The Circle, Marist College (1/08)

Musicdish.com (7/05)

Boston Phoenix (5/05)

The Circle, Marist College:
Visiting musician delivers powerful performance
by Haley Neddermann

Michael Glabicki, lead singer/songwriter of Rusted Root, and opening act, Jann Klose, performed last Wednesday in the Nelly Goletti Theatre before a small but attentive audience, demonstrating that live music is much more soul-satisfying than the pre-recorded stuff.

Klose had great stage presence, which isn't surprising considering his Broadway background. Stand out songs include "Hold Me Down" and "Doing Time." His lyrics paint vivid, romantic imagery and evoke a dreamy, somewhat melancholy feeling in the listener, while awakening an unknown part of the soul at the same time.

Powerful, sensual, soulful vocals filled the Nelly Goletti Theatre- it's a shame that there weren't more than thirty or so people there to hear them. For those who missed Jann Klose's breathtaking live performance, his music can be found at www.myspace.com/jannklose or order his new album, "Reverie." Jann Klose is definitely an artist to keep an ear open for.

Once Klose completed his set, Michael Glabicki, took the stage to enthusiastic applause. The song that elicited the biggest response from the audience was "Send Me on My Way," which many people may remember from the movie "Matilda". From the distinctive opening chords, the song is upbeat, compelling the listener to dance in a field with friends and forget everything bad in the world.

Glabicki's mastery of the guitar is inspiring, as throughout the night he immersed himself into complex and vigorous guitar interludes. It was truly an extraordinary experience seeing Glabicki perform alone, his voice running the gamut from breathy to warbling, his passion and love for the music apparent in every foot stamp and strum of the guitar.

Although the audience was small, those who attended thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Christina Keavaney, a freshman, called Glabicki "a very intriguing and talented musician. His intensity and talent was very entertaining even with a small audience."

Danielle Mitson, also a freshman, said that she was "glad to have had the opportunity to see a great show," and that Glabicki "demonstrated phenomenal skill at manipulating the acoustic guitar."

Check out www.rustedroot.com for more dates from Glabicki's solo tour and news about the band's upcoming album, to come out this summer, or go to www.myspace.com/officialrustedroot to listen to their music.

For more live, free music on Wednesday nights, keep an eye out for the next SPC coffeehouse on Wednesday nights.


Musicdish.com, Mark Kirby:
Pop Zeus: Jann Klose Live
The Bitter End, New York City
July 2005

For those starving for something different than the stale marketing-obsessed commercial music scenes, be it cynic-hipster indie rock (and its various sub categories), gangsta pop, or whatever, the Jann Klose show at the Bitter End on July 5 offered a glimpse of what pop was and be again. Those of us lucky enough to be in the audience witnessed something more rare in the music world than inspiration - good old-fashioned, musically sharp pop music. By pop I mean in the sense of the Beatles, the Monkees, Motown records, and the Police, with some electric Jeff Buckley to give the music some gravitas.

The songs were full of great melodies and chord changes that swept the listener along on a tuneful musical journey that was surprising, honest, innocent, and real, with a sophisticated musicality that gave the audience more than the crass and the obvious. Jann Klose's lyrics painted vivid and recognizable pictures that, unlike almost all pop music seen and heard today, were actually rooted in real life. And it is rare to hear lyrics at a live show at all, especially when sung in the band leader's smooth tenor.

The show started with "Beautiful Dream", which brought to mind the old-school white soul Tony Joe White, who blended electrified Memphis soul with guitar pop, while writing hits for soul singers like Brook Benton and Bobbie Gentry.

"Black Box," which followed, highlighted amazing vocal skill on the swooping melody and an organ solo by keyboardist Roberta Piket (a musical heavyweight, with a vast musical resume of her own, primarily as a jazz pianist), and was anchored by the stellar rhythm section of Pat Carmichael on drums and Chris Marolf on bass.

Klose's entire band have their own groups and extensive and varied experiences with different musical styles, particularly jazz. And herein lies the rub: the biggest plague on music today, pop being the most infected, is a pervasive lack of skill and knowledge about music.

Music is our country's greatest gift to the world. It takes American know-how (from Jann, a worldly German) to create and perform songs like "One Little Chance," an Americana blues rocker, and "Doing Time," which is a lazy country rock waltz which would have been covered by Robbie Robertson and the Band in 1976. The melody is sincere without being sappy and fit the words: I walk the line / The arms of time / Change the day/ Turn the hour/ I'm in a maze/ Nobody here/ No memory left/ It disappeared/ I look for the days I remember, a heavenly piece of my mind/ But I can't walk where I can't see I won't pretend this isn't me/ Feels like I'm just doing time."

Inspiration and mad skills were evident in the epic pop song. "Question of the Heart," which started with Ms. Piket playing a long piano benediction that got the biggest ovation of the night, and went through various stages that can't be recounted, but evoked feelings that can be recalled.

With interesting arrangements, subtle instrument playing, clear vocals, and the touches of class that only experienced and trained musicians can bring, Jann Klose and band reinvented your daddy's pop music. That's why most new music sucks; it's completely dumbed down. That in itself was the revelation of the show: it's possible to create great pop music, music with tunes you can hum, something for the head, and evocations for the heart.


Boston Phoenix, Marcia Siegel:
Review of MOONLIGHT INTERIOR
The Sande Shurin Theatre, New York City
April 2005

"The soulful and exciting Jann Klose with an incredible three piece band featuring Roberta Piket, Chris Marolf and Patrick Carmichael anchor the images, treating Mr. Klose as a narrator who connects these separate but relatable images through the music he composed. His music works magically well with the choreography guiding the viewers to a world of enrichment. The music wonderfully so, never outshines the choreography but rather supports it with great strength. This is savvy because the commercial side of Mr. Cassell allows the audience to be invited by those who may appreciate music that is inviting to all. While this show reminded me of Twyla Tharp's MOVIN' OUT, it totally has no relation ... Mr. Cassell and Mr. Klose have created a world that is accessible but at the same time artistic, dramatic, humorous, moving, transporting and best of all, self revealing. While it was seen Off Broadway, the show definitely puts to shame any show that is seen on Broadway now-a-days."