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.
