JSngry Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 His playing on Involvement, John Klemmer's first album, has captured the imagination of a few current BFT-takers, myself included. I was prompted to pull out the album, and yeah, he's pretty unique on all four cuts on which he plays. Which leads to the question - Sam Crawford, eh? Chicago Jazz Mafia, the floor is all yours, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 Guardian Angels? Any idea how the association w/Klemmer came about, or for that matter, how Klemmer came onto the Chicago scene, and in what way did he leave it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 Found a copy of "Out At Last at DG. They describe it thusly: Despite a title that makes the record sound like either a George Clinton or Sun Ra album, the record's a pretty straight batch of jazz tracks, put out by this obscure Chicago area combo that has a nice soulful style. Samuel Thomas plays guitar, and the record's got some very nice bass work by Scott Black and Harrison Bankhead – but the nicest treat is Maja Rios, who sings vocals on the best cuts. The best of these is the Latiny "The Pursuer", which sounds like a nice lost groover from the bag of Carmen Bradford. Other tunes include "Glad To Be Sad", "Minority", "Give Me A Moment", and "Will N Jug". Good enough for me. I ordered it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 Yes, the Guardian Angels. http://en.wikipedia....ki/John_Klemmer A few typos there -- it should be Joe Daley and Wilbur Campbell. IIRC, being a Joe Daley student was among Klemmer's entrees to the scene, though he was, as that first album makes clear, a fluent, talented player. I assume that the association with Sam Thomas came about because they worked some gigs together and hit it off musically. The partnership is a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlitweiler Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 Thanks for the Wikipedia entry about John Klemmer. I used to enjoy him at the Baroque on 53rd Street in Chicago but had no idea he recorded so many classics or that Jodie Foster was a Chicago sideman, and if he had so many great managers/agents why wasn't he famous and only led 3 albums after 1981? Etc. Makes me want to write some Wikipedia entries about my friends. Spaceship Love was the name of Sam Thomas's and Maja Rios's combo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 If anybody else is interested, when I called to order, DG said they had two copies of the Spaceship Love album in stock. That's now down to one, but.. I like buying those local-pressing Chicago jazz albums from them. I got both E. Parker McDougal sides, one or two Tommy Jones things, some other things. It's like they're finally packing up and leaving home, but it's a good home they're going to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgcim Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thanks for all the info on Sam Thomas. I saw his name on Klemmer's first LP, and tried to find out who he was, but to no avail. Who or what is DG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 Dusty Groove aka Da Bastards. www.dustygroove.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thanks for the Wikipedia entry about John Klemmer. I used to enjoy him at the Baroque on 53rd Street in Chicago but had no idea he recorded so many classics or that Jodie Foster was a Chicago sideman, and if he had so many great managers/agents why wasn't he famous and only led 3 albums after 1981? Etc. Makes me want to write some Wikipedia entries about my friends. Spaceship Love was the name of Sam Thomas's and Maja Rios's combo "Jodie Foster" -- what was that person thinking? Though I suspect that Foster and Maja Rios might have gotten along if they'd met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 As I mentioned in the notes of my Hal Russell reissue, I heard a Klemmer quartet with Sam, Hal and Malachi Favors. Must have been in 67 or 68. Sam's brother Phil was a fine drummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlitweiler Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Thanks for the Wikipedia entry about John Klemmer. I used to enjoy him at the Baroque on 53rd Street in Chicago but had no idea he recorded so many classics or that Jodie Foster was a Chicago sideman, Kelmmer played regularly with Jodie Christian, piano, back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted January 26, 2017 Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 On 1/11/2013 at 3:49 PM, JSngry said: Found a copy of "Out At Last at DG. They describe it thusly: Good enough for me. I ordered it. that cover photo is amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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