Kenny G is to bring jazz lovers in Beijing a fabulous performance
on the night of March 31.
Kenny G has long been the musician many jazz listeners love to
hate. A phenomenally successful instrumentalist whose recordings
make the pop charts, Kenny G's sound has been a staple on adult
contemporary and smooth jazz radio stations since the mid-'80s,
making Kenny G a household name. Kenny G is a fine player with an
attractive sound (influenced a bit by Grover Washington, Jr.) who
often caresses melodies, putting a lot of emotion into his
solos.
Because Kenny G does not improvise much (sticking mostly to
predictable melody statements), his music largely falls outside of
jazz. However, because Kenny G is listed at the top of
"contemporary jazz" charts and is identified with jazz in the minds
of the mass public, Kenny G is classified as jazz.
Kenny G started playing professionally with Barry White's Love
Unlimited Orchestra in 1976. Kenny G recorded with Cold, Bold
Together (a Seattle-based funk group) and freelanced locally. After
graduating from the University of Washington, Kenny G worked with
Jeff Lorber Fusion, making two albums with the group.
Soon Kenny G was signed to Arista, recording his debut as a
leader in 1982. Kenny G's fourth album, Duotones (which
included the very popular Songbird), made him into a star.
Soon Kenny G was in demand for guest appearances on recordings of
such famous singers as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and
Natalie Cole. Kenny G's own records have sold remarkably well,
particularly Breathless, which has easily topped eight million
copies in the U.S.; his total album sales top 30 million
copies.
1994's holiday album Miracles and 1996's Moment continued the
momentum of his massive commercial success. Kenny G also recorded
his own version of the Celine Dion/Titanic smash My Heart Will
Go On in 1998, but the following year he released Classics in
the Key of G, a collection of jazz standards like Round
Midnight and Body Soul, possibly to reclaim some jazz
credibility.
Kenny G 2007 China Tour
Date: 7:30pm, March 31, 2007
Location: Beijing Exhibition Theater, Xizhimenwai Dajie, Haidian
District
Ticket: RMB 280, 480, 680, 880, 1080, 1280
(China Daily February 26, 2007)
