Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Klemperer.
Hi Paul, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My musical background is fairly eclectic. I studied classical clarinet for four years before getting jazz. I’ve absorbed musical knowledge from many sources. I’ve performed professionally for over 40 years, mainly in popular music styles such as jazz, blues, soul, salsa, and world music. I’ve taught private lessons and group classes, working with elementary, high school, and college students, as well as retired seniors. In these contexts, I apply the philosophy that “music is for everyone.” My specialty is an adaptive pedagogical approach, blending Western classical, jazz, and world music learning techniques. I always aim to help students express themselves through music; this is a dialectical and nuanced experience because we are all unique in learning. That’s what makes it fun.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My musical path has been smoother than many of my associates, but it is full of struggles. The main challenge has been finding a balance, which takes many forms. One of my main challenges was choosing how to follow a set path and how much to create my path. I was never comfortable playing one style of music; I’m too omnivorous. Musicians who find their niche can make a comfortable living but often have to sacrifice experimentation and originality. Focusing on your inspiration can be artistically rewarding but usually doesn’t pay the bills; the money ebbs and flows. As they say, some people at the top of the pyramid make a bank, while the rest of us make a living. But if you keep going, keep learning, and deepen your lived knowledge, you will have undeniable success in the experience you bring to your community. You become a more valuable person for yourself and others. It can become rather zen in that each moment is as profound as your ability to perceive it.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Over the past 20 years, my business model evolved to include event production and working with various nonprofits and cultural organizations to create multi-media projects. My brand is “Building Community Through Music.” This helped me link my multiple projects, which include music performances, classes and workshops, songwriting and recording, fiction and essays, podcasting, and more. A good example is my monthly Community Jazz Jam, which began in 2011 (with a hiatus from 2020-2022 due to Covid). The CJJ invites musicians of all levels, styles, and ages to participate. I purposely bring together professional musicians, students, and amateurs to explore all aspects of the expansive jazz tradition, which includes spoken word, dancing, and audience sing-alongs, not just modern jazz improvisation. It’s a beautiful shared experience and truly represents building community through music. The Community Jazz Jam and other community projects are now sponsored by my nonprofit CreativeSEA.org, which focuses on multicultural and multigenerational activities. We seek funding to expand our programming to include multi-media activities such as songwriting, poetry and fiction workshops, live music and yoga classes, and more. The mission is “creative social engagement through the arts.”
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Austin has always been an excellent creative incubator. I’ve been here over 40 years. It was always challenging to make a living with music. The venues need to pay better, and many musicians here are willing to play just for tips as long as they can get onstage. But the music community is vibrant, and it’s an excellent place to work out your ideas. Many Austin artists emerge from this incubator and become nationally known. The city’s growth plan has always been short-sighted, profit-driven, and defined by corporate rather than community priorities. The problems of expensive housing, grid-locked traffic, and declining air quality were all predicted in the 1980s, but to no avail.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pksax.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/paulklemperermusic
Image Credits
Kim Yarbrough
