Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jenny Klukken. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jenny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My biggest and most meaningful project has definitely been my 2021 album “Color in Motion”.
I did some music studying in Paris in 2018 and wrote a ton of music. I spent about a year performing and fine-tuning the compositions and then was ready to record my debut album as a band leader and composer. I ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project in fall 2019, but was simultaneously dealing with a bomb that had gone off in my family; my husband’s dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor that same fall. My in-laws were living with me while he went through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, all while I was managing the album project. I’m sure readers can guess the next bomb a few months later: COVID-19 hitting the US a few months later.
I was supposed to record this album in Costa Rica with a producer and artists I had connected with there, but the travel restrictions made this impossible. Helping my father-in-law became a central part of my life too, so leaving during that time of need in my family was hard to imagine. Eventually I changed the plans to record in Minneapolis.
My father-in-law’s health continued to decline, and he passed before the album was done. When I listen to the songs on this album, I will forever think about my husband’s dad living in my home during the last year of his life. He was facing so much pain and discomfort, and we were stuck at home for multiple reasons, so fine-tuning the music became a wonderful, therapeutic distraction. This album will always make me remember the struggle of those years.
Jenny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a musician and composer that wants the world of music lovers to discover the marimba. Originally I studied classical music and percussion, but now I write and perform jazz, folk, and world music on a very under-utilized instrument. The marimba is this rich and beautiful keyboard instrument that I don’t think gets heard by everyday music-listeners enough. It has been peg-holed into modern-classical music in the US, and I think it belongs on your favorite play list. The marimba is as versatile as the piano or guitar, yet it rarely gets played in places other than modern-classical music settings, and I do my best to bring the marimba into new genres. I perform fun, singable, danceable music with a band that highlights the marimba. My audiences are wowed by the grandeur of this massive instrument, the technical skill it demands, and the excitement of hearing and seeing an unexpected instrument brought to center stage. I’m so proud of they way my music pushes the boundaries of this amazing instrument and gets listeners intrigued about something new. My album “Color in Motion” showcases me and what I believe the marimba is capable of.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think artists in the music industry are struggling the most. I do some visual art on the side, and I am so amazed to find that I can sell physical art so much easier than I can sell music or tickets to concerts. It has always been hard to get people to show up to events, but COVID made that even harder. I always encourage people to show up at their local music venues on a regular basis. I also try to show up myself to model that habit. The other uphill battle musicians fight is streaming services, which we all know is making music easier to get, but harder to make a living off of. A simple way I encourage fans to support me or another artist is to go ahead and stream my music, but buy a CD today. The $10-15 you spend on a CD is WAY more money that you could ever make an artist through streaming.
On the flip side, I think artists can benefit from having a physical/visual element to their CD that is enticing. Since I am the visual artist who created my CD cover, I sell a high quality art print of the image along with my CD. While someone might never pop that CD into a player, they can enjoy the art print while they stream my music.
These are some really practical applications of the question, but my bigger point is this. Think of the artist that you have enjoyed and ask yourself, when is the last time I contributed to their livelihood? If all you do is stream their album, go to their website and buy a T-shirt. Go to their Patreon page. Get tickets to their next show. If an artist has really moved you, find a way to thank them with your support.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My creative journey is really centered around my instrument, the marimba. Every where I go and play, people are just amazed at its grand sound and presence. People go crazy over the marimba! It is so under-utilized in the music world and I think it is so capable of existing in almost every music genre. The bass end absolutely shakes you to your core: hearing it live and up-close is a whole experience. Seeing a skilled player fly around while holding 4 mallets is absolutely thrilling. Relative to other instruments, the marimba is very young and waiting to be fully utilized and discovered. I have made it my creative journey to explore the sounds and capabilities of the marimba, pushing its boundaries and exposing music listeners to something new.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennyklukken.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyklukken/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennyklukkenartandmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT7gUv4Hq0qKd_0PB42V83Q
Image Credits
all photos by Adrian Suarez “Color in Motion” album cover art by Jenny Klukken and Karla Colahan