This was an evening with a first for me – this benefit show by Jann Klose was held in the Heald & Chiampa funeral home! Understand that the funeral home is the Sumner House, a historic structure, so it isn’t that difficult to comprehend that it would be a terrific setting for an acoustic concert.

Jann Klose

The house is gorgeous with the original part built in 1797. I overheard someone say that the house is on the Underground Railroad (that person was taken to see the boarded-up entrance to it). 

Jann is a singer-songwriter based in New York. He was born in Germany, raised in South Africa, and college educated in the United States, where he decided to stay.

Jann

This was an intimate show held in a room that might have been a formal living room at one point in the house’s history. With no more than 100 people in attendance, Jann easily fully engaged the audience.

Jann

Jann’s style is hard to describe in one word; it is mostly pop, but has influences from the blues, rock, classical, and even Afro-beat. His songs are easy to listen to, but they are not easy-listening (which, to me, has a negative connotation).

Jann

He played songs from all his releases, including ‘Mosaic’ which is his most recent album. For this show, Jann was alone on stage with only his guitar as his accompaniment. His albums, however, include a full band.

Jann and Jenna

Joining him on stage for one song was Jenna Lotti, the opening act. You couldn’t tell that they had only met earlier that day!

Jann is well-known for providing the voice of Tim Buckley, the late great songwriter, in the film ‘Greetings from Tim Buckley’. I have not seen the film, but he seems to channel Tim in his life performance.

Jann

Jann easily got the crowd to sing along with him.

Opening for Jann was Jenna Lotti, a singer-songwriter living in the Boston area.

Jenna Lotti

Jenna is another engaging musician with the ability to draw her audience to her. Jenna recently released her first album, ‘Tunnel Vision’. One of the songs from that album, ‘Red Line Love’, has lyrics to which anyone who regularly rides the T can relate.

Jenna

Jenna’s instrument is her voice, and she was accompanied by Chris Facey who is also her boyfriend. They are an engaging acoustic pop duo.

Jenna and Jann

Jann joined Jenna for one of her songs as well.

Jann and Jenna

This was a lovely show that benefited a scholarship fund – I hope it was a success! I look forward to seeing both Jann and Jenna perform in the future.