He's a must see!!
by Trisha on 5/6/24Savannah Civic Center - Johnny Mercer Theatre - SavannahI was impressed by his performance he's as good in person as he is on cd or radio. This was a bucket list box I wanted to experience and I'm glad I did.
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The sound of Kenny G's saxophone is as iconic as his curly coif; indeed, both are instantly recognizable. His latest release, New Standards, the title of his 19th studio album, fifth for Concord Records and first since 2015's Brazilian Nights, could well be used to describe his four-decade body of work, a vision of jazz that helped launch both a musical genre and radio format. After director Penny Lane's critically acclaimed HBO documentary, Listening to Kenny G - which humorously reconsiders the purist critical backlash to his music - and a demand performance on Kanye West's Grammy-winning Jesus Is King album, it's now cool to not only be Kenny G, but admit you're a fan of his as well.
"I didn't realize how strong the message was until I saw the finished film," says Kenny, who has both the best-selling instrumental album of all time in the Diamond-selling, 12-times-platinum 1992 Breathless, earning him his only Grammy Award among 15 nominations, and the Guinness Book of World Records mark for longest sustained note ever recorded on the saxophone. The feature probes some of the many Kenny G accomplishments, from his song "Going Home" being used as the official end-of-work-day anthem in China to his skills as a golfer and airline pilot. He was also one of the original 10 investors in his Seattle hometown Starbucks Coffee.
Recalling his music spawning the "smooth jazz" phenomenon, Kenny explains, "I'm proud of the fact it was a new style of music that no one was either playing or writing at the time. And it touched a great many people who weren't into traditional jazz, pop or R&B. Somewhere in the middle, they found something they were looking for and liked."
New Standards continues the musical path that has seen Kenny G sell 75 million albums around the world, looking back to the classic '50s and '60s jazz ballads for inspiration, updating them with new studio technology, such as the digital ability to piece together songs note by note from different performances. The tracks are almost equally divided between soprano and tenor sax, with one song, "Two of a Kind," featuring him on both, duetting with himself, a slight, unintended hint of Seals & Crofts' "Summer Wind" wafting through, while the wistful, airy "Moonlight" finds him taking a rare turn on alto sax, the instrument on which he first learned to play.
"I wanted to play songs with chord progressions that reflected the classic jazz era of Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley and Dexter Gordon, while doing them my way, creating new standards," he says.
For "Legacy," he sampled the great Stan Getz playing tenor on a live, unaccompanied version of "Happy Birthday," creating a duet with him on soprano sax.
"I took those individual notes and turned them into a melody I'm proud of," explains Kenny. "I don't think that's ever been done before."
Reminiscent of his global hit duet with a filmed Louis Armstrong on "What a Wonderful World," Kenny G expects some jazz buffs night not be happy with his Getz tribute, even though, as was the case with the Armstrong song, he is donating all proceeds to the late musician's estate and family, whom Kenny says are delighted with his version.
Kenny performs a sprightly soprano sax on the opening "Emeline," named after a close family friend, while the ultra-romantic "Only You" combines a variety of throwback chord changes with a soaring tenor sax gliding its way on top.
"Rendezvous" evokes a smoky jazz ballad of the '40s with its aching tenor, the first song Kenny G recorded for the album."Paris by Night" evokes a foggy night strolling on the bridges across the Seine, while "Anthem" sports a duet between Kenny G on soprano and cello, giving the track a hymn-like, anthemic drive a song Kenny played live with the National Symphony in Nashville in December.
"Blue Skies" is an airy, whimsical melody he wrote with piano player Randy Waldman, a fellow airplane pilot -- hence the title -- whom he accompanies on soprano sax. "Milestones" offers an homage to classic jazz tropes in name and sound, while the closing "Waltz in Blue," titled for its three-quarter time crossed with a blues beat, ends the album on a rounded low B-flat, the perfect answer to the high E which begins the first track, "Emeline."
The album forms an aural narrative, which makes it the perfect vehicle to demonstrate to film directors and music supervisors that Kenny G, the world's most popular instrumental musician, is overdue to compose his first movie score.
"If any director needs a memorable instrumental for their film..." he offers. "I think I've proven what I can do."
