photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jann Klose

House concert in Shrewsbury, MA

June 30, 2018

You’ve noticed, I’m sure, that my byline has been scarce lately. Indeed, I’m still working on reviews of albums I received as long ago as September, as I’ve been having difficulty finding time to set aside for writing since late 2017. I also haven’t been getting out to many shows. But when Jann Klose is in town, it’s worth finding a way to hear him perform, especially in the intimate setting of a house concert as part of a local house concert series. I don’t have a lot of time to write this review, either, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. I’ve reviewed Jann a few times before, so please do check out what I’ve said in greater detail in the past, reviewing a 2016 house concert, his previous album Mosaic, and his joint release with Gary Lucas, Stereopticon.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Touring in support of his new LP, In Tandem, which includes co-writes with some renowned musicians globally, Jann delivered a performance of old and new material Saturday night, featuring his exceptionally engaging singer-songwriter rock ‘n roll songwriting style, his songs specifically designed to showcase his rich, powerful, memorable voice.

Jann kicked things off with several songs from the new disc. Show-opener “Dear Mel” was a great introduction to Jann for the uninitiated, showing off his vocal power and range, in a style that especially caters to some of the more special elements of his voice. He followed that with the more energetically-tempoed “Love High.” Among my favorites of the new songs was “Never Fall,” a catchy number notable for the tempo and energy of its chorus.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

A couple songs from Jann’s Reverie disc closed the first set. The energetic “Clouds” was followed by “Question of the Heart,” a tune with soft, piercing vocals that, at least to me, seem carry a bit of a Paul Simon vibe, at times.

Jann kicked off the second set with the Tim Buckley cover “Song to the Siren,” a song that especially well fits his textured voice, one Jann recorded for his Mosaic album. Other highlights of the second set included “Pour the Champagne,” a potential hit single from In Tandem with its ’70s singer-songwriter rock vibe, and “Make It Better,” my personal favorite song from Mosaic.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jann delivered a two-song encore, starting with the soft, sweet, mellow “Still,” another favorite from Mosaic. And he closed with a fun, playful rendition of Prince’s “Kiss” on which Jann hit some impressive high notes, ending the show with great energy.

As always, it was another great Jann Klose evening. He left his audience satisfied but wanting more. And he featured several cuts from what sounds like it must be an exceptional new disc. While there are plenty of larger venues on Jann’s album release tour, all of us in attendance were fortunate to live in close proximity to this much more intimate show.

Looking Ahead

Stay abreast of Jann’s live performance schedule at the “Shows” page of his website. And get out to see him perform if he’s in your area. He’ll be in Ohio this week – on Thursday, July 5th at the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland and on Saturday, July 7th at Music at Madison in Youngstown. Jann will be at the Black Potatoe Music Festival in Clinton, NJ on July 14th. He has a couple Cape Town, South Africa shows schedule on September 1st and 2nd and a couple New Jersey gigs in December. With more shows being added, check his website occasionally to see if/when he’ll be in your area.