John Klingberg

[RachelKlingberg]

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I found this exerpt from Had Me a Real Good Time: The Faces Before During and After By Andy Neill

This is in reference to Ronnie Lane from the Faces.

That is so fascinating! I never would have thought that Ron Wood would have been inspired by my father's bass playing. I will certainly have to send that to my mom and brother! Thank you so much for providing the scan.

 

[Bassa Nova]

I believe that the Ronnie was from Ronnie Lane, the bassist for the Faces, v. Ron Wood, who played bass for Jeff Beck and guitar for the Faces and the Stones, but from either it is a compliment.

 

[RachelKlingberg]

I believe that the Ronnie was from Ronnie Lane, the bassist for the Faces, v. Ron Wood, who played bass for Jeff Beck and guitar for the Faces and the Stones, but from either it is a compliment.

You can tell I'm not a musician or well-versed in music history! Oh, well, he is not as much a household name, but either way, it did bring to my attention that other famous musicians of the era probably listened to the album and maybe even were inspired by my father's bass playing. I honestly never thought about that until you posted it! So thank you.

 

[RickC]

It is such a romantic album, in the general sense of relating to human relationships as well as the more 19th century sense of Romanticism as a cultural movement. My favorite is Into the Mystic but there are so many gems on that album. Van's lyrics are pretty amazing but what I love about the album is how the ensemble musicians work together so seamlessly. The so-called "Band and Street Choir."

I haven't noticed too many ensemble bands of late. Not since the early 80s, really. Maybe it takes a lot of practice to get a good sound with that many musicians.

Ahh, yes. Mystic is actually a regular part of our mix. We're primarily a southern rock/Allmans band but we have several Van tunes we rotate in regularly, and Mystic is one of those; it is always a delight for both band and audience. We don't ordinarily play Moondance but did by special request for the wedding, and we also added a 3-piece horn section for that gig, which made it very special.

/rick

 

[RachelKlingberg]

Ahh, yes. Mystic is actually a regular part of our mix. We're primarily a southern rock/Allmans band but we have several Van tunes we rotate in regularly, and Mystic is one of those; it is always a delight for both band and audience. We don't ordinarily play Moondance but did by special request for the wedding, and we also added a 3-piece horn section for that gig, which made it very special.

/rick

I always considered the horns to be so expressive, like a second vocal track! But really there were so many fine musicians on that album.

 

[MR PC]

"John Klingberg is one of those bassists you’ve heard countless times, yet you probably don’t recognize his name. Klingberg lived in Woodstock, New York in the ’60s and ’70s and made several records with pop legend Van Morrison, including Moondance. Although he passed away in 1985 at age 39, his intro and bass line on this early folk-rock-meets-jazz anthem live on—see Ex. 3. Klingberg made an interesting note choice on “Moondance”: In bar 3, he plays a leading-tone A# on beat two. The A# is far outside the Am7 chord’s tonality, and it pulls the bass line up into the Bm7 on beat three. The effect is subtle, but it’s one reason the intro and bass line have a feeling of perpetual motion—that, and Klingberg’s warm, flatwound sound. His brilliant A# passing tone on beat two (which he uses consistently throughout the song) made “Moondance” a hit. Okay, maybe Van Morrison also helped push the song into the charts with his vocal. The next time you play “Moondance” for those baby-booming, lizard-dancing party animals at the catering hall, give a wink and a nod to Klingberg for his contribution to the bass canon of classic intros."

---John Goldsby

Jazz Concepts: More Great Intros

 

[RachelKlingberg]

"John Klingberg is one of those bassists you’ve heard countless times, yet you probably don’t recognize his name. Klingberg lived in Woodstock, New York in the ’60s and ’70s and made several records with pop legend Van Morrison, including Moondance. Although he passed away in 1985 at age 39, his intro and bass line on this early folk-rock-meets-jazz anthem live on—see Ex. 3. Klingberg made an interesting note choice on “Moondance”: In bar 3, he plays a leading-tone A# on beat two. The A# is far outside the Am7 chord’s tonality, and it pulls the bass line up into the Bm7 on beat three. The effect is subtle, but it’s one reason the intro and bass line have a feeling of perpetual motion—that, and Klingberg’s warm, flatwound sound. His brilliant A# passing tone on beat two (which he uses consistently throughout the song) made “Moondance” a hit. Okay, maybe Van Morrison also helped push the song into the charts with his vocal. The next time you play “Moondance” for those baby-booming, lizard-dancing party animals at the catering hall, give a wink and a nod to Klingberg for his contribution to the bass canon of classic intros."

