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Kenny G

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Kenny G
Kenny G in May 2013
Kenny G in May 2013
Background information
Birth nameKenneth Bruce Gorelick
Also known asKenny G
Born (1956-06-05) June 5, 1956 (age 68)
OriginSeattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
Years active
  • 1973–1982 (group)
  • 1982–present (solo)
Labels
Websitewww.kennyg.com

Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American saxophonist. His 1986 album, Duotones, brought him commercial success.[1] Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumental musician of the modern era and one of the best-selling artists of all time, with global sales totaling more than 75 million records.[2]

Early life

Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington, to Jewish parents (his mother was originally from Saskatchewan, Canada) and grew up in the city's Seward Park neighborhood, which is a center of the city's Jewish community. He came into contact with the saxophone when he heard a performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.[1] He started playing the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10 years old, his first saxophone being a Buffet Crampon alto.[3]

Kenny G attended Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, Franklin High School, and the University of Washington, all in his home town of Seattle. When he entered high school, he failed on his first try to get into the jazz band, but tried again the following year and earned first chair.[4][5] His Franklin High School classmate Robert Damper (piano, keyboards) plays in his band.[6][7] In addition to his studies while in high school, he took private lessons on the saxophone and clarinet from Johnny Jessen, once a week for a year.[8]

He was also on his high school golf team.[5] He has been a fan of the sport since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, introduced him to it when he was ten.[5]

Career

Early career

Kenny G playing in Shanghai in 2007

Kenny G's career started with a job as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973 while 17 and still in high school.[9][10] He continued to play professionally while studying for a major in accounting at the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated magna cum laude.[9][11] He played with the funk band Cold, Bold and Together[11] before becoming a credited member of The Jeff Lorber Fusion.[10] He began his solo career after his period with Lorber.[10]

1980s: Early success and breakthrough with Duotones

Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of ABBA's "Dancing Queen".[10] He released his first self-titled album with the help of The Jeff Lorber Fusion. The album received warm reviews from critics. He received success quite early on, with both G Force and Gravity, his second and third studio albums respectively, achieving platinum status in the United States. At that time, he collaborated with Kashif on many tracks, such as the single "Love on the Rise" released in 1985 which went on to chart. His fourth studio album, Duotones sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. alone. It featured the songs Songbird, with reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single Don't Make Me Wait for Love, which featured vocals from Lenny Williams, charted at #15 on the Hot 100, and #2 on the Adult Contemporary charts in 1987. In the mid-late 1980s, Kenny G worked with Jazz and R&B artists such as George Benson, Patti LaBelle, and Aretha Franklin. The 1987 hit-single Love Power, a Dionne Warwick duet with Jeffrey Osborne, featuring G as a guest saxophonist, peaked #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #5 at R&B/Hip-Hop songs. His first live album, titled: Kenny G Live included popular songs, among which Going Home, which achieved great success in the People's Republic of China. G has notably collaborated with a wide variety of artists such as Andrea Bocelli,[12] Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince,[13] Natalie Cole,[14] Steve Miller,[15] Weezer, Dudley Moore, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, Bebel Gilberto, and Smokey Robinson.[12] Influenced by the likes of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.,[8] his own albums are usually classified as smooth jazz.

1990s: Worldwide acclaim with Breathless, Miracles and The Moment

Kenny G has worked on multiple soundtracks such as Dying Young, and The Bodyguard. The song "Theme for Dying young", written for the eponymous movie, was nominated for a Best Pop Instrumental Performance. G co-wrote the soundtrack of The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, and performed his own song "Waiting for You" as well as his single "Even If My Heart Would Break". His music was also included in The Shadow, or Miracle on 34th Street.

His sixth studio album, Breathless, was released in 1992, and went on to become the number one best selling instrumental album ever, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide, selling 12 million copies in the United States alone. The album included many hits such as Forever in Love, the recipient of the Grammy Award for the Best Instrumental Composition and which charted in the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End. Sentimental which charted at #27 on the Adult Contemporary, and By the Time This Night Is Over, a collaboration with Peabo Bryson, with peaked #25 on the Hot 100 . His first holiday album, Miracles, sold over 13 million copies, making it the most successful Christmas album to date.[11] He also performed the "National Anthem of the United States" at the 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on July 17, 1994.[16]

In 1997, Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Using circular breathing, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at J&R Music World in New York City.[17] The same year, Kenny G's song "Havana", from the album The Moment, was remixed by Todd Terry and Tony Moran and released to dance clubs in the U.S. The mixes went to No.1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart in April 1997,[18]

Kenny G's second holiday album, Faith, is the best selling holiday album of 1999 in the United States selling 2 million units according to Nielsen/SoundScan. The singles taken from the album, the traditional Auld Lang Syne, reached #7 on the Hot 100.

2000s: Continued popularity

In February 2000, Kenny G was invited to the White House and performed for state governors and members of the Clinton Cabinet.[19]

He released his eight studio album, Paradise in 2002. The album featured R&B singer Brian McKnight, and included singles "One More Time", a duet with Chanté Moore.

