create and improvise in the hard bop "straight ahead" style as well as anyone. He saved that for "live" settings; and judging from crowd reactions, most had come to hear the "commercial" stuff. After seeing/hearing him the first time, it was clear that he recorded to make a living, but when he put his heart into it ... the man could flat out play. Thanks for your indulgence.
Yes I do agree on Grover Washington Jr. I did not like his sound at first but I had only head a few for his work at that time. But since I got into vinyl I started to go to the used record stores and Salvation Army stores and I come across many of his records. I started to listen to him and think that he did some great stuff. So far I have collected about eight of his albums. He and John Klemmer, Stanley Turrentine, and Tom Scott are among my favorite Sax players. Most of my other Sax guys like Boney James, Richard Elliott are not available on vinyl, only CD as far as I can tell.
Grover Washington Jr. is also a great choice if you enjoy John Klemmer's music. Another reco would be Sadao Watanabe, check out my personal favorite 'Fill Up The Night'.
Raul, I grew up in East L.A. Perhaps the best musician friend I/we had died on prom night when he stopped to help a stranded motorist on an L.A. freeway. Broke lots of hearts that night.
Rene Cortez is the Klemmer connection. Joe Garcia took lessons with Joe Pass.
Other childhood friends are Los Lobos. My girlfriend's dad lived next door to Freddy Hubbard.
tom scott and boney james are 2 of my favorites. we saw boney james last year and it was excellent. other artitsts that i listen to are: dave koz, kirk whalum, david sanborn (terrible in concert IMO), eric marienthal, joshua redman, and patrick lamb (local guy).
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