For the last several years, Kenny G has taken to the internet with gusto, his posts becoming memes and going viral, as he continues to have fun with the whole idea of being his iconic self, satirized in South Park, Trolls World Tour (as a frizzy-haired sax player threatens the whole pop music cosmos with his "smooth jazz") and Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson-hosted "What's Up With That?" segment, where Fred Armisen plays a certain frizzy-haired soprano sax player.
"I don't know why they just don't have me do it," Kenny G laughs, perfectly in on the joke. "When I was on the show playing with Foster the People, I told them, 'Hey guys, I'm right here.' I can fake playing sax really well."
And, as you can hear on the excellent new New Standards, he does quite fine when he plays for real, too.
I was impressed by his performance he's as good in person as he is on cd or radio. This was a bucket list box I wanted to experience and I'm glad I did.
I'm a longtime fan of Kenny G. I travelled to Ft. Lauderdale to see him perform at the wonderful Parker Playhouse. Well worth the effort. Ushers said the show was 90 to 105 minutes. Others said around 2 hours. Signage reported no intermission. The show was delayed 20 minutes (sold out show and parking difficulty). Kenny G walked onstage at 8:00 to report he and his band were ready to start but there would be a delay. The performance lasted 2 hours and 5 minutes. The audience was very responsive and encouraging. The performance on top of a 20 minute delay resulted in lots of "coming and going"- if you catch my drift. Despite that, there was a LONG line of fans waiting to purchase merch and get autographs and pictures with Kenny G. This was a GREAT night! Over the top performance and appreciative fans.
THE SHOW WAS THE BEST OUT OF THE SIXTH I HAVE SEEN HIM.
But I prefer to listen rithym and romance album also he was perfect
it is always good to hear Kenny G never disappointed; give me chills to hear him play in a good way. The venue is great and the seats were good. Great performance.
Kenny G electrified and pleased with this intimate concert! He connected with thr audience through his personal anecdotes and life stories. His band astonished with each members individual performances at the highest level of professionalism!
He gave an excellent performance along with the band there solo was amazing
Wow!...what a show! My wife and I had a wonderful time! Kenny G is a terrific talent and showman. His band was also extremely talented. Would absolutely like to see him, and his band perform again.
The Parker was the right size for this event. Plenty of leg room, with seats at the right angle to overlook the row in front of you, Kenny was great performing throughout the show. His band, each one of them, were amazing, I love these type of shows and will continue to come.
Absolutely fun show! He started by playing solo in the audience; quite a treat. He played cover tunes, old songs, and some new tracks he’s written. The band he plays with is his original band, and they are terrific. They actually really amped up the show with some drum solos, some fun percussion bits, a bass solo, and really took it to the next level. I was actually surprised at how he kept my interest, and the show ran over two hours long with no intermission. Definitely worth the money.
I really enjoyed myself. This was my first Kenny G concert. He is a true saxophonist and I enjoyed every moment. My wife loves him and his jazz music.
Kenny G is always amazing. I've been a fan since I was 16 (I'm now 52) and I've seen him in various cities in the United States over the years. I am always overjoyed to see him and hear him play, and it is always a happy, peaceful, healing experience for me - even after all of these years. I am truly blessed to be able to see/hear him as often as I do.
Awesome!!! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
My third Kenny G concert. I think this was the best yet.
Great seats, love Kenny!! Amazing show. He came out early because people were taking so long to get to their seats. So Kenny himself came out to talk to the early arrivals. Was so excited.
The show was outstanding. Kenny G and the whole band performed flawlessly. It is amazing seeing the musical talent the group has in live concert. They sounded just like the music pieces but live and right in front of you. I would recommend his show to anyone looking for a great Jazz performance coupled with a romantic touch.
This was the second Kenny G concert I attended in Savannah Georgia. Great music and he was very entertaining. Hope he comes back again soon.
I love Kenny G. I have been listening to his music for 48 years. He has not changed and his performance is the greatest. Thanks for an amazing experience. My husband and I enjoyed every minute of it.
It's been on my bucket list to see Kenny G live and in living color. He did not disappoint. I loved it.....and he seems to be one of the most down to earth artist I've ever seen. No fluff, no fake, just he and his band doing what they love to do. I loved the way he interacted with the audience, his stage presence, moving to different areas (for example) he started out on a little platform in the audience and then moved on the stage. You just know that he has been doing this and he's just a fabulous performer. I loved it! And we aren't even going to talk about the music. That's another whole review. OMG!
Very good show. Kenny G. Is fantastic. Nonstop fun. Highly recommended.