welcome to
Jonathan Klein is a jazz composer/arranger/pianist/baritone saxophonist, film and TV composer, and retired Professor of Film Scoring at Berklee College of Music. All music on this site was composed and arranged by Jonathan Klein, except where noted.
enjoy!
Film and TV
Peanut Movies
The following eleven (1st 4 links) tabletop animations, featuring peanuts, were created by Ron McAdow in 1976 for “The Infinity Factory,” a PBS children’s series produced by Education Development Center. The last movie, “Skyworm” (2019), was not cast with peanuts, but instead features Ron on camera telling an illustrated story. YouTube links:
More Peanut Movies!
In “Hank the Cave Peanut” (1974), a young fellow learns to build canoes, and leads his tribe on a hunt for a wild fork.
“Captain Silas” (1977) tells the story of a sea captain and his crew, who sail stormy seas in a shoe (wingtip with sails).
Cues from other movies
“The Claim” – written and directed by Michael Kackman, 1992.
“To Catch a Tiger” – written and directed by Josephine Abady, 1998.
Alto Saxophone solo by Mark Pinto
“Advice and Dissent” – written and directed by Leibel Cohen, 2002.
“Hitchcocked” – written and directed by David Young, 2005.
“Strange Days on Planet Earth” – PBS mini-series, 2005.
In 2008, I was privileged to co-compose, with Sheldon Mirowitz, these two cues for this series he scored.
“The Reef”
“Solving the Case”
Songs
When She Reads the Sunday Times
When she reads the Sunday Times,
she might seem not so well informed.
After all she doesn’t start with the news,
at least not what’s found on page one.
Maybe later, after a special kind of fun.
So what might keep her amused?
With Opinions she shares some views.
But that’s not where she finds her best start to the day.
Even Science just gets in the way.
Maybe too much for the mind, not enough with a heart,
so in Weddings is where she starts.
There you’ll find stories of how two people met and fell in love.
And thank their stars above,
and then share it in the Times,
where we also could learn what the bride wore,
and maybe what the other bride wore.
There are so many ways to find love.
These days maybe she needs to see more.
Vocal by David Thorne Scott, recorded 2021 and 2022
Lyrics by Jonathan Klein
And she certainly is loved,
by all her family and friends.
And anyone might see the love she can give.
I’m lucky every day to return her love up close.
That could be why she needs an extra dose.
So to the Times Weddings is where she goes.
There you’ll find stories of how two people met and fell in love.
And thank their stars above,
and then share it in the Times,
where we also could learn what the bride wore,
and maybe what the other bride wore.
There are so many ways to find love,
but now maybe we need more.
So why don’t we tear down that fence,
and let in some of love’s evidence.
Like she does,
when she reads the Sunday Times.
Grass-Winged Dragon
Vocal by Susan Bennett, recorded 2015
Lyrics by Ron McAdow
As morning loses its final star
she raises her head from the river bed
she opens her mind to the sky.
Otters spiral around her slender neck
over her smooth blue back
and turtles watch them race by.
In the rising sun she shakes out her plumes
when she flies they will shimmer
and whisper with air.
She tests the muscles of her many-acred wings
the meadows quiver like green silk
and blackbirds flutter and call.
She exhales a chorus of bird song
lofting mayflies into the breeze
soothing the heart of an anxious wren.
To visit her mothers, her mothers the clouds
skirted by swallows, she rises
skirted by swallows, violet and white.
More Songs
Vocal by John West, recorded 1976
Vocal by Vi Taylor, recorded 1977 (Warning: Disco!)
Other Music
Hear O Israel, a Sabbath Service in Jazz
Released by the Milken Archive of Jewish Music, this production includes recordings made in 1967 and 1992.
Milken links:
Complete Playlist
Of Sacred Time and Seasons, a Jazz Cantata
Lyrics and text by Daniel Polish
This recording was made during a rehearsal at Berklee, a few days before the Nov. 2, 1973 performance at Temple Beth Elohim, Brooklyn, NY., for whom the work was commissioned.
Musicians:
Beth Harrington – vocals
Doug Lees – vocals
Sal Spicola – flute, clarinet, alto and soprano saxes
Jaxon Stock – trombone
Jonathan Klein – electric piano, tenor and baritone saxes
Mick Goodrick – guitar
Steve Swallow – electric bass
Ted Seibs – drums
More Music
Recorded 2010
Recorded 2013
“Caravan” (Tizol, Ellington)
Berklee Vocal Jazz Ensemble – 1991 Concert
“Wedding Processional”
composed and performed 2004, orchestrated (virtually) and recorded 2021
“Park Street Under” Theme – 1979. Vocal by Karen MacDonald
Check out these links:
Boston Magazine, NECN, That’s Entertainment
Performance
Ma Tovu (from “Hear O Israel”) improvisation, 2020, part of which appears in the Milken video interview.
“Jazzman”, by Carole King. This clip is from “Beth”, a CBC series starring Beth Harrington, produced in St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1975. Vocal and piano by Beth. Arrangement and tenor sax solo by Jon Klein.
More tunes coming when I get around to it.