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I noticed the following regularity:
Kenny G plays simple songs and Pat Metheny plays difficult songs that seem simple.
Maybe here is the key to all this fuss...?
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09-13-2021 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by arnie65
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This got lots of buzz at the time. Even Richard Thompson jumped on the bandwagon.
I thought then, and I think now, it's a tempest in a teapot. Kenny's overdub of himself with Louie was in bad taste for sure, but it didn't hurt anyone really, and Louie's legacy remains indelible and untouched by that affront. That fact that so many people bought his music says something about his ability to touch a non-musician audience and it sometimes feels that perhaps there's some twinge of jealousy about that from much more sophisticated, artistically deeper musicians such as Pat and Richard. I recall when Keith Jarrett wrote a diatribe against the new age pianist George Winston. It missed the point because Winston called his style "folk piano" and in no way aimed to compete with what Keith did. Kenny was seemingly a great deal more clueless about his sources than George - who always credited them - but I believed he did the Louie overdub with a culturally tone-deaf ear but without malice. All the counter attacks still seem like an overreaction and though I've barely heard his music by choice, I might check out the documentary to better understand him and his music.
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Branford Marsalis once stated in an interview with Jazziz magazine: "When all these jazz guys get in a tizzy over Kenny G, they need to leave Kenny alone. He's not stealing jazz. The audience he has wouldn't be caught dead at a real jazz concert or club. It's not like some guy says, 'You know, I used to listen to Miles, Trane and Ornette. And then I heard Kenny G, and I never put on another Miles record.' It's a completely different audience".
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Originally Posted by Average Joe
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Originally Posted by SandChannel
I did see Natalie Cole when she opened for George Benson at the Hollywood Bowl, over 25 years ago.
A key part of her show was repeating this duet.
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Note that highly skilled and creative people can make mistakes.
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Someone on another forum in a different part of the universe wrote recently,
Smooth jazz was invented by people trying to capitalize off of the success of the music that Metheny created. To write him off as smooth jazz is a mistake. It would be equivalent to calling George Benson smooth jazz.
You reap what you sow.
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Originally Posted by SandChannel
but sure, maybe it’s just round here that it’s as if it never were
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Originally Posted by Litterick
But clearly Benson appeals to the same audience that enjoy smooth jazz. I assume Benson gets more airplay on smooth jazz stations than straight ahead ones. I saw Benson only once shortly after Breezin came out (that one with Natalie Cole). It was a smooth jazz concert. I.e. He mentioned his background, played Take Five for about 5 minutes and the rest wasn't what I wished to hear. The concert was at the Hollywood Bowl and was sold out so I understand why. I.e. this isn't a knock on Benson.
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Originally Posted by Gabor
Nobody's comparing KG to GB, but they made it huge (outside of the jazz world) playing the same type of Jazz; "Smooth Jazz"...By the way, Kenny G is not the only one that has been criticized for this, Wes Montgomery was called a "Sell Out" when he recorded "California Dreaming" in 1966.
Arnie...
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Originally Posted by arnie65
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Originally Posted by Gabor
Benson has sold more smooth jazz albums than he has those early straight ahead albums. (but even his CTI stuff had many songs that had a pre-smooth-jazz vibe).
This is NOT a knock on Benson (one of the finest bebop guitarist). Benson is richer than 99% of other jazz musicians for a reason.
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Originally Posted by jameslovestal
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PM was on Kenny G's case long before the Louis Armstrong thing. Me thinketh he doth protest too much...
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PM is a great guitar player but I find him hard to listen to. It's just not my thing.
I find Kenny G equally hard to listen to.
Different strokes for different folks!
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Originally Posted by arnie65
He is not a master improviser, although most of those other folks that you mention were/are.
Wes and Benson were jazz masters who were practical enough to do the CTI thing. Benson arguably fit better due to his R&B background and generation. Wes was more of a force fit but still sounded great. Tequila!
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Originally Posted by Gabor
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Originally Posted by SandChannel
What popular singer isn’t richer than his/her sidemen?
Most “music lovers” don’t want to work very hard. They want to be told a story while driving down the road.
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Originally Posted by ruger9
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Originally Posted by jameslovestal
My starting point with this thread was that makes more sense arguing about KGs act was right or not, and PM act was right or not, instead of their music.
However when GBs music was also involved... If anyone thinks that GB and KG has anything to do with each other, just because GB plays soul... and I also do not understand why should I participate on a GB concert to understand and evaluate GB? I was not in a single Wes concert, still can admire him. Same goes to GB, and not because his bebop recordingsLast edited by Gabor; 09-14-2021 at 01:14 AM.
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Originally Posted by ruger9
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Originally Posted by entresz
I enjoyed listening to PM music on my headphones while going out in the city.
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Musicians are often under pressure from managers who want to sell as many records as possible. They appear
various musical productions aimed at the audience.
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As a sax player, I used to be critical of Kenny G. Then I saw this video on YouTube:
Kenny G is not afraid to laugh at himself a little. Several interviews I have seen reflect that he is very humble, gracious, articulate and an all around nice guy. If I ever had the opportunity, I would gladly sit down and have a beer with with him. I would even love to jam with him a little. After all, in all reality, who the heck am I?
I don't listen to him a lot but I respect what he has done. He is not trying to be anything but what he is.
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