[area51recording]

The whole "Sellout" thing implies that deep inside, in places he doesn't talk about at parties, Mr G is actually like a lot of us....a jazz snob who, if it ain't Getz, Coltrane, Brecker, and on and on, is not WORTHY of our considerable artistic acumen, and that he's "Selling out" in pursuit of the almighty $$$$.....you know.....there's another possibility, that the dude actually DIGS the sticky sweet side of things (I know.....THE HORROR!!!!) and THAT is what his soul actually sounds like. We can't ALL be Trane (Actually, NONE of us can, really) and the whole, "Shoot, I'm a better sax player than HIM, but I would NEVER bow to the commercial thing like HE did" argument is really moot, especially if he digs what he does and is simply LUCKY enough to really enjoy playing a style that enough OTHER people dig to keep him VERY well fed....I'm willing to bet that Kenny G doesn't give a toss what SOTW thinks about him.....

 

[SuperAction80]

Jeff Lorber Fusion - yes!

Thank you for sharing. I had fun time having my father guess who the saxophonist was this evening. After taking some pretty abstract yet appropriate guesses of locals, people we know, and saxophonists who he has listened to, I finally told him that it was a Mr. Kenneth Gorlick. After receiving a confused look, I told him that he probably knows the saxophonist better as "Kenny G". He was pretty shocked.

 

[Saxophone Strange]

I guess he is a sellout...

He sells out albums and he sells out stadiums and people know him and I guess some even like him; but, not I or any self respecting “jazz” musician. We are in fact too erudite to enjoy such things as his effervescent melodies. Perhaps we should instead go back to our holes play Giant Steps again.

 

[saxmsy]

His new album is released this morning and I listened some songs on Spotify. Honestly I expected it to be more in Jazz style since the album description gave me that impression. However after listening half of the album I still think he stick to the same style for this album.

 

[germanwatches]

.

 

[super20dan]

IF you made it to the 'big time' you would know that those sicky sweet Christmas albums are HUGE money makers.
Sellout or not the fans love them and the bills have to be paid.

i dont care how much money they make -i wouldnt do it out of principle

 

[turf3]

Kenny G is a fine player, who by all accounts appears to have a healthy dollop of self-deprecating humor about the "pop idol" position he's found himself in. I don't like his pop stuff, but I'm not a big fan of Trane's "Om" either. Let him earn his dough.

The whole Louis Armstrong/Kenny G/Pat Metheny kerfuffle of a few years ago I found deeply laughable. First off, the Armstrong tune that KG dubbed himself over, is only the VERY CHEESIEST thing Louis Armstrong ever recorded. I mean, "What a Wonderful World" makes Louis' "Hello Dolly" seem as uncompromising and purist as a 40 minute Albert Ayler tune. So right off the bat, nothing's been "desecrated". Secondly, for all I love Louis Armstrong, he DID enthusiastically take up the cheesy stuff later in his life. And then, to top it off, who is it that excoriates G for "desecrating" this fine fine piece of pablum? Was it Benny Carter? or James Newton? or David Murray? Cecil Taylor?

Nope! It was PAT METHENY, for Chrissakes, the guy who's made an entire career out of playing the exact same tune over and over and over, with that horrible "ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh" fake vocal pad slathered over absolutely everything he does, so all his stuff sounds like it just came out of 1973. Talk about the kettle calling the pot out for "selling out"! Yeah, Metheny can play. Everyone knows that. But what he chooses to play? Time for a new schtick. At least Kenny isn't claiming to be a high-brow jazz ascetic while churning out yet another double album of the same old synthesized crap. Kenny's honest about what he's doing.

 

[Grumps]

Okay. I watched it. A very entertaining documentary that won't put you to sleep despite its subject matter. Kenny is definitely driven to excellence in all he does. And he knows it, and will tell you. I'm sure some will pick at his lack of modesty, but I see it more as a lack of false modesty. Though near the end, they give him a bit of rope to hang himself with, it's really the critics, and especially Pat Metheny, that come off as rather petty; and as the film goes on, at least one of them seems to be on a path to self-reflection in this regard.

But if you don't know much about Kenny G, you'll learn quite a bit about him and what makes him tick. My thoughts in his regard have never really changed over the years. Though not a fan of his music, I completely respect what he does and how he has nearly singlehandedly kept our beloved instrument within the mainstream of modern music. People just don't listen to him. They play the saxophone because of him. Because of that, I don't take much notice of folks that bash him, unless they too play saxophone. That's a sort of benchmark for me. The more another sax player bashes Kenny G, the less I want to hear from them; verbally or otherwise.

It should also be of no surprise that the Getz family gave the green light for him to splice himself into a duet with Stan. If you've been paying attention lately...

 

[J-Moen]

Okay. I watched it. A very entertaining documentary that won't put you to sleep despite its subject matter. Kenny is definitely driven to excellence in all he does. And he knows it, and will tell you. I'm sure some will pick at his lack of modesty, but I see it more as a lack of false modesty. Though near the end, they give him a bit of rope to hang himself with, it's really the critics, and especially Pat Metheny, that come off as rather petty; and as the film goes on, at least one of them seems to be on a path to self-reflection in this regard.