---John Goldsby

Jazz Concepts: More Great Intros

That's an awfully nice write-up. My father was a huge jazz fan. He and my mom saw Miles Davis play. (My brother was almost named Miles; they settled on "Ellington" for his middle name and "Day" for my middle name). He played trumpet with Randy and the Soul Survivors in the days when bands were often segregated. Hard to imagine, but depending on where the musicians were playing, even the audience was sometimes segregated with a curtain or other divider. That may not have been true in the early 60s in northern states, but certainly a bunch of white guys backing up a black R&B singer would have raised a few eyebrows, even in that era.

Thanks for sharing that.

 

[RedVee]

I just have to bump this thread into 2017.
I'm a middle aged bloke who decided to learn bass guitar and have been at it over a year now. I've been listening to the 'the best of Van Morrison' quite a lot in the car on the daily commute.
Just an hour or so ago I decided to google to find out what type of bass guitar is used on Moondance, as I dig that track and when I'm confident enough I'll be aiming at learning it.

This had been a great read, it is rare to find a TB (or any) thread with such heart.

Rachel, your Dad's bass playing is appreciated by many, many people - whether they know who he is or not.

All the very best.

 

[Guiseppe]

I have been a Talkbass member for 8 years, and am just now finding this. Rachel, I'm one of the many musicians who owe so much to your father's tasteful playing. I've played bass 42 years and his playing was ABSOLUTELY distinct. And for the record, over the years, I have heard a LOT of non musicians say it was that bass line that made that song so absolutely classic.

 

[wakethetown]

I have to agree with everyone on what a ‘unicorn’ thread this is: full of heart, family reconnections, and wonderful biographical information on an important musician whose story has never been adequately told. This is what the internet and social media do best.

Rachel, have you ever attempted to contact Van Morrison to get his memories about your father? Would be cool to hear his perspective as well as other musicians influenced by your father’s playing.

Hope this thread stays active as time moves forward.

 

[Rollo Greb]

A wonderful thread. Thanks all. I've just signed up to reply.

'Moondance' was thrown at me to learn the bass with a few days until a gig. I found a few Youtube tutorial vids and I've been playing it in practice non-stop since. It's a really fun bass line to play even though I'm doing a 'light' version (so far). I can't get enough of it.

Of course, I looked up the bass player and found this thread. Thanks to Rachel and all the contributors. Special thanks to radbrad and ShonenCello for the transcriptions. That will help me so much.

Anyway, I checked on Youtube for the audio of the Fillmore West concert in 1970 and noticed there was a video of a concert at Fillmore East on 23 September 1970. By the description of John in this thread I'm pretty sure that must be John playing bass. The hand style, the height, the hair - even the half-turned, shy stance. I hope it's him.

I won't post a link - I'm not sure if it's allowed. Type in...
Van Morrison - Full Concert - 09/23/70 - Fillmore East (OFFICIAL)

 

[jerry]

 

[spvmhc]

Hello, I registered specifically to provide you with this information. I am John Klingberg's daughter, however, my parents were seperated when I was quite young and I did not know him. I figured I'd have time to get to know him as I got older but sadly he died at the age of 39 in 1985 and so we never actually met, aside from when I was a small child.

He live in various places, spent much time living around Woodstock, NY. Two years before he died, he and his girlfriend moved to Oklahoma. He did play many instruments so it makes sense that you recall him playing the trumpet. It sounds like you knew my dad in NYC, it's quite likely. However there was another John (Plantania) who also played on Moondance.