On At Last...The Duets Album,he collaborated with friends and colleagues David Sanborn, David Benoit, Daryl Hall, lead singer of Hall & Oates, Burt Bacharach, and Barbra Streisand. It includes covers such as Careless Whisper, and Elton John's Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, a collaboration with Richard Marx. The album is certified Gold in the US.

2006 saw the release of Kenny G's eleventh studio album I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time featuring renditions of The Beatles's songs, the love theme from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Secret Garden's hit song You Raise Me Up, and James Blunt's You're Beautiful, as well as the Chinese ballad The Moon Represents My Heart.

Kenny G was named the 25th highest-selling artist in America by the RIAA, with 48 million albums sold in the USA as of July 31, 2006.[20]

In October 2009, Kenny G appeared with the band Weezer in an AOL promotion of their album Raditude by soloing during "I'm Your Daddy". Kenny G said he knew nothing of Weezer before the performance.[21] Though some music critics thereby rejoined in the common criticism of his work,[22][23] the unlikely combination was fairly well received by AOL's magazines Spinner.com and Popeater.com.[21][24]

2010s: Current projects

His 2010 album Heart And Soul is strongly influenced by R&B, featuring Robin Thicke and his long-time collaborator Babyface. It garnered positive reviews from critics.

In February 2011 Kenny G was featured in the Super Bowl XLV ad for Audi called "Release the Hounds."[25] Kenny G later starred in a short as Head of Riot Suppression for a luxury Prison.[26]

G made an appearance in the music video for pop star Katy Perry's single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" as Uncle Kenny. On October 8, 2011 episode of Saturday Night Live, G performed alongside alternative rock band Foster the People on the song "Houdini."

Kenny G hosts a radio show alongside Sandy Kovach on WLOQ in Orlando, Florida.[27]

G's 14th studio album, Brazilian Nights was announced on October 28, 2014. According to G, the album was inspired by Cannonball Adderley's bossa nova recordings, Paul Desmond, and Stan Getz. The album was released in January 2015.[28] It help Kenny G back to the Billboard 200, at number 86. Kenny G kicked off "The Brazilian Tour", supporting for the album, throughout North America and many countries in Asia, later in the year.

Popularity in Hong Kong and China

Kenny G has recorded Chinese songs, such as "Jasmine Flower" (茉莉花) or "The Moon Represents My Heart" (月亮代表我的心). His music is noticeably popular in China.

Since 1989, Kenny G's recording "Going Home" from the Kenny G Live album has become an unconventional mega-hit throughout China: It has become the unofficial national closing song for businesses such as food courts, outdoor markets, health clubs, shopping malls and train stations throughout the country.[29] Many businesses begin piping the music over their loudspeakers shortly before closing at night. Television stations also play the song before ending their evening broadcasts at night. Many Chinese, when asked, say they associate the song with the need to finish their activity or business and go home (although they may not even know the name of the song or its artist).[30][31]

Kenny G became embroiled in controversy when he posted Twitter images of his visit to the site of the 2014 Hong Kong protests, which the PRC government has declared illegal, saying "I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation". The feed provoked an immediate angry reaction from the Chinese foreign ministry. G issued a clarification: "I don't really know anything about the situation and my impromptu visit to the site was just part of an innocent walk around Hong Kong ... I only wanted to share my wish for peace for Hong Kong and for all of China as I feel close to and care about China very much."[31][32][33][34]

Criticism

Kenny G's 1999 single, "What A Wonderful World" was criticized in its overdubbing of Louis Armstrong's classic recording. The primary criticism is that a revered recording by an artist such as Armstrong, known especially for improvisation, should not be altered, especially by a musician whose range and depth of understanding of classic jazz was already in question.[35][36][37][38][39] Some columnists counter the criticism by suggesting that Kenny G's recording would expose a wider audience to classic jazz, though the overall response to his recording tended to be extremely negative.[40]

Equipment

Kenny G plays the Selmer Mark VI Soprano, alto and tenor saxophones. He has created his own line of saxophones called "Kenny G Saxophones".[41]

Personal life

Kenny G married Lyndie Benson in 1992, and the couple had two sons. In January 2012, Benson-Gorelick filed for legal separation.[42] Kenny G filed for divorce in August 2012.[43]

Kenny G lives in Malibu, California.[44] He is an avid golfer and has a handicap of +0.6.[4] He has participated in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament seven times as of 2007 and teamed with Phil Mickelson to share the AT&T pro-am title in 2001 with the team of Tiger Woods and Jerry Chang.[5] In the Golf Digest rankings of Top 100 in Music, according to golf handicap indexes of major musicians, he was first in 2006[4] and second in 2008.[45] He is a member at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.

