Kenny G
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick, better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American saxophonist. His 1986 album, Duotones, brought him commercial success. 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...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSaxophonist
Date of Birth5 June 1956
CitySeattle, WA
CountryUnited States of America
I don't play the traditional Charlie Parker songs. But I do improvise and I do create with my instrument, and that to me is jazz. But there are people who use the word 'jazz' only in a traditional sense, and they would be offended by that, and that's fine.
Being a purely instrumental album, it makes a musical statement, not a religious one, and I hope that people can feel the emotion of the great melodies, even without the words.
Just figure out what you think jazz is, and then if it fits into that category, it's jazz, and if it doesn't, it isn't. It's no big deal.
The criticism is that it's too simple, but my feeling is it's more of a challenge making someone feel an emotion in four notes than in 25 notes.
Finally, I was no longer a student and was making music for myself.
I've learned that you simply can't control those bad vibes.
It's important to let each artist do what makes him or her feel comfortable. Success should be a by-product of that.
The whole rise of new adult contemporary music and smooth jazz was a nice surprise.
The Moment is an album that contains the best music I have ever produced.
Just because people play songs with great technique doesn't mean the records are better.
It wasn't until Duotones that I felt my true voice come out.
I've never personally criticized anyone else's music, but I know that the public's real problem is not the music I make but the perception that I play simple music for money only and for the notoriety and to increase my popularity.
Maybe the biggest thing that I've learned musically is that anything is possible. Things can work when maybe they don't seem like they can.
I just started as a part of the public school music program. I took lessons at the school every Friday and was a part of the school band. I was just a normal kid taking instrumental lessons at school, nothing special.