I have some information from a writer researching some of Van Morrison's band members, Brian Toscano. Early in his music career my father played with Dario And The Rainbows (later called Dario's Inferno) and with an R&B cover band called Randy and the Soul Survivors. Apparently he was playing trumpet at the time, though the publicity photo I have of the two bands shows him holding a bass. These bands never recorded an album or track, as far as I know. He did the two albums with Van Morrison, Moondance and His Band and the Street Choir. Shortly thereafter he played on a Martha Velez album called Hypnotized. He is also credited on some of the outtakes of the Van Morrison compilation album Philosopher's Stone.

As I mentioned, I did not know my father but thought I'd share the information I have regarding his recordings. There are only the four that I mentioned above, the Martha Velez album and the three by Van Morrison. I hope this is helpful. It's nice to see that my father is remembered as a musician after all these years. I'm sure he would have been pleased to know that.

 

[spvmhc]

Hi Rachel,

It's been years since your post so I doubt you'll get this. On the chance it gets through, I wanted to tell you how beautiful your father played on "Moondance". I haven't found a good word in English that means "finding delight in someone's doing well". There's a Sanskrit word, mudita, that means "appreciative joy at the success and good fortune of others". Your father's playing gave me that feeling. I'm glad he could play so gracefully.

Gary

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

IMHO, his bass line for the song Moondance makes the song.

 

[ppiluk]

IMHO, his bass line for the song Moondance makes the song.

Absolutely...whenever someone asks me for some examples of the perfect bassline, this one always makes the list.

 

[Vinny_G]

Because tonight the Moon will be full, I was looking for songs about it and I remembered Van Morrison's Moondance. While listening, I thought "What a cool bass line, let's see who played it". I went to Wikipedia, I found the name of John Klingberg and the link brought me here.

Many thanks to Rachel for her moving testimony.

 

[relaxant]

Rachel, I know this is an old thread, however, I hope you see it. Figuring out by ear your dad's bass on the Moondance album taught me so much as a budding bassist in the 1970s. Moondance, in particular, educated me tremendously about how a walking bass line works. His grooves are so solid, yet fluid! I owe him a lot. Thank you very much for posting, I couldn't find much else about John online. Sorry he left so young.

 

[relaxant]

John Klingberg was my uncle on my mom's side. He was the youngest of 4, having two older sisters and an older brother. The family was raised in McKennery, IL. My grandfather (John's father) told me that John was very gifted as a musician at an early age. He sent John to Berkley to study his passion There was some kind of falling out between John and his mom and dad, perhaps during the Van Morrison years. The family was very conservative, and while he was successful with Van, that evil rock and roll hippy music may have tainted the relationship. His father was a successful inventor during the beginning year of plastic development. You can look up some of his inventions by googling Arthur Klingberg. While he holds several patents, he was by no means a wealthy man for the effort. And sending John to Berkley was probably costly to the family. This may be why his father and family distanced themselves from John.

Around '70 he and Jack Schorder visited our family while on tour during the promotion of the "Street Choir" album while in Detroit. My best friend and I ate dinner with them. We both remember looking and touching (and smelling) John's leather jacket, and Jack's sheep wool vest as seen on the album. We were star struck. He gave me the album, and I still have it to this day, though the groove are worn down.

My grandfather and mother visited John and his wife? in NY around '82. I guess the wounds hadn't healed, as they came back somewhat upset at his living situation. Later around '83 or '84 John called our house and I was able to speak with him for a brief time. When i asked about Jack, he said that Jack had ended up in Belview hospital, but this should probably be confirmed. I was not aware of his situation during the call, nor even where he was calling from.

My mom told me he had passed away around the timeframe indicated. I wish I had the opportunity to know him better. I'm very proud to be related. And as a musician myself, I often think that we may have more in common.

Thank all of you, especially Rachel, for your remembrance and stories. Rachel, you have cousins in Arizona from his sister Carol, another cousin near Chicago from his brother Tom, and me from his sister Shirley. This thread is awesome. Thanks.

 

[relaxant]

Thank you so much for this post. It is more than disappointing that Wikipedia doesn't have a page for him, he was one of the best!