Kenny G is an aircraft pilot and has a De Havilland Beaver seaplane that he flies regularly.[46] He was also an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain.[47]

Discography

Main article: Kenny G discography

References

  1. ^ a b "Kenny G Is Still the Smooth Jazz King". Barnes & Noble.com. October 2002. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  2. ^ Hwang, Kellie (July 2, 2013). "7/5: Kenny G performing at Wild Horse Pass Casino". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  3. ^ Kenny G (June 19, 2009). "Some more Q & A". Kenny G Rhythm and Romance. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c Diaz, Jaime (December 2006). "After selling millions of records, Grammy winner Kenny G wants to conquer golf". Golf Digest. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d Kroichick, Ron (February 7, 2007). "Kenny G can swing with the best of them". Scripps News. ScrippsNews.com. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  6. ^ "Robert Damper". Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  7. ^ "Gene Stout. Seattle-bred sax star Kenny G wows crowd in Jazz Alley debut". The Seattle Times. April 27, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  8. ^ a b Wissmuller, Christian (2006). "I'm just doing my own thing, too". Jazzed (December/January). Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  9. ^ a b Glenn, Alan (1995). "Kenny G". Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, Inc. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d Yanow, Scott. "Kenny G Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  11. ^ a b c Zimmerman, Kevin (September 30, 2002). "Kenny G Has Time on his Side". BMI.com. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Sandow, Greg (2007). "Kenny G". Microsoft Encarta. Microsoft Corporation. Archived from the original on October 31, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2007.
  13. ^ "The Moment – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  14. ^ "Everlasting – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  15. ^ "Living in the 20th Century – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  16. ^ "The Star-Spangled Banner - Kenny G - 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremonies at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Jul. 17 1994". YouTube. August 13, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  17. ^ "Kenny G. Blows". Yahoo!. December 2, 1997. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  18. ^ "Dance/Club Play Songs – Week of April 26, 1997". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  19. ^ "Anne Gearan. Clinton hosts governors minus Bush". Associated Press. February 27, 2000. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  20. ^ "Top Artists". RIAA.com. July 31, 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
  21. ^ a b Charley Rogulewski Weezer Run With Chamillionaire, Sara Bareilles and ... Kenny G? Spinner.com, October 23, 2009
  22. ^ Tom Breihan Weezer Team Up With Kenny G, Chamillionaire, Sara Bareilles Pitchfork Media, October 23, 2009
  23. ^ Mike Burr Weezer Breaks Out Rolodex, Brings Kenny G., Chamillionaire, and Sara Bareilles To AOL Session Prefix Magazine , October 23, 2009
  24. ^ Kenny G Steps Back Into the Spotlight popeater.com, October 26, 2009
  25. ^ Audi Big Game Commercial 2011 – Release the Hounds on YouTube, February 2, 2011
  26. ^ Audi Big Game 2011 Teaser – Kenny G Riot Suppressor (Part 2) on YouTube, February 1, 2011
  27. ^ "Kenny G & Sandy Kovach – Orlando's Smooth Jazz". 1025wloq.com. August 18, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  28. ^ Jazz Times | Detail. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  29. ^ Kory Grow (May 12, 2014). "China Embraces Kenny G's 'Going Home' as Its Anthem to Go Home". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  30. ^ Levin, Dan (May 11, 2014). "China Says Goodbye in the Key of G: Kenny G". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  31. ^ a b Jonathan Kaiman. "China furious after Kenny G appears to back Hong Kong protesters". The Guardian. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  32. ^ "Kenny G angers China with 'Occupy' Hong Kong visit – CNN". CNN. October 23, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  33. ^ "Tweets in Hong Kong Put Kenny G in Jam With Communist Party". NPR. October 23, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  34. ^ Levin, Dan (OCT. 22, 2014). "Beijing Unsoothed by a Kenny G Visit". The New York Times
  35. ^ Ben Ratliff MUSIC; Jazz Can Take Itself Too Seriously The New York Times, July 16, 2000
  36. ^ Mark Sabbatini Kenny G: At Last...The Duets Album All About Jazz, December 30, 2004
  37. ^ George Varga Kenny G: Changes His Tune JazzTimes May 1999
  38. ^ Mike Joyce Who's overrated? Who's Underrated? JazzTimes, September 1997
  39. ^ Pat Metheny MUSIC; Pat Metheny on Kenny G Jazz Oasis, October 5, 2000
  40. ^ Maldonado, Shirley (August 10, 2000). "Gee whiz, give Kenny a break". Boston Herald. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  41. ^ "Kenny G Saxophones". Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  42. ^ Fleeman, Mike (August 13, 2012). "Kenny G Files for Divorce After 20 Years of Marriage". People. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  43. ^ "Girl hurt by item cast from Kenny G's home". Los Angeles Times. June 30, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  44. ^ Furlong, Lisa; Craig Bestrom (November 2008). "The Top 100 in Music". Golf Digest. Condé Nast Digital. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  45. ^ Strauss, Neil (October 31, 2006). "... And Two if by Seaplane". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  46. ^ Harding, Cortney (January 25, 2008). "Q&A: Kenny G explores Latin "Rhythm"". Reuters. Retrieved April 3, 2010.

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