"JOHN KLEMMER BIOGRAPHY" (& Addendum) John Klemmer is an enigma to many. He seems to be a "different artist" to "different people" depending on which musical direction & time period of Klemmer's music they are attached to, are aware of & prefer. John Klemmer began playing guitar at age 5. He grew up in Morton Grove, an upper middle class white area of Chicago, and moved to the city upon graduating High School. ...show more

"JOHN KLEMMER BIOGRAPHY" (& Addendum) John Klemmer is an enigma to many. He seems to be a "different artist" to "different people" depending on which musical direction & time period of Klemmer's music they are attached to, are aware of & prefer. John Klemmer began playing guitar at age 5. He grew up in Morton Grove, an upper middle class white area of Chicago, and moved to the city upon graduating High School.

After interests in graphics and visual art studying at The Art Institute of Chicago & with ambitions of being Dancer, Puppeteer, Painter, Sculptor, Writer, & Poet. He began Alto Sax at age 11, switching to Tenor Sax when entering High School. He spent years of extensive private lessons in Piano, Conducting, Harmony & Theory, Composition, Arranging, Clarinet, Flute, & Classical & Jazz Saxophone that continued through all his years in Chicago. He also attended Interlochen's National Music Camp immersed in the study of Classical Music & "Legitimate Classical" Saxophone etc.

He turned down an offer of a four scholarship there to return to "study" in the jazz clubs etc. of Chicago. Immediately upon graduating from High School, noted jazz producer, Esmond Edwards, signed Klemmer to Cadet/Chess Records for five plus albums, his first 2 recordings being "straight ahead jazz", and then, abruptly & surprisingly if not confusing to many, of which would eventually become a trademark of his career, changed musical directions, recording the innovative hit album of the first, slightly preceding the release of Miles Davis "Bitches Brew", of the "jazz/rock fusion" genre, "Blowin Gold", co-produced by ex Rolling Stones Records producer, Marshall Chess, for the new Cadet Concept label on Chess Records. Here John introduced his use with electronics, primarily the "delay effect", which would become his life long "trademark sound", as well as, uses of the "wah wah" pedal & "ring modulator" etc. ...show less