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Biography
Cleanup|date=November 2008Infobox musical artist| | name = John Klemmer| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist| birth_name = John Klemmer| alias =| birth_date = birth date and age|1946|7|3| death_date =| origin =| instrument = Saxophone Tenor, Alto, Soprano Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Syynthsizer, Kalimba, Percussion, Vocal| genre = Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, R& B, Pop, Instrumental Pop, New Age, Cross Over Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Adult Contemporary| occupation = Bassist , Composer , Bandleader | years_active = 1963–present| label = Chess/Cadet/Cadet Concept, ABC, Impulse!, MCA, GRP, Universal, Verve, Arista, Elektra, Touch| associated_acts =| website =| notable_instruments = John Klemmer (born July 3, 1946) is an United States|American saxophonist , composer , song writer and arranger .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p6901/biography|pure_url=yes Allmusic biography
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 (band)|touring .
Biography
Klemmer had extensive studies in music, taking private lessons as a youth and in college in piano , conducting , harmony , theory, composition, arranging , clarinet , flute & classical music|classical & jazz saxophone . He studied saxophone and jazz improvisation with noted Chicago saxophonist and teacher Joe Daly . He attended the prestigious Interlochen's National Music Camp. The year he graduated from high school, Klemmer was signed by producer Esmond Edwards at Cadet/Chess Records, eventually recording five albums with Cadet/Chess, including his innovative hit album, Blowin Gold co-produced by ex-Rolling Stones producer Marshall Chess. This album was considered by many as the first of the jazz / rock music|rock Jazz fusion|fusion genre ; follow-up albums introduced innovative rock rhythms, sounds and production techniques and debuted electronic effects with the saxophone that became his now trademark "delay" sound.
Klemmer led his own groups touring the U.S. using the cream of the Chicago sideman such as Jodie Foster , William Campbell Disambiguation needed|date=June 2011 & Cleveland Eaton , while occasionally performing in tandem with good friends such as jazz artist Eddie Harris & Oscar Brashear , arranger Les Hooper & rock artists such as James William Guercio later to produce Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago and various rock artists such as guitarist Harvey Mandel . He did his first PBS special for WTTW TV Chicago. He was also a busy sideman exploring every genre of Music. He then moved to Los Angeles the following year and for a very brief time was a key soloist & arranger with The Don Ellis's innovative big band touring Europe & toured Africa with Oliver Nelson for the State Dept. while also working with such diverse Artists of a variety of musical genres such as Tim Buckley etc. He studied film scoring with Albert Harris & vocal lessons with Seth Riggs . Continuing always through the events described, Klemmer continuously lead his own small groups touring across the U.S. further developing his unique sound, style and concepts. He primarily focused on his jazz rock fusion styles returning briefly to more traditional jazz & then switching to a more "intense" so-called "coltraneish" approach upon leaving Chess Records & signing with & recording five albums with Impulse& #33; records.
He performed at Newport & Monterey Jazz Festivals , Antibes Jazz Festival , Carnegie Hall , Tanglewood , & Montreux Jazz Festival plus TV shows Midnight Special & Rock Concert. Klemmer has composed all songs for his many albums, amassing a large & valuable publishing catalog, but he has also collaborated & co-written musically & as lyricist with many pop songwriters , such as David Batteau , with the UK hit "Walk in Love", recorded by The Manhattan Transfer, and Danny O'Keefe , Clint Holmes , Pamela Oland & many others. After another of his many controversial sabbaticals, he again changed musical direction by then moving to ABC/MCA Records briefly returning to his early R& B & pop music|pop roots. Klemmer then went on to earn massive crossover appeal with his now landmark series of the classic "Touch" recordings. Klemmer & the "Touch" Series of recordings are regarded by many as paving the way & being "the founder" of the current "Smooth Jazz" genre some anointing him "The Ambassador of Cool". His continuous fast changing of musical directions throughout his career created some controversy, confusion & false speculative motivational assumptions & judgments from his primarily earlier jazz purist audience, primarily, with the now historic "Touch" series of recordings. His managerial associations with noted former Doors manager, Bill Siddons and with Faith Hill , Keith Urban & James Taylor Talent manager|manager , Gary Borman , helped Klemmer exposed his music to a growing number of pop, rock, R& B & adult contemporary audiences. He toured extensively as headliner and with "package tours" with George Benson & Herbie Hancock plus numerous TV appearances arranged by the William Morris Agency . He expanded his musical palette to include, kalimba, flutes, keyboards, percussion & solo vocal.
At this time he further developed his innovative Solo Sax Concept resulting in the now landmark & classic recording of Cry ushering in, thought by many, the "New Age Music Spiritual" genre, with some now calling him the "Sax God". He briefly returned to his earlier jazz roots recording the "straight ahead jazz" 2& nbsp;CD offering, Nexus for Duo & Trio , now considered by many a classic, at personal request of Clive Davis for former Arista/Bluebird/RCA Records, followed by occasional special recording projects such as duo recordings with Joe Sample & Oscar-Castro-Neves. Following another of his sabbaticals he then, upon personal urging of legendary pop and rock music mogul Joe Smith Disambiguation needed|date=June 2011, moved to Elektra Records , recording five albums. After another brief sabbatical he then returned to GRP & Verve for Universal Records where his primary vast catalog of recordings reside. Klemmer then took his longest & most controversial sabbatical causing a number of numerous false & untrue rumors of personal & health problems as he continued writing, recording & working with the massive new digital technologies plus returning to vocal studies with noted Macy Grey & Brandi vocal teacher, Roger Burnley . He then returned recording as guest soloist with such New Age artists as 3rd Force, David Arkenstone , and Craig Chaquico while returning to his performing, touring & recording.
Klemmer founded his own record label, Touch Records, for "special projects & releases only" with the CD & digital releases of Making Love, Vol. 1 & Rio Vol. 1 & 2 as an adjunct to his major label releases such as the Universal/Verve/GRP Records release of The Very Best of John Klemmer including newly recorded bonus tracks from his next new releases. Klemmer's music has been sampled by a large number of Hip-Hop , Rap & DJ Artists primarily focused on his early Chess record recordings.
Discography
As leader
1967: Involvement (Cadet/Chess)
1968: And We Were Lovers (Cadet/Chess)
1969: ''Blowin' Gold (Chess/Cadet Concept/Chess)
1969: All the Children Cried (Chess/Cadet Concept/Chess)
Walk In Love - Rachel Alejandro - Warner Philippines 2002;
Glass Dolphins - Ken Navarro Love Coloured Soul - Positive 2007
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.johnklemmer.com John Klemmer official website
Persondata | NAME =Klemmer, John | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =July 3, 1946 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Klemmer, John Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:American jazz saxophonists Category:Smooth jazz saxophonists Category:American jazz alto saxophonists Category:American jazz tenor saxophonists Category:Musicians from Chicago, Illinois Category:Cadet Records artists Category:Verve Records artists Category:Impulse& #33; Records artists Category:Elektra Records artists Category:MCA Records artists Category:Novus Records artists
de:John Klemmer es:John Klemmer
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