My headline is swiped from a song called “Question of the Heart” by a wonderful German-born, New York-based singer-songwriter named Jann Klose who is playing tonight at 8 p.m. at Greenwich’s Thataway Café.
The tune is from Klose’s recently released CD, “Reverie,” which I have been listening to a lot lately.
The performer has been gaining admirers from New York metro area gigs and will be doing an extensive club tour in April and May.
I became a Klose fan by accident several months ago when he promoted a Stratford gig on David Smith’s WICC radio program the same day I was set to talk about movies and theatre. Smith had Klose perform a tune on the air and I was immediately struck by the quality of his voice and his writing.
A few weeks later, an early pressing of “Reverie” arrived in the mail and I’ve enjoyed it more each time I’ve listened to it.
Like the best singer-songwriters Klose defies easy categorization. Some reviewers hear echoes of Sting and Jeff Buckley in the artist and a recent article on Jazz.com took Klose into the jazz-singer fold.
I like what a reviewer wrote in the Fairfield Weekly: “Klose has the emotions of a sensitive folkie but catapults them with a voice and tone that evoke a libido-driven soul singer. On the single “Beautiful Dream”, he performs comfortably with rich orchestration.”
If I was forced to draw comparisons, jazz singer-writer Michael Franks comes to mind — Klose’s gift for placing his lyrics with such seeming ease on his tricky tunes reminds me of Franks.
The emotional power of the material — especially “Beautiful Dream” — sometimes seems to echo that striking song score that Aimee Mann performed in “Magnolia.”
I’m not much for putting musicians in boxes or restricting the scope of what I choose to listen to at home — I’ll jump from Beck to Sinatra to Renee Fleming to the Electric Light Orchestra without ever thinking they don’t go together — so it tickles me that Klose is set to play at the Bethlehem (Pa.) Musikfest in August on a bill that includes Jethro Tull, Rosanne Cash and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Check out Jann Klose in Greenwich tonight if you can.
Or, sample a tune or two from his Website (www.jannklose.com). I think you’ll be impressed.
(For information on tonight’s Thataway Café show, call 622-0947.)
Joe's View
With Joe Meyers, entertainment writer
i just happened to be watching the Ten Show and was introduced to Jann Klose. I’ll be ordering his CD immediately-what a great sound they have. Love the use of non-traditional instruments and his writing is beautiful. Made my day! I’ll be watching for him in Philly.