Customer Reviews

Finesse/Magnificent Madness

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Magnificent Madness has been a favorite smooth jazz (emphasis on the jazz) favorite of mine since I first heard it and purchased it in 1980. It has a double bonus of being a wonderful album of jazz sax instrumentals (no denying that Klemmer is outstanding) plus it also has three fantastic vocal pieces - The opening/title track, sung with true depth, passion and feeling that fits the music perfectly, by Bili Thedford, and what are for me the two shining stars of Magnificent Madness; two songs sung by singer / song writer Danny O'Keefe ("Goodtime Charlie's Got The Blues"), "We Couldn't Start Over" and "Lifesong" with the former being my favorite. O'Keefe co-wrote these songs with Klemmer and they are real stand-outs, especially in Danny's repertoire. These two guys should have collaborated for an entire album. Really great stuff.

I became a huge fan of Danny O'Keefe's after hearing him on this album and having heard the album Magnificent Madness a hundred times or more, I stupidly never bought another John Klemmer album. Finesse (1981), is a wonderful surprise. It goes so well with Magnificent Madness that I now always put my player on shuffle and it's like listening to an extended version of Madness.

The sound quality of this double release is magnificent (excuse the pun). Wounded Bird did a near perfect job mastering a CD that sounds nearly direct-to-disc. I could not be happier with this purchase (even though I admit to paying less than the $19.95 retail price). My experience with Wounded Bird is very good to great CD mastering with next to no liner notes. Although I love liner notes, I'd prefer this combination to an inverted alternative. There are virtually no notes for Magnificent Madness and limited notes for Finesse so I have enclosed the following:

MAGNIFICENT MADNESS

Produced by Stephan Goldman and John Klemmer for John Klemmer Productions
Recorded by Rick Ruggeri and Bill Taylor / Remixed by Rick Ruggeri
Additional Recording: Cheech D'Amico
Recorded and mixed at Mama Jo's, North Hollywood, California
Additional recording at Producers Workshop and Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, California
Production Coordination: Dan Barrett and Noel Newbolt and Motion Productions
Direction: Gary Brown Management
Art Direction: Ron Coro / Photos: Norman Seeff / Design: Tommy Steele

tenor saxophone : John Klemmer
guitars : John Tropea, Dean Parks, Chris Pinnick
piano : Don Grusin, Victor Feldman
synthesizer : Ronnie Foster
electric bass : Abraham Laboriel, Dennis Belfield
drums : Harvey Mason, John Guerin
percussion : Lenny Castro
lead vocals : Bili Thedford, Danny O'Keefe
background vocals : Phyllis St.James, Stephanie Spruill, Alphanette Silas
horns : Larry Williams, Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft,
Bill Reichenbach, Larry Hall

1. Magnificent Madness (7:27) [John Klemmer, David Batteau]
2. Heart (Summer Song) (3:20) [John Klemmer]
3. Don't Take Your Love Away (6:21) [Isaac Hayes, Lee Wesley Jodes]
4. I Can't Help It (3:19) [Stevie Wonder, Susaye Greene Brown]
5. We Couldn't Start Over (4:03) [John Klemmer, Danny O'Keefe]
6. Deja Vu (4:27) [Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Anderson]
7. Lifesong (4:02) [John Klemmer, Danny O'Keefe]
8. Adventures In Paradise (7:05) [Minnie Riperton, Joe Sample, Richard Rudolph]


FINESSE

All compositions written by John Klemmer, except
"Beloved" by John Klemmer and David Bateau
Produced by John Klemmer for John Klemmer Productions/Age of the Artist Series
Executive Producers: Gary Borman and Jerry Luby
Engineer: Warren Dewey
Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California
a Mixed by Bernie Kirsch at Mad Hatter Studios, Los Angeles, California
Mastered by Bernie Grundman

Art Direction: Norm Ung / Design: Kristen Kasell Nikosey
Front Cover Photography: Carol Vilz / Back Cover Photography: Jim Shea

John Klemmer : tenor saxophone, echoplex, analog,
phaser, vocalise
Roy McCurdy : drums
Bob Magnusson : bass
Russell Ferrante : keyboards
Steve Forman : percussion

1. Fínesse (3:58)
2. Man & Woman (4:33)
3. Sometimes (5:28)
4. The Greatest Love Of All (2:59)
5. Heart (4:19)
6. The Sun, The Moon and The Stars (3:48)
7. Beloved (6:12)
8. But Are You Beautiful Inside? (3:34)

I bought "Finesse" at a used record store over 20 years and it is still my favorite album by John Klemmer. Absolutely wonderful when you are in a mellow mood. It took years before I ran across this on CD but it was well worth the wait.

Finesse.....well what can I say, I fell inlove with this album back in 1985 when I use to chill out in the car driving and mellowing out listenning to "Beloved". I have to say that I have been waiting for this album to be placed on CD, I loved it back in 85....I'm loving it even more in 2009. Kinda feeling those old laid back jazzy feelings all over again. I highly recommend this CD to any and all jazz lovers. One of the best instrumental CD's of all time. Just listen to it and you will see it for yourself.

Thumbs up Wounded Bird for releasing these classics. I could never find Finesse on cd until now this label continues to amaze me with all the titles they are putting out that are either oop or never available on the cd format. I would grab this up before it does go OOP!!! Highly Recommend!!!

I had this recording on an LP back in the early 80s & wore it out. Very nice soft, easy listening jazz. Love John Klemmer & love that they combined 2 albums on 1 CD. Really sets a mood.

To turn the album into an A+, I imported it into my iTunes and deleted the tracks with voices. It's a classic and brings back memories of wonderful friends.

With the very disappointing new announcement that the Very Best of John Klemmer release has been delayed until 2025!!! one wonders whether fans of Mr. Klemmer will have to remain satisfied with his past recordings....
The anticipation that Mr. Klemmer will surprise his fans with something new and/or a public performance would be most welcome. I, for one, do not expect to be alive in 2025 and the delay of his newest release comes as a great disappointment. Those who are new to Mr. Klemmer's music can enjoy the breadth of his creativity, romance and artistry in his past recordings such as FINESSE. John Klemmer has the unique ability to express the unspoken through his music,and lift the spirit to a higher place, as if to say, "come join me in this dance called life...."
Mr. Klemmer - please come out and play.... the world needs you :)