Guitarist Mark Kleinhaut is one of the talented jazz musicians residing in the State of Maine who has found an outlet for creative performance on Invisible Music Records. Although born in N.Y.C., Kleinhaut qualifies since he is an adjunct faculty member at University of Southern Maine, where he teaches guitar and improvisation techniques. Kleinhaut's ascension to jazz was unusual. As a youngster, he was fascinated with science fiction, including teleportation and mental telepathy. Hearing the Mahavishnu Orchestra, he felt that the orchestra's fusion jazz was telepathic and their musical images, otherworldly. He wanted to do the same, which led to a jazz career spanning more than 20 years. Kleinhaut's main mentor was Ted Dunbar but he has taken master classes with such notables as Jim Hall and Pat Martino. Starting in 1999, Kleinhaut has been releasing one album a year using an assortment of small groups. Each album displays his evolution to becoming one of jazz's most expressive musicians. The albums' playlists favor his own compositions, which are expressions of modern improvisational jazz. At the same time, his music is accessible. It avoids the murkiness and extreme dissonance that too often characterizes the work of some of his peers. Kleinhaut respects melody and understands that is what attracts the majority of listeners. He has all the requisite technical skills and can play with amazing speed, but can be subtle and sophisticated as well. In addition to his guitar, Kleinhaut knows his way around the studio. He is often responsible for the engineering and mastering of the label's releases. When Kleinhaut isn't teaching or performing he gravitates toward the music of Jerry Bergonzi. ~ Dave Nathan