Kenny G Is Fine With Some People Hating His Music – Even Pat Metheny

[Doctor Jeff]

On a somewhat related note I was listening to a Lee Ritenour “station” on Apple Music last night—nice stuff, but I kept thinking, when are the really good guitar solos going to start?

[emanresu]

I think Kenny G deserves a tribute band!
Anyone up for it?

[emanresu]

Btw. Whenever a brilliant musician goes on interviews and starts talking... its 50:50 chance it'll be cringe.
Musicians are not good talkers. Thats a good thing

[Doctor Jeff]

I think Kenny G deserves a tribute band!
Anyone up for it?

Only if I get paid for it.

There are actually two Lee Ritenours in this world ... There is the guy that plays on his records be they studio records or live records ... Totally polished, very controlled and leaning to being short and sweet.

I totally agree. I'm not saying he isn't a great guitarist. I'm not super familiar with his records, but some of his recent ones have been quite good.

It's just that if you listen to an "LR station", you get a lot of stuff which is IMO too polished and buttoned down. Same with Benson--ask Siri or Google to "play George Benson" and you'll get >50% smooth jazz and R and B.

[Petimar]

*Parody set to Let It Be melody, starting:
When I turn on turn on my car radio,
Mother Mary punishes me,
For 3 seconds I hear, Kenny G....

This is GREAT!!!!

[rpjazzguitar]

I'd heard about Kenny G playing over Louis, but I'd never actually heard it.

I found a video on youtube of KG playing along with a video of LA singing Wonderful World.

I found nothing disrespectful about it.

I love Louis' version. Kenny put on a horn part that sort of went with the song. It wasn't necessary, but it wasn't a felonious assault either.

I heard an interview with KG in which he was appropriately modest about his music. He talked about his efforts to improve his playing, not how great he was or how great somebody else wasn't.

[waitwhat]

That's a bossa nova standard. Played without any bossa. As a brazilian, i can't call call it jazz nor bossa. Maybe, to give it a name in brazilian portuguese: bosta

[rsclosson]

I double on saxophone. At one of our regular venues, I brought my sax and played on several tunes. The owner of the venue came up to me and gave me what I consider a very high compliment. He said that I don't sound like all the FSU sax players who have played there,"and I mean that in a good way." (Another venue owner basically told me the same thing. Both want to hear more saxophone.)

I am not a be-bopper and not university trained. I guess my style of improv is more like expanding on the melody. One old timer refers it to being a "road scholar" which I think is a great pun with a lot of truth imbedded. At my age (early 70s) I have gone to a few open mike jams, usually dominated by the college jazz students who, without exception, regarded me as a steaming pile of old man. Frankly I find that type of attitude as to be very common among academic students and it is disturbing to say the least.

What I am trying to say is that I guess my playing is more akin to Kenny G than I realized. But the audience (and the venue owner) loved it. If my playing makes people happy and I am musically satisfied, then so be it.

[2bornot2bop]

Kenny G is laughing all the way to the BANK!

[2bornot2bop]

Here’s KG playing some quote unquote “bebop.” But the real question is, does one use their talents to become super rich and famous, if they had that opportunity, or to stay true to jazz?

Some record executive saw $ signs when first hearing KG. Can anyone blame KG for becoming a household name? Let’s face it, on one hand there’s music that doesn’t sell, and the other there’s mega stardom. Duh! George Benson understood this, did he not? KG came later and yet took the saxophone to a level that had not previously been seen.

Can't blame the man, as he sips Mai Thai’s viewing one of many Lamborghini’s and Rolls in his 50 car garage.

[ruger9]

Here’s KG playing some quote unquote “bebop.” But the real question is, does one use their talents to become super rich and famous, if they had that opportunity, or to stay true to jazz?

Some record executive saw $ signs when first hearing KG. Can anyone blame KG for becoming a household name? Let’s face it, on one hand there’s music that doesn’t sell, and the other there’s mega stardom. Duh! George Benson understood this, did he not? KG came later and yet took the saxophone to a level that had not previously been seen.

Good point, whenever I see someone complaining about Kenny G (or smooth jazz in general), I always think of George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around" (written by Toto's Steve Lukather, Chicago's Bill Camplin, and guitarist Jay Graydon, BTW). Yet Benson not only gets a pass, he is praised. Both players can play "real jazz", Benson did on record for awhile BEFORE he switched to smooth jazz and became hugely popular). No one ever complains about Benson "selling out."

[2bornot2bop]

Some interesting points made about KG’s musical history and a significant musical producer, Narada Michael Bolden, who was groomed by Quincy Jones, was instrumental in guiding his career to musical stardom. Narada was the musical producer of KG’s first big album Duotones. Narada would later go on to produce Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carrie, Whitney Houston, etc. Prior to Narada coming on the scene it could be said that KG was a wannabe imitation of Grover Washington. But his career actually began to skyrocket after Narada’s involvement. Anyway this British “jazz” listener makes some valid points on Pat Methany’s criticisms, along with outlining KG’s career.

[2bornot2bop]

Actually, his 2015 Brazilian Nights album isn’t bad. It’s not Stan Getz, but what is.