But if you don't know much about Kenny G, you'll learn quite a bit about him and what makes him tick. My thoughts in his regard have never really changed over the years. Though not a fan of his music, I completely respect what he does and how he has nearly singlehandedly kept our beloved instrument within the mainstream of modern music. People just don't listen to him. They play the saxophone because of him. Because of that, I don't take much notice of folks that bash him, unless they too play saxophone. That's a sort of benchmark for me. The more another sax player bashes Kenny G, the less I want to hear from them; verbally or otherwise.

It should also be of no surprise that the Getz family gave the green light for him to splice himself into a duet with Stan. If you've been paying attention lately...

Very well put. And good change to the thread title .

I'm going to be watching it today after my meetings.

 

[SuperAction80]

Kenny G is a fine player, who by all accounts appears to have a healthy dollop of self-deprecating humor about the "pop idol" position he's found himself in. I don't like his pop stuff, but I'm not a big fan of Trane's "Om" either. Let him earn his dough.

The whole Louis Armstrong/Kenny G/Pat Metheny kerfuffle of a few years ago I found deeply laughable. First off, the Armstrong tune that KG dubbed himself over, is only the VERY CHEESIEST thing Louis Armstrong ever recorded. I mean, "What a Wonderful World" makes Louis' "Hello Dolly" seem as uncompromising and purist as a 40 minute Albert Ayler tune. So right off the bat, nothing's been "desecrated". Secondly, for all I love Louis Armstrong, he DID enthusiastically take up the cheesy stuff later in his life. And then, to top it off, who is it that excoriates G for "desecrating" this fine fine piece of pablum? Was it Benny Carter? or James Newton? or David Murray? Cecil Taylor?

Nope! It was PAT METHENY, for Chrissakes, the guy who's made an entire career out of playing the exact same tune over and over and over, with that horrible "ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh" fake vocal pad slathered over absolutely everything he does, so all his stuff sounds like it just came out of 1973. Talk about the kettle calling the pot out for "selling out"! Yeah, Metheny can play. Everyone knows that. But what he chooses to play? Time for a new schtick. At least Kenny isn't claiming to be a high-brow jazz ascetic while churning out yet another double album of the same old synthesized crap. Kenny's honest about what he's doing.

You nailed my thoughts on the Metheny thing. I completely forgot about his temper tantrum until I watched the documentary last night. It's still a joke. I'm not the biggest Kenny G fan, but I can appreciate the fact that he plays the style of music that he chooses to play. He seems to be a hard worker, capable player, and is quite successful at his business. I have no problem with any of this.

I also agree with Grumps in that he has a healthy dose of self awareness. The perceived ego is more of an in joke. Peyton Manning was a master at this type of humor in that you're expecting the celebrity to be egotistical, so the celebrity will play on that while breaking the 4th wall and winking towards the camera.

 

[liggy]

The wifey and I watched it yesterday. It was entertaining. Being from Seattle and a couple years behind him in school I can attest to his dedication to practicing for hours every day. He studied with John Jessen back in the day and was relentless.

I completely love what he was doing with Lorber. The after school band he played in called “Cold, Bold and Together” and the after school band I played in for a while called “Cool Breeze” had a Battle of the Bands at the Rainier Room at the Seattle Center once. I got smoked by Mr. Gorelick.

Like his music or not - the man put in the work, does what it takes to make it happen and I respect that immensely.

 

[.137385]

Have always absolutely loved Kenny G. He is a master of the sax.
Not want to start anything, and will not participate, but the hatred I received on this forum about my love for Kenny G. in 2006/2007 is part of the reason I left until today.

 

[nvilletele]

Kenny G sucks.

Technically, wouldn’t it be more correct, and still maintaining the sentiment, to say that Kenny G blows?

 

[saxmsy]

Though not a fan of his music, I completely respect what he does and how he has nearly singlehandedly kept our beloved instrument within the mainstream of modern music. People just don't listen to him. They play the saxophone because of him.

Well said from Grumps!

 

[Grumps]

Technically, wouldn’t it be more correct, and still maintaining the sentiment, to say that Kenny G blows?

Man... if you haven't seen the documentary and aren't willing to... you might want to reconsider. The film actually says more about you than him. If you're willing to listen, that is.

 

[nvilletele]

Man... if you haven't seen the documentary and aren't willing to... you might want to reconsider. The film actually says more about you than him. If you're willing to listen, that is.

Perhaps I should have added an additional sentence to clarify my personal opinion. You are, however understandably, a little quick to judge me in this instance.

My comment was solely addressing wind direction in the context of tranechaser’s original comment, and his sentiment, in a (weak) attempt at humor. Had it been related to a harmonica player, I would have suggested he both sucks and blows.

I personally have nothing against Kenny G, though I don’t listen much to smooth jazz.

I actually have every intent to watch the documentary and expect I will enjoy it very much. I usually like documentaries of this type.

 

[area51recording]

This has been a VERY entertaining discussion but I gotta split....the wife just cooked me up a BIG bowl of artistic integrity for breakfast!! Oh wait......you can't EAT artistic integrity......must be oatmeal then......

 

[Grumps]

Perhaps I should have added an additional sentence to clarify my personal opinion. You are, however understandably, a little quick to judge me in this instance.

Forgive me then. Others have jumped in solely for gratuitous Kenny G bashing and I was hoping to quell that.

 

[super20dan]

he both sucks and blows at the same time. circular breathing. he is good at this

 

[Grumps]

So much for